Drive around any San Jose neighborhood and you’ll find a wide range of architectural influences, some we’ve already covered — Victorian + Spanish-Revival.
In our third installment of this real estate series, we’re talking about a style that you can find in almost every corner of the great 408, you guessed it, Craftsman homes.
🔨 Building off one another
Though the craftsman-style house originated from the British arts and crafts movement, furniture-maker Gustav Stickley originally introduced it to the US in his interior design magazine, “The Craftsman (1901-1916).” The simpler style was a modest turn from Industrial Revolution-era Victorian homes which were much more ornamental + decorative.
But, you can thank architects Henry and Charles Greene for developing the California Craftsman, which is the one most commonly found in San Jose + the greater Bay Area. Beginning simply as the “bungalow” in England, they popularized the Craftsman style as the “ultimate bungalow,” or “California bungalow.”
🔎 Spot that style
To distinguish, the “Craftsman” is an architectural style derived from the Arts and Crafts movement, whereas the “bungalow” is a particular form of house. Here are the telltale signs of a craftsman:
- Wide, low layouts
- Low-pitched gabled roof
- Decorative beams
- Full or partial open porches with square posts + tapered arched openings
- Support columns and exposed rafters
- Wood clapboard or stucco
🏡 Love it? Live it
If you like what you’re hearing, check out some Craftsman-style homes on the market today.
- Willow Glen Craftsman | $2,399,000 | 4BD, 3BA | Custom hardwood built-ins + potential ADU with gas, electricity, water, and drain lines
- Shasta-Hanchett Park Craftsman | $1,999,999 | 4BD, 5BA | Modern interior with additional ADU and garden featuring a small waterfall
- 1910 Northside Craftsman | $1,199,000 | 3BD, 2BA | Fully remodeled with outdoor spaces and a bonus den
Curious to know about another San Jose architectural style? Let us know.
