clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

How this house style took over the US

Why is the Craftsman bungalow everywhere?

Phil Edwards is a senior producer for the Vox video team.

To anyone who’s been a casual architecture fan (or spent time trawling Airbnb and Zillow), the “Craftsman bungalow” is a familiar term. Today, historic districts around the US celebrate the Craftsman’s beauty. But how did this style of house become so ubiquitous and so beloved? It’s due to a socialist artist, an entrepreneurial furniture maker, and a real estate movement.

The above video explores the history of the Craftsman bungalow, from the 1800s Arts & Crafts movement, to its popularization in America, to its commodification in the 1910s and ’20s.

Further reading:

You can find this video and all of Vox’s videos on YouTube.