History

• The Arts and Crafts movement began at the end of the 19th century as a reaction against ornate Victorian style and its heavily machined detail and mass-produced furniture. Like the agriculturalists, the Arts and Crafts movement advocated a return to a simpler time.
  
  

Identification

• The Adirondack chair was invented near Stickley's New York workshops.chairs overlooking the water image by Larry Roberg from Fotolia.com
  
  Wisconsin-born Gustav Stickley gave the style its name with his magazine "The Craftsman" and his designs for buildings and furnishings. The Craftsman style is characterized by hand-hewn woodwork, built-in cabinetry and natural themes.
  
  

Features

• Handmade and printed fabrics, plain furniture in quarter-sawn oak or cherry and subtle, "natural" colors typify the Craftsman home. Nature themes often prevail in art and decoration; the pine cone is a common motif.
  
  

Considerations

• Although Arts and Crafts is a recognizable style, it mixes well with any style that features handcrafting, natural materials or functionality. Contemporary styles like Art Nouveau, Mission and Prairie also fit in Craftsman interiors.
  
  

More Ideas

• The American movement was contemporary to the European "Glasgow school." Rennie Mackintosh- and early Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired furnishings fit nicely into Craftsman style homes.