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Craftsman

This style was a sub-set of the broader Arts & Crafts movement that was divided into two distinct streams of influence. The first of these was the British Arts & Crafts, inspired by the earlier Arts & Crafts movement in Britain. The second was the American Arts & Crafts, based heavily on rural and vernacular styles in Britain and Japan as well as Switzerland.

The Craftsman style was more closely related to the American Arts & Crafts, which matured on the West Coast, particularly in California, and represented a rejection of the classical inspiration of the Edwardian. The British Arts & Crafts style tended to be heavier in appearance, with freer massing and restrained decoration.

What to look for....

Common Elements

• asymmetrical plans


• multiple gable end roofs and dormers


• stucco, shingles, clinker brick, granite, smooth wood trim, and other natural materials


• rich contrasts in textures and materials American Elements


• expansive low pitched, gable roofs with deep overhanging eaves


• exposed structural elements, such as rafter tails, beams and brackets


• Orientalized California bungalow derived from this style

British Elements

• some half-timbering carried over from the Tudor style


• bungalows based on this style were typically taller and came later in Vancouver and Victoria


• roughcast stucco used as the main wall cladding

Credits:
Scott Barrett, BA - Writer

Acknowledgements:
Victoria Heritage Foundation
Vancouver Heritage Conservation Foundation
Heritage Society of British Columbia
British Columbia Heritage Trust - www.heritage.gov.bc.ca