You see them everywhere in older, tree-lined neighborhoods. Those low-slung roofs. The chunky porch columns that look like they could hold up a mountain. 1 story craftsman homes aren't just a "vibe" or a Pinterest trend that’s going to die out next year. Honestly, they represent one of the most significant shifts in American architecture, moving away from the flashy, vertical Victorian era toward something that actually feels like a home.
People are still obsessed.
Go to any real estate site right now and filter for "Craftsman." You’ll find that the single-story versions—often called bungalows—command a massive premium. It’s weird, right? We’re in an era of McMansions and glass boxes, yet people are fighting over floor plans designed over a hundred years ago.
Where 1 Story Craftsman Homes Actually Came From
Most people think "Craftsman" is just a look. It isn't. It started as a massive middle finger to the Industrial Revolution.
Back in the late 1800s, everything was becoming mass-produced and soulless. In England, guys like William Morris started the Arts and Crafts movement to bring back the "human touch." Then, Gustav Stickley brought that energy to the United States. He published a magazine called The Craftsman, which basically told Americans that they didn't need a three-story house with velvet curtains and gold trim to be happy.
The 1 story craftsman homes we see today were the "open source" project of the early 20th century. You could literally buy the blueprints from a catalog—Sears, Roebuck & Co. was the big one—and have the lumber delivered to your plot of land by train.
It was DIY before DIY was cool.
The California Connection
While Stickley was the philosopher, the Greene brothers (Charles and Henry) were the rockstars. Based in Pasadena, they designed the Gamble House in 1908. If you’ve seen Back to the Future, that’s Doc Brown’s house. That’s the "Ultimate Bungalow." While that specific house is huge, its DNA—the exposed rafters, the use of local stone, the way it hugs the ground—trickled down into the modest 1 story craftsman homes that popped up in every suburb from Seattle to Atlanta.
What Makes a Craftsman... a Craftsman?
If you're looking at a house and you aren't sure if it's a true Craftsman or just a "builder grade" ranch with some fancy trim, look at the roof.
Low-pitched gables. That’s the giveaway.
Usually, these houses have wide overhanging eaves. You’ll see these decorative brackets—often called "knee braces"—tucked under the roofline. They don't always do much structurally, but they look sturdy. And that’s the whole point. The house is supposed to look like it was built by a person with a hammer, not a factory with a press.
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The Magic of the Porch
1 story craftsman homes almost always have a massive front porch. But look closer at the pillars. They are usually "tapered." They start wide at the bottom and get narrower at the top. Sometimes they sit on big stone or brick pedestals.
It creates this feeling of "shelter."
Inside, the layout is basically the opposite of a Victorian house. Instead of a bunch of tiny, closed-off rooms for different social ranks (the parlor, the drawing room, the servant's quarters), the Craftsman opened things up. The living room usually flows right into the dining room. There's almost always a fireplace—the "heart" of the home—flanked by built-in bookshelves or cabinets with leaded glass.
Why the "One Story" Part Matters So Much Today
We’re seeing a massive resurgence in 1 story craftsman homes for a few practical reasons that have nothing to do with aesthetics.
First, "aging in place" is huge.
Boomers are retiring. They don't want stairs. But they also don't want a boring, flat-roofed ranch that looks like a doctor's office. The Craftsman style offers architectural character without the knee-destroying staircase.
Second, the scale is human.
Modern houses are often too big. They’re hard to heat, hard to clean, and they feel empty. A well-designed 1 story craftsman home uses every square inch. You get built-in window seats, breakfast nooks, and "nook and cranny" storage that modern drywall boxes just don't offer.
The Cost of Quality
Here is the reality check: building or renovating these is expensive.
True Craftsman homes rely on "honest" materials. Real wood. Real stone. Tapered columns. If you try to do this with cheap vinyl siding and plastic trim, it looks terrible. It looks like a "Craftsman-flavored" house. To get the real feel, you’re looking at higher material costs.
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In a 2024 housing market analysis, homes with "Craftsman" in the description sold for roughly 13% more than similar homes in the same ZIP code. People are willing to pay the "charm tax."
Common Misconceptions About the Style
I hear people call every old bungalow a Craftsman. That’s not quite right.
A "Bungalow" is a form (a small, one-to-one-and-a-half story house). "Craftsman" is the style. You can have a Spanish Colonial bungalow or a Tudor bungalow. But the Craftsman version is the most iconic.
Another big mistake? Thinking they are dark and gloomy.
Sure, some of the original ones had heavy oak trim and deep porches that blocked the sun. But the original philosophy was actually about connecting to nature. If your 1 story craftsman home feels like a cave, it’s probably because the original windows were replaced with smaller, modern ones or the interior wood was stained too dark.
The Sustainability Factor
Surprisingly, these houses were "green" before that was a buzzword.
Because they have those huge roof overhangs, they naturally shade the windows in the summer, keeping the house cool. In the winter, when the sun is lower, the light gets under the eaves to warm the house. The use of local materials—river rock from the nearby creek, cedar from the local forest—meant a smaller carbon footprint.
Today, architects are taking these old-school principles and 3D-printing or prefab-building new 1 story craftsman homes that meet Passive House standards. It’s a wild mix of 1910 soul and 2026 tech.
Planning Your Own 1 Story Craftsman
If you’re looking to build or buy, don’t get distracted by the bells and whistles. Focus on the bones.
The Exterior Palette
Stop painting them white. Seriously.
Original Craftsman homes used "earth tones." Think moss green, deep burgundy, slate gray, or mustard yellow. The house should look like it grew out of the dirt, not like it fell from the sky.
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The Built-Ins
If you’re building new, tell your contractor you want built-ins. A Craftsman without a built-in sideboard or a fireplace bench is just a house with a fancy porch. These elements provide the "utility" that the movement was famous for.
The Windows
Look for "four-over-one" or "six-over-one" windows. That means the top pane of glass is divided into smaller sections, but the bottom is one clear piece. It’s a hallmark of the style.
Real-World Examples to Study
If you want to see these in the wild, check out these spots:
- Bungalow Heaven (Pasadena, CA): A landmark district with 800+ small, 1 story craftsman homes. It’s basically a living museum.
- The Heights (Houston, TX): Shows how the style adapted to humid climates with even larger porches.
- Asheville, NC: Great examples of the "Mountain Craftsman," using heavy stone and dark timbers.
Why They Won't Go Away
Architecture usually moves in cycles. We like something, we get sick of it, we move on. But 1 story craftsman homes have skipped that cycle. They’ve become a "permanent" style, like the New England Cape Cod or the brownstone.
They represent a middle ground. They aren't as stuffy as a Colonial, but they aren't as "cold" as a Modernist cube. They feel like a place where you can actually kick off your shoes and live.
Honestly, in a world that feels increasingly digital and fake, there’s something grounding about a house that celebrates the way it was put together. You can see the beams. You can see the joinery. You can see the craft.
Actionable Steps for Homeowners and Buyers
If you are currently in the market or looking to renovate, here is how you handle the "Craftsman" transition without ruining the integrity of the house:
- Audit the Woodwork: If you have original unpainted wood, for the love of all things holy, do not paint it white. Once you paint that oak or cherry, you’ve killed the resale value for a purist. If it’s already painted, consider stripping one "hero" element, like the fireplace mantle.
- Focus on the "Entry Experience": The transition from the street to the front door is the most important part of this style. If your porch is concrete and boring, consider overlaying it with slate or a heavy timber railing.
- Lighting Matters: Swap out generic LED flush mounts for "Mission Style" or "Prairie Style" fixtures. Look for amber glass and hammered copper. It changes the entire mood of the interior instantly.
- Landscaping: Avoid "perfect" manicured lawns. These houses look best with "wilder" landscaping—think ornamental grasses, river rock paths, and native perennials.
When you get the details right, these houses don't just look good. They feel "right." They satisfy that weird human urge to be protected but also connected to the outdoors. That’s why, a century later, we’re still talking about them.
Next Steps for Your Project:
Check your local zoning laws regarding "Accessory Dwelling Units" (ADUs). Many people are now building mini 1 story craftsman homes in their backyards as guest houses or rental units because the footprint is so efficient. If you're looking for floor plans, start with the "Southern Living" or "House Plans" collections specifically filtered for "Craftsman Bungalow" to see how modern open-concept kitchens are being integrated into these classic layouts.