Seattle Loves Craftsman Homes

By Ken Urman, Realtor

When working with home buyers, I’m frequently asked why Seattle loves Craftsman homes with such devotion. One of my answers – the short one – is that they have excellent bones, they are the

best style to renovate and update, and that they are my favorite style of home because they are always classic and appreciated.

Craftsman homes can be found in almost every neighborhood of the Seattle metro area. Several factors converged in the region to make the style extremely popular. The American Craftsman style was developed beginning in the final years of the 19th Century on the east coast. These homes were designed to fit the lifestyle of working class and middle class families.

 An “explosion” of American Craftsman homes in Seattle began just after the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition in 1909, according to Larry Kreisman, program director for Historic Seattle. This coincided with the birth of the street car and the development of “the suburbs.” Transportation out of the city center made it possible for workers to escape the city and own a home.

This “explosion” of American Craftsman homes also coincided with a population explosion in Seattle between 1900 and 1910. The City’s population tripled from slightly more than 80,000 to more than 230,000 people. There were not enough rooming houses and small apartments in the city center to accommodate this growth.

As the popularity of the American Craftsman style home was growing, so was the ability to own one of these homes. At the time, land was cheap in the “suburbs.” More important, something unique was occurring in home construction. To be sure, home builders were constructing homes in this style and selling them to those who wanted them. The new options in home construction made it possible for potential homeowners to invest themselves into their houses by building from designs published in magazines or by purchasing a home kit from the leading catalog stores Sears and Montgomery Ward. These kits were shipped to the west coast and included everything necessary to follow the detailed instructions and build a Craftsman style home. Not only could home owners do much (if not all) of the work themselves, they could also customize and make their homes truly unique.

At this time, on the east coast and in many large cities throughout the nation, high-rise apartment buildings (often tenements) were becoming the norm for city living. The ability to find a job and live cheaply, even in one’s own home was an attractive benefit of moving to Seattle.

American Craftsman homes were part of a critical time in Seattle’s history. