Interior Designer Tips For Creating Beautiful Craftsman Living Rooms

Welcome to our guide featuring luxury craftsman living room design ideas. The craftsman living room style is known for its handcrafted custom design elements, high ceilings with exposed beams, open layout, and the warmth of its natural wood finishes. Entering one of these spaces, one can feel the attention to detail and custom details that provide a warm and inviting ambiance.

Craftsman Living Room Ideas

Here are a few of the top interior design elements of craftsman living rooms:

Custom Wood Finishes – One of the most distinctive attributes of this style is the warmth of its wood finishes and details. From its wood moldings to door & window casements, the custom wood finishes show attention to detail of the Arts and Crafts style. Celebrate the grain by choosing a single species—such as quartersawn white oak or American cherry—throughout the room. Clear, hand‑rubbed finishes let the chatoyance (that lively shimmer in the grain) glow without the plastic‑looking build of modern polys. To prevent visual heaviness, break up wide runs of paneling with low wainscot and lighter plaster or lime‑washed walls above.

Exposed Beams – Dramatic exposed wood beams look impressive and provide elegance to the space. These features are paired with high vaulted ceilings to enhance the look and feel of the space. Dark‑stained beams pop against lighter ceilings, but if your room lacks height, flip the contrast: finish beams a shade lighter than the ceiling to visually lift them. Add subtle uplighting—LED tape concealed in a shallow groove along the beam tops—to wash the ceiling plane and emphasize the timber architecture after sunset.

Large Windows – The wood finishes of this style rely on plenty of light to brighten the room. Windows can also provide views to the outside and help maintain a connection to the outdoors. Craftsman sashes are usually divided‑light in the upper third only; mimic that proportion in new inserts or interior grids. Choose warm‑metal hardware (oil‑rubbed bronze or antique brass) with knurled or hammered textures to echo handcrafted motifs and catch the daylight for a little subtle sparkle.

Window Casings – Windows are framed with detailed wood casings that work with door openings and ceiling treatments to match the overall design. Carry the same head‑casing height around the entire room to create a visual frieze line. Use a picture‑rail molding just below that line so artwork can be hung without nails in the plaster—an original craftsman detail that doubles as functional décor.

Hardwood Flooring – Beautiful hardwood floors flow through the space to help create a connection to the porch, kitchen, dining room, and outdoor entertaining area. A narrower strip (2¼″ to 3¼″) plank feels era‑appropriate. Lay boards parallel to the room’s longest wall to elongate the space, and finish with a subtle satin sheen so the floor doesn’t outshine millwork. Define seating zones with hand‑knotted wool rugs in muted indigo, russet, and sage Arts‑and‑Crafts patterns.

Fireplace – A central hearth is the focal point of many craftsman living rooms. Fireplaces often have beautiful decorative mantels or wood or stone and are flanked by built-in bookcases, high windows, or cabinets. Different types of materials for fireplaces, such as stone, cement and marble, blend into the space gracefully. 

Specify matte or honed finishes—tumbled limestone, soapstone, or rough‑faced ledgestone—for an authentic, time‑softened look. Accent the surround with hand‑pressed art tiles featuring stylized botanicals or geometric borders. Integrate a slim mantel shelf at standing‑eye level (about 56″) to keep sight lines clear to any artwork above.

Color Scheme – When picking paint colors for your living room, you’ll want to create an inviting, cozy vibe that screams “craftsman charm.” Imagine rich, earthy tones inspired by nature itself – think deep browns reminiscent of aged wood or potting soil. Warm it up with some terra cotta red and sunshine yellow accents. Don’t be afraid to go bold! For a calming touch, work in some muted olive greens that bring the outdoors in. Maybe incorporate a pop of mulled wine for depth and contrast (yes, please!). The variation between vibrant and muted shades adds serious visual interest.

