Restoring Craftsman Homes: A Helping Guide

Restoring craftsman homes is rewarding and fun.  However, getting started and producing a quality finished product can be difficult without a proper background in architectural history and understanding of architectural design elements.  Fortunately, you don't have to have a degree in art history to become competent in how craftsman homes work and are put together. I wanted to present some resources that I have useful in navigating the restoration of some of our city's classic craftsman homes. 

The first book I have found immensely useful is Robert Schweitzer's Bungalow Colors.

This book give some excellent examples of color use in Craftsman Era homes built from 1905-1930.  Don't trust the clerk at Home Depot on paint choices.  Consult this book and your finished home will look a lot better than if you had not.     

The second book that is incredibly educational is Gustav Stickley's Crafsman Homes.

This books has original floorplans, architectural elements, and even furnishings from the Craftsman Era.  I strongly encourage you to purchase this book as a resource.  You will get a feel for what truly IS craftsman and what is not.  Gustav is the father of the genre.    

One of the tricks of restoring many homes is undoing all the lousy remodels that occurred over the decades.  1970's faux wood paneling and chintzy MDF casings were not part of the original design of these homes. You will need to know what to put in the place of what you tear out.  This book will help you know what to do.  Learn what an original floorplan would have looked like, what kind of wood was used in the casings and other exciting facts.

This should get you started and give you a considerable advantage.  If you have any other questions, give me a call and I can point you in the right direction.