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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

An Ode to My Dream House {Best of the 1920's}


 
Early on in the twentieth century, Craftsman Style or Art & Crafts Style homes became very popular in America. These homes were built to be very efficifent and with very fine craftsmanship. They were defined by their simplicity, a revolt against the highly ornate Victorian era. This timeless and simplicitic design has transcended from the 1920's into the modern day home in so many ways. Take a look at these kitchens for example...

Craftsman style is the height of fashion right now. You cant open a Pottery Barn catalogue (especially PBK) or watch HGTV without seeing one of these kitchens. They are gorgeous! These kitchens are just as popular today as they were during the peak of the Roaring Twenties because of their clean lines, effecient storage (note the cabinets use all the vertical space in the room), and substantial yet simplictic hardware. I just adore those top glass cabinets.....{sigh}

Another defining feature of 1920's home design is the extensive amount of millwork, wainscoting, and built-ins. This is a rendering of a traditional Craftsman style living room...
This is a brand new modern day home...

Note the built-ins, millwork, and beamed ceiling. Isnt it gorgeous? Oh how I wish I owned the key to that house! Here is another example, of a renovated Craftsman home...
All these homes have such an attention to detail and common sense about them. Look at this columned room...
{Sigh} I am in love. One day I will own my dream home, a 1920's Craftmans style bungalow. Until then there have been a few very creative gals improvising and recreating this effect in their own homes. Like Thrifty Decor Chick's staircase...
This was a just a plain-jane, regular staircase until she added her own wainscoting. Click here to see how she did it!

Decor Chick also has a few tricks up her sleeve with this EASY faux wainscoting technique...
Centsational Girl did an awesome job with her living room wainscoting project...
Lastly, I cant write a post about Craftsman home design without mentioning inglenooks.  Ahh, inglenooks... Wouldnt it be lovely to have a room soley devoted to a fireplace? Especially with chilly days of Fall approaching, how wonderful would it be to curl up on one of these benches with some hot cocoa and a good book?
Phew! You made it to the end of this post! Sorry its such a long one, but it was worth it wasn't it? :)

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Comments (8)

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Wow, who knew?! Loving the columned room.
How beautiful. I live in New Zealand and we don't really have that style of home at all (unless they are new, old reproductions). Our homes kind of go from villa to boring bungalow with none of the coolness of the ones you've shown. Im in love with craftsman style.
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
Thats so funny to me. Growing up in the States its wierd to think that these Craftsman bungalows arent everywhere! They are such an American icon. I would love to see some of these New Zealand villas and bungalows you speak of!
Those kitchen pictures are making me salivate Em, I'm ready to start planning! Want to get your advice on my family room / fireplace too... lots of dark wood built ins, and dark brick... very very tempted to paint some or all of it white!
1 reply · active 759 weeks ago
I thought of you when I was writing this post. Kitchen redos are sooo fun! As for the fireplace, Id paint it and the shelves white- give the room an almost shabby chic quality. You could dress it up to look cozy casual too. Maybe even some decorative moulding like you used for your bulletin board.
This style is my favorite, too!
1 reply · active less than 1 minute ago
I could have guessed that! You have excellent taste!
Now you are talkin!! I grew up in So Cal, and worked in Pasadena, the home to a zillion of the most beautiful original craftsman homes. I used to pack my lunch and take it to some street I had never seen before, park, and spend my lunch hour looking at all the beauty while I ate my sandwich.

Like you, the craftsman bungalow is my dream home. I have moved to Texas, and there is a couterpart here- the prairie style home. There are lots of them, and they are lovely too! It's a very similar style and time period. I keep telling my husband that we can stay in our 1986 house till our youngest child's finished high school, and then we are moving to some wonderful old house to retire in. I sure hope he's listening!

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