Artsy Crafty
One of the most beloved styles of American homes grew out of what’s known as the Arts and Craft Movement of the early 20th century.
Lasting from 1905–1930, the roots of the movement stretch back to England with a slight detour towards Japan and then a gradual flowering in California as seen in the explosion of homes that fall into the category called “bungalows.” Even though Craftsman design is rooted in the past, people are still building them today.
The word bungalow comes to us courtesy of India where people live in “banglas,” low slung, thatch-roofed houses ringed by porches. Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene are generally regarded as the brother kings of the bungalow. They studied architecture at MIT, traveled to England during the Arts and Crafts Movement and set up shop in Pasadena. They not only designed homes but also the fixtures that went in them.
The movement was seen as a rejection of the machine age and pointed towards a desire for a return to hand-made buildings and objects. Natural materials were employed with a strong dose of aesthetics. The movement wielded a strong influence over architecture, furnishings, and the fine arts that can still be felt today. Frank Lloyd Wright, generally regarded as our most visionary architect was deeply affected by Arts…
