Classic Features of a Craftsman-Style Interior

The craftsman-style home is popular throughout the country and rose to popularity during the arts-and-crafts movement at the turn of the 19th century. Many of these homes are bungalow-style and are known for their natural materials, cozy interiors, and wide porches. They're particularly popular in California and the Midwest, and appeal primarily to those who love vintage homes.

While a craftsman home is fairly easy to spot from the outside, there are also certain features that many homes from this era share beyond the front door. We have rounded up some beautiful craftsman interiors to highlight those key features that make these homes so remarkable.

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A Living Room Off the Porch

Design: Black Lacquer Design
Photography: Mary Costa

Rarely will you find a craftsman home without a wide-open porch (one reason for their immense curb appeal). Once inside, you typically step directly into a small foyer or immediately into the living room. Often, there is both a visual and a physical connection between the living room and the porch, as seen in this space from Black Lacquer Design. Here, a set of wooden double doors leads to the porch and allows for indoor-outdoor living.
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A Fireplace

blooming_acre / Instagram

When it comes to key features of a craftsman home, a fireplace is one of the essentials. Few bungalows go without a built-in hearth to center the space and create a clear focal point for the living room. Here in this room from blooming_acre, a stone fireplace is flanked by two bench seats to create the ultimate centerpiece for the rest of the living area.
03 of 10

Built-In Bookcases

curihome / Instagram

In traditional craftsman homes, the living room was a haven for entertaining, reading, and relaxation, and almost always had built-in bookcases—usually next to the fireplace like these ones from curihome. Today, they may be filled with media equipment or pieces of art instead, but built-ins are still among the signature features of a craftsman interior. You will also find them throughout the home, in bedrooms and dens as well.
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A Dedicated Dining Room

champagneandsawdust / Instagram

While you may come across a renovated craftsman home with an open floor plan, the traditional style typically had a dining room set between the kitchen and the living room. Like this example from champagneandsawdust, a craftsman dining room also usually has wainscoting or beadboard detailing, windows, and sometimes built-ins for seating or linens.

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Lots of Natural Materials

1920craftsman / Instagram

When you think craftsman, you probably think handmade or artisan. And there's a reason for that—arts-and-crafts homes had a focus on natural materials, so you will often see hardwood flooring throughout these homes, even today. You may also find beautiful wooden details, like these columns from 1920craftsman, and natural materials on the exterior of the home as well.

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06 of 10

Exposed Ceiling Beams

Design: Michelle Lisac Interior Design
Photography: Jennie Corti

Another feature of the focus on handcrafted woodwork is the exposed beams you will find in many craftsman homes. As in this space from Michelle Lisac Interior Design, exposed wooden beams help to give the craftsman home that warm feeling and help to center the rest of the furniture and elements in the room.
07 of 10

Dens and Reading Nooks

Design: Alana Homesley Interior Design
Architecture: Evens Architects
Photography: Manolo Langis

Craftsman homes are full of endless detail and character, so you will often find fun features in the vein of this reading nook designed by Alana Homesley Interior Design. When space allows, there is usually a small den as well, dedicated to reading or other solitary activity, which is typically placed off the living room or dining room.
08 of 10

Eat-In Kitchens

champagneandsawdust / Instagram

A craftsman home is designed with family in mind, so many of the spaces you will find cater to social activity. When the kitchen is large enough, you will sometimes find a breakfast nook, like this one from champagneandsawdust. Because craftsman homes always have a dedicated dining space, this nook is small and only serves as a place for a quick bite, not a larger meal.

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Earthy or Neutral Color Palette

curihome / Instagram

While it's not a hard-and-fast rule, many craftsman homes adhere to a simple color palette consisting of grays, whites, or earthy tones such as greens and beiges. As in in this living space from curihome, these softer colors tend to work better with the various natural elements and exposed wood you find in a craftsman home.
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Focus on Natural Light

tanialacaria / Instagram

Small bungalows and cottages often rely on natural light to help open up the space and add a connection between the outside and inside. Most rooms in a craftsman, like this dining room from tanialacaria, rely on at least two sources of light or one oversized window to keep the room light and airy.