What Are the Design Elements Of A Modern Craftsman Style House?

Eclectic and charming, these modern craftsman style houses draw inspiration from traditional craftsman and modern contemporary style to create a perfect fusion that celebrates the arts and crafts movement whilst modernizing the interior layout.

This style seems to have gained momentum throughout the United States as its preserved charming look intervenes with the timeless simplicity of the design. This house style tends to entice everyone who admires to have a walk throughout the house or, in most cases, build one.

With respect to other styles, modern craftsman share similarities with the modern farmhouse house style due to a sense of alignment in their design principles and a feel of revival from the past. To name a few features, let’s have a look below!

Modern Craftsman Style vs Modern Farmhouse Style

Both of these styles are incredibly unique in their own ways – classic and curated! However, a few noteworthy features unite them into a single entity that appears to be similar and interrelated.

If you picture both houses together, it might get difficult to identify unless you’re focused on the exterior façade covering, the roof slope, and the dynamic character of the house. To make it simpler, let’s elaborate on a few characteristics.

Color Palettes: Modern farmhouse styles are mostly painted in black and white-hued accents for the door and window frames; however, this design can be observed in striking neutral shades.

Grand Porches: There is absolutely no doubt how both of these styles manage to showcase a grand look with the use of their great, massive porches.

Stone wainscotting: This design aesthetics displays natural stone cladding on its columns and roofs. Meanwhile, the farmhouse style uses vertical sidings and metal accents to make their façade look dramatic.

Interiors: Modern contemporary is the similarity. An airy and subtle neutral color palette highlights the simplicity in both these styles, which dates back to the 19th CE while modernizing the architectural elements.

Modern-Craftsman House Exterior Design Elements

Due to the historical significance of these homes, more and more Americans are looking for houses styled in this design. Their eye-catching profile and noteworthy features make them a very suitable option across the country. Similar to the traditional craftsman homes, these features remain on the façade of the homes with some minor modern alterations that are as follows:

1. Grand Covered Porches
2. Tapered Columns on stone wainscoted pedestals
3. Natural materials as façade coverings
4. Low-pitched roofs
5. Wide eave overhangs
6. Exposed roof rafters
7. Decorative beams and braces under gables
8. Patterned windowpanes
9. Muted earthy tones as the exterior color palette
10. No ornamentations or decorative motifs

Colors Associated with Exteriors

When you think of a quintessential craftsman home exterior, certain color schemes just feel right, don’t they? The warm, earthy palette is a signature look that ties these architectural gems to their natural surroundings. Let’s explore some of the most popular Craftsman-style color choices:

Earth Tones – Nothing grounds a craftsman quite like rich earth tones. Imagine a deep brown cedar shake siding paired with creamy trim and olive green accents. Warm, welcoming, and oh-so fitting for these nature-inspired abodes.

Reds and Oranges – For a burst of energy, craftsman exteriors love a pop of spicy red or burnt orange. Maybe red brick accents around doorways and windows. Or a terra cotta roof and warm orange doors that beckon you inside.

It’s like the homes are blushing amidst the greenery! Used judiciously, these lively hues add a beautiful contrast.

Grays and Charcoal – Let’s say you prefer something a tad more subtle. Slate gray siding with charcoal accents can lend a craftsman a more composed, elegant vibe while still honoring its earthy roots.

These smoky, sophisticated shades allow the home’s spectacular woodwork and details to really shine.

Warm Neutrals – Of course, you can never go wrong with cozy, adaptable neutrals either. A soft taupe or velvety khaki works beautifully as a base for craftsman exteriors. Just picture them paired with rich blue trim or warm wood tones!

The key is layering colors and textures to create depth and interest. Craftsman homes embrace nature’s palette in all its warm, inviting glory. So feel free to experiment and let the stunning architectural details be your guide!

Built-in exposed natural materials like wood, stones, and bricks, homes designed in this aesthetic embrace the authenticity and natural beauty of the materials. Enlightening this theory, they are mostly embellished in earthy, natural tones like shades of greens, browns, tans, and taupe.

You would even observe exterior walls completely clad in natural stone to give it a warm and cottage-like feel. Yes! It’s beautiful and thoughtful.

Modern-Craftsman House Interiors

First and foremost, the interiors are highly inspired by the principles of contemporary and minimalist styles. Unlike the old-school type, these designs tend to be more airy and welcoming, with a flexible circulation within the house.

Also, to preserve the elements from the Arts and Crafts Movement, some heavy craftsman work and intricate details can be observed with minimal decoration. To have a comparative analysis of the then and now, let’s have a more in-depth look:

1. The house has an open floor plan living that allows a smooth flow between the various zones. At the same time, the traditional craftsman homes followed a practical floor plan with fewer walls to partition.
2. Back in the 1900s, it was a much cheaper concept to build lower ceilings that were easy to maintain and build, but in the present era, these traditional ceilings are being replaced with modernized high ceilings with exposed beams.
3. Space utilization is maximized through nooks, window seats, and built-in storage
4. Large, spacious rooms
5. Neutral color palette highlighting subtle hues
6. Centrally located fireplace
7. Beaded built-in lighting
8. Hardwood natural floors
9. Biophilia Connectivity: Ample of indoor plants and natural lighting

This kitchen has wood beams, wood flooring, white cabinets, and large chandelier. See more craftsman kitchen cabinets here.

Modern craftsman living room design with shiplap fireplace and wood mantle

Kitchen Designed in the Craftsman Style

Large, spacious, and open-concept kitchens are the key design style of a contemporary craftsman house. Light is at play everywhere – bouncing off the stark white walls to the clean and crisp tabletops in the kitchen. These modern kitchens have comparatively higher ceilings, with open beams and bright-hued cabinets with metal-tinted accents.

The concept of a partitionless kitchen creates a welcoming aura in the house while encouraging social activities and direct connectivity with the living and dining areas. Simplicity is maximized, while flamboyancy is minimized.

Life in these homes usually revolves around the common areas of the house, which are centrally located, while the personal spaces, such as bedrooms, are on each of the corners. Visit this page to see our gallery of traditional craftsman kitchen designs for comparison.

Craftsman Interior Design Lighting Elements

Just like the period it is associated with, the lighting aesthetics display the most creative designs from the Arts and Crafts movement. Industrial in style and as artsy as their rich history, these lighting fixtures create a sense of focal point in the house while defining themselves as a chief element of the design.

Master bathroom with rustic iron chandelier and modern wall sconce lights. See more craftsman bathrooms here.

Colors for Modern Craftsman-Inspired Interiors

Calm neutrals seamlessly bring charm to these historic homes. The upgraded interior contemporary design follows whites, off-whites, beige, greys, and lighter earthy browns to make their interior space look bright, spacious, and airy.

Trims and decorative ornamentation are usually painted in stark white, while the walls and ceilings are contrasted with cloudy or non-white shades. Meanwhile, the furniture is poppy, cheerful, and eye-catching, diverting the minds into a more colorful theme and creating a dramatic effect in the interiors.

All of these features bring into the limelight the importance of the historic charm while modernizing the space for a more ‘present era’ feel. Undoubtedly, this unique architectural style wins over the hearts of many homeowners around the country. For more details, see our collection of house plans here.