Anchor the palette with a mid‑value neutral—Farrow & Ball’s London Clay or Sherwin‑Williams’ Shiitake—on the walls, then apply deeper hues sparingly on built‑ins and window sashes. Reserve the lightest tint for the ceiling to maintain that uplifting craftsman feel.

Mission‑Style Lighting – Opt for fixtures with mica or art glass panels framed in riveted bronze. A large inverted‑cone pendant centered over the coffee table balances the heavy beams above while stained‑glass sconces flank the fireplace for layered ambience.

Built‑in Benches & Inglenooks – If space allows, add a low, cushioned bench beneath a bay of windows or tuck an inglenook beside the hearth. Upholster in rich leather or William Morris–inspired textiles for an inviting reading perch.

Textiles & Soft Goods – Introduce hand‑blocked linen draperies, wool throws, and embroidered accent pillows in stylized leaf and acorn motifs. Mixing subtle pattern scales provides depth without detracting from the millwork.

Furniture Selection & Arrangement – Choose solid‑frame seating with gently sloped arms and visible joinery—think Stickley or Greene & Greene reproductions. Arrange pieces to center on the hearth, leaving clear 36″ circulation paths to celebrate the open layout.

Metal & Hardware Accents – Matte iron strap hinges, hammered‐copper switch plates, and pyramid‑head joinery nails punctuate wood elements with authentic, handcrafted character. Consistency in finish color ties disparate pieces together.

Nature‑Inspired Artwork – Swap mass‑produced prints for woodblock or linocut landscapes, vintage botanical studies, or hammered‑copper relief panels. Mount pieces in simple quarter‑sawn oak frames that echo other woodwork.

Greenery & Indoor–Outdoor Connection – Bring the garden inside with potted ferns, jade plants, or trailing ivy in hand‑thrown pottery. Their organic forms soften the rectilinear architecture and reinforce the craftsman ethos of harmony with nature.

Sustainability & Craftsmanship – Whenever possible, commission local artisans for custom pieces—live‑edge coffee tables, forged‑iron curtain rods, or hand‑knotted rugs—to honor the movement’s focus on skilled workmanship and regional materials.

Combine it all, and you’ve got a cohesive, enveloping palette that captures the craftsman style’s effortless blending of rustic and refined. Texture is key too – layered materials in coordinating tones elevate that organic feel.

The gorgeous formal living room in the picture above combines a generous floor space, balance and a high ceiling. Modern aesthetics were applied and combined with more classic elements, such as a brick fireplace, for a gorgeous balance of old and new.

Artwork and decor items complement the room’s design, with an end table and lamp showcasing some of these products. Walls are simply white, while the cathedral ceiling is a combination of maple wood planks and solid teak wood beams and trusses. Floors on the other hand, uses a more neutral pale maple solid wood flooring for a softer look.

The accent wall uses stone masonry cladding for its columns, with built-in maple wood display shelves. Furniture pieces are all matching, and is composed of two large sofas & two armchairs upholstered in light beige velvet,  a console table, coffee table, and a pair of side tables matched with an end table and lamp. You will also notice that traditional-style rugs were strategically placed on open, empty spaces of the floor to make it look occupied.

This living room design has a more relaxed, casual vibe to it, focusing on the large openings and the red tones of the solid teak wood used in the structure. Walls, doors and windows are all made or clad with solid teak wood giving it a glossy, orange finish. Conversely, the ceiling uses a more neutral oak wood finish to help balance out the reds. The furniture pieces match the over-all color scheme of the structure, using dark orange and brown upholstery for the accent chairs and sofas to match.

This massive English-style craftsman living room has a generous floor area and a high ceiling, making the space appear brighter and even more spacious. Focusing on natural colors, most of the space uses neutrals with a touch of deep blue for a subtle accent color. The walls and ceiling use a uniform paint finish, which looks good, especially with the solid walnut ceiling trusses. Hanging down the ceiling are wrought iron chandeliers, which help set a cozy ambiance to the space, while the furniture pieces demonstrate classic elegance and excellent craftsmanship.

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