Craftsman: America’s Favorite House
The Craftsman style house is widely considered the country’s favorite home style. It’s the ubiquitous architectural style for modern suburbia and is usually the first thing homeowners think of when they hear the word “classic home”.
Rapid Roofing, one of the top local roofers in Michigan, shares the brief history of Craftsman houses and the exterior elements that define this iconic architectural style.
A Brief History
The Craftsman home traces its roots to a late nineteenth-century British movement called the Arts and Crafts Movement. It was a contrarian movement that rejected the mass-produced style of homes at the time in favor of handcrafted houses made by artisans.
This movement made its way to America and was championed by Gustav Stickley, the founder and editor of The Craftsman magazine. His publication was responsible for selling blueprints for homes with the Arts and Crafts style, which he considered as “serious” architecture.
Defining Features
Stickley’s travels to India made quite an impression on him, particularly the bungalow designs. He championed this design, and many American architects followed his lead, helping define what we now call as the American Craftsman style.
This architectural style isn’t just defined by its bungalow design though. The most defining characteristic of this house style is its low-pitched rooflines that are often done in either a gable or hip style. This gives the house a tall appearance despite being a bungalow.
Other roof elements include single protruding dormers, exposed rafters and wide eaves that encompass the porch.
Craftsman Style
As part of our roof installation service, we offer premium quality roofing materials for homeowners looking to incorporate this classic design into the modern world. While wood and cedar shake shingles were the traditional roofing materials for this house, we can offer more durable shingle systems from GAF.
As a GAF Master Elite® roofer, we can install the Timberline® Lifetime Architectural Shingles. These asphalt roofs look just like wood, but they are more durable and resilient to weather damage. They are the perfect shingle system for Craftsman homes because of their low-maintenance properties and ability to preserve their classic design.
Let one of the top local roofing companies in Michigan assist you with your roofing needs. Call us today at (734) 234-5900 to learn more about our services. We are one of the top local roofers in Ann Arbor and other parts of Michigan.
