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August/September 2007

The Craftsman-Style Home
A Timeless Design
By Avery Thibadeau

Northbrooke Homes and Sawgrass Homes' Preston Park in Decatur

Many believe that life is cyclical. Styles, trends and, of course, history repeats itself. (Go-go boots, grandmother’s silver pattern, revolutions...you get the picture.) And building styles are no exception. As fads come and go, one thing that has never gone out of style is the idea of home and the sense of nostalgia it invokes. Although the term refers to a house, it also symbolizes a community—a sense of belonging—so it is no wonder that homes that not only remind people of simpler times but are also designed to foster a sense of community, as Craftsman-style homes do, are coming back into fashion.

“Buyers like the look of yesteryear and feel a sense of community with these types of homes,” says Beth Ann Clanin, a realtor with Bo Bridgeport Brokers. With wide front porches and welcoming—classically American—facades, Craftsman-style houses embody what many people look for in a home. Steve Brock, president of Brock Built City Neighborhoods, agrees. “Craftsman style is warm and friendly. It encourages outdoor activity with its front porches and inviting architectural features,” he says.

The features that characterize the Craftsman style date back to the English Arts and Crafts movement of the 1880s. Celebrating handicrafts and encouraging the use of simple forms and natural materials, this movement later spawned an early-20th-century American homebuilding trend. Both the function and the appearance of houses exemplified the Arts and Crafts ideals—the result was a marked departure from the Victorian homes then dotting the American landscape. These homes, often bungalows, came to be described as Craftsman, a name culled from the title of a popular magazine. And while a Craftsman home did fit a certain pattern published in the magazine originally, the term soon came to refer to any house generally expressing the Arts and Crafts ideals.

Each Craftsman-style home is distinct, but in various ways, each incorporates natural materials and evinces pride in form and handiwork. These homes are detail-oriented, with simple lines and earthtone colors. Materials such as stone, rough-hewn wood and stucco are seen on many Craftsman houses, and low-pitched roofs, wide eaves and triangular brackets, porches with square or round columns, numerous windows and beamed ceilings, as well as dark wood wainscoting and moldings are all features of the Craftsman style. Hallmarks of the floorplan include an open layout and few hallways.

John Willis Homes' Spring Street Village in Smyrna
For several years now, new homes and neighborhoods in Atlanta have referenced Craftsman-inspired architecture. Lot sizes are shrinking in Atlanta due to the high cost of land, forcing builders to be more creative and utilize different architectural styles, which is one reason this style has become so appealing—many builders consistently cite versatility as one of its best features. “The characteristics of the Craftsman style encourage us to make each home unique, with different textures, finishes, colors and handcrafted detailing,” says Greg Shiflett, division president of Monte Hewett Homes.

Many Craftsman-style homes dating from the early 20th century can still be seen in Atlanta’s older neighborhoods, such as East Atlanta. As these areas are beginning to attract new residents, many builders seeking to blend new homes into the existing community are relying on this style to do the trick. One example of this is the The Preserve East Atlanta (404-246-5037, www.thepreserveeastatlanta.com), a Springdale Homes community of 131 homes built in a surrounding neighborhood dating back to the 1940s. The community has more than 18 acres of green space and a Wildlife Habitat certification. “This is a community that you can feel good about coming home to, walking your dogs, pushing the stroller, socializing with the neighbors on a Sunday afternoon,” says Beth Ann Clanin, a Bo Bridgeport real estate agent with the property. The homes feature Hardiplank siding with brick and cedar shake accents and exposed rafter tails. Inside, hardwood floors, heavy moldings and custom-built cherry and hickory cabinets in the kitchen and baths (built by the Amish in Missouri) give each home a solid, warm feel.

Another new Craftsman-style community in historic Atlanta, located near East Lake Golf Club, East Atlanta Village and Decatur Square, is Preston Park (404-243-1861, www.avenue-realty.com). The 33 four- and five-bedroom homes, representing eight different floorplans, are constructed by two different builders, Northbrooke Homes and Sawgrass Homes. Although the features of each home differ, all offer the large front porches and sizable great rooms that characterize the Craftsman style, mimicking the charm of the historic neighborhood but offering the latest in modern amenities such as double shower heads and jetted tubs in the bathrooms.

The “back-to-nature” element of the Craftsman style is exemplified in every aspect of Brock Built’s Dupont Commons (404-792-2662, www.brockbuilt.com), a community on the west side of Atlanta close to Buckhead, Downtown and Midtown. A neighborhood irrigation system, unique to the community, will provide residents with complimentary well water for lawn maintenance—freeing residents from Atlanta’s oft-imposed watering restrictions. All homes built after April 1 are EarthCraft certified—single-family homes as well as townhomes are available in 19 different floorplans and feature classic Craftsman architecture, including front porches. “The front of the house is an inviting, intimate place that has its own area that relates well to the street and to the rest of the neighborhood,” says Brock. “The streetscape is carefully planned, with trees lining the street, sidewalks, rear-entry garages and beautiful front elevations that are not impacted by a massive two-car garage.”

John Willis Homes' Spring Street Village
Intown Atlanta isn’t the only part of the city experiencing the rise of this nostalgic look. Located next to the new Durham Park in Smyrna, John Willis Homes’ Spring Street Village (404-771-5628, www.johnwillishomes.com) offers 25 EarthCraft-certified homes starting in the mid-$400s to residents who want a maintenance-free lifestyle combined with the old-fashioned feel of a residential neighborhood within walking distance of Smyrna’s Market Village. Although each of the homes portrays characteristics of the Craftsman style, with front porches, front columns and colorful detailing in earthy tones, the old-fashioned, slower-paced lifestyle that these homes represent can be found here as well. Residents enjoy the convenience of the nearby town center, and Durham Park features rain gardens, swings and walking paths around a running stream—perfect for neighborhood gatherings and growing children.

Monte Hewett Homes is also contributing to the Craftsman-style comeback. At Riley’s Walk (678-538-3126, www. montehewetthomes.com) in Smyrna, 26 single-family homes, each around 3,300 square feet, will attract residents with their classicCraftsman look and their modern features such as stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. At West Village (678-538-3130, www.montehewetthomes.com), also in Smyrna, townhomes and Craftsman-style homes are arranged around a downtown village, and many of the 70 single-family homes were designed specifically for their site. Starting in the $600s, the homes feature site-finished hardwood floors and trey ceilings in the master bedrooms, tile or stone backsplashes and

Monte Hewett Homes' Riley's Walk in Smyrna
raised-panel maple cabinets.

Although Craftsman style has been called a building trend, it is likely here to stay. Many consider these homes to represent classic American aesthetics—as such, this style of home will doubtless be around for some time. “A Craftsman home has enduring, almost ‘timeless’ character,” adds Shiflett. “Because Craftsman architecture is such a truly American style, we feel that it will always have appeal.”

 

 

 

 





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