Craftsman Home Resource Recommendations

[Mike S.]

Greetings. Can anyone share some of their favorite books and resources (blogs, YouTube channels, etc.) on craftsman homes--be they guides with practical insights on renovations, historical resources, or mere sources of inspiration? I'd also be grateful for your insights on why you've found these specific resources particularly helpful. Thanks in advance.

[Bill Buzzell]

The craftsman style is a really a great feature and I would think, a valuable upgrade for the right property. It is super simple if you have the right tools and is truly 'timeless'. It is not the type of style to 'go out of style' ten years from now. For say, a high end rental i think it would be a great feature. 

There are some ridiculously simple craftsman style ideas that I think are a good investment in the right situation:

1) Faking large crown moldings. You take a standard 3 1/2- 4 1/2 crown molding and add another 1x1 strip board 1" to 2" below the crown, then paint it all: the crown, the 1x1, and also the wall in between as a single unit. Looks like an 8" fancy crown molding.

2) Door and window casings look phenomenal for minimal work. It can all be done assembly line fashion on site or remotely. Just need the right tools and setup to work efficiently. The craftsman style is very beginner friendly. Almost everything is 90 degree cuts or 'butt cuts'. 

Pinterest is the best source of ideas

Also, check out "Greene and Greene trim". This is another high end craftsman style. This very ornate style is actually very simple and was designed so even beginners could whip out this trim in a factory setting. The very simplest cuts, with a simple design made from simply filing the rounded edges with a file or rasp. It is all designed around the Fibonacci sequence.

A good video is "Loblolly House: A Greene & Greene Inspired Home" on YouTube.