Craftsman House Plans ? Family, Simplicity and Elegance

Craftsman House Plans ? Family, Simplicity and Elegance

1.   How did craftsman house plans become popular?
During the overlapping periods of the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era, the upper-class tended to build large opulent homes, often made from mass produced materials. The common folk, be they laborers, farmers, or other professionals, lived in simpler, hand-built homes, using natural materials and their own skilled hands to build their abode.

These aspects of society both the using of mass-produced materials for the construction, as well as the large, over-done home design, was symbolic of that periods disregard for the common working man. This disregard is expressed by the fact that the upper-class used construction materials that might have been made by the common worker, who probably had worked under slave-like conditions to produce those materials. Instead of boycotting the companies that produced the materials, and force them to treat their workers better, the upper-class turned a blind eye and ignored the plight of the laborers.

The actual design of these Victorian style homes clearly indicated a master/servant relationship. The kitchen, for example, was completely closed from the rest of the house; the family hardly entered it, with the servants the only ones to use it during the preparation of all the meals. As a result, these kitchens, aside from being closed to the rest of the house, also lacked an area for the family to eat, as they never would eat there anyway.

As a result of all this, both in England and the USA, people starting building homes with cleaner lines, using only natural materials that had been made, often by hand, by a local artisan. This probably resulted in better terms and payments for the home builder, as he could charge more for his work as it was unique, and he could work under better conditions.

Additionally, the middle-class, who could not afford servants or live-in help, began to design their homes differently. The mother was often responsible for all the cooking, cleaning and child-care. As such, she needed a kitchen that was open to the rest of the house, allowing her to see what her kids were doing at all times.

She also needed a place for the family to eat in the kitchen, as that was where she spent a considerable amount of time, and feeding the family in the kitchen was much more convenient. The result of all this, is what became known as craftsman house plans.

2.   What are some of the features found in craftsman house plans?
Overall, craftsman house plans incorporate simplicity and functionality into the home design. The use of natural or crafted materials, such as wood, stone, or glass is quite common in craftsman house plans.

Specifically, some architectural aspects include things like low-pitched roof lines, gabled or hipped roofs, deeply overhanging eaves, exposed rafters, and the front porch beneath an extension of the main roof.

3.   Can craftsman house plans be environmentally friendly?
The whole philosophy of craftsman house plans is based on societal awareness. This goes hand-in-hand with the current green revolution. Craftsman house plans can easily incorporate many green features.

Discover how you can make your craftsman house plans environmentally friendly.

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Question by Fianna Nolan: How would I plan a Victorian house for a middle to first class?
I’m writing a story for school and i need to know what rooms are essential to a victorian house and what floor they would be on.
How many floors is normal for a middle class and for a first class family?
How many bedrooms would be normal in a middle and first class family house?
Who would they have working for them in middle and first class family’s?
If there where 9 kids in the family would they have there own bedroom?
Thank you if you can help me and by the way the house is in london

Thanks
P.S. I would love any help i can get but please no links thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by Shirelindria N
I don’t know the answers to all your questions, but here’s what I know:
-First class families would have: parlor, dining room, kitchen, drawing room, and possibly a scullery and reception room on the first floor, and a master bedroom, servants room, bathroom, and two or three other bedrooms on the second floor. Really expensive houses would also have a morning room (first floor) and a sick room (second floor).
-I don’t know much about middle class houses, except that the parlor was a huge status symbol in Victorian society (especially post-1850) because the average middle-class family couldn’t afford to use up a room on something non-essential.
-According to Kristine Hughes in “The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in Regency and Victorian England”: By the nineteenth century the middle class had grown wealthy enough to hire staff. To keep up appearances, they had at least one servant (usually an untrained servant girl who worked for the smallest of wages). At the end of the nineteenth century, even families at the bottom of the middle class had pride enough to engage a “step girl” who scrubbed the front steps once a week (to be noted by neighbors and passersby). Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals believed it was essential to have at least three servants.
-First class families could afford to have: housekeepers, cooks, lady’s maids, housemaids, chamber maids, parlor maids, etc., nursemaids, butlers, valets, footmen, pages, coachmen, grooms, gardeners, nurses, and needle women. Not sure how many of each they’d have, though.

Sorry I can’t help you with more of it. Hope this helps.

Add your own answer in the comments!

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Published in: Victorian Articles and QA
Tags:Craftsman, Elegance, family, House, Plans, Simplicity
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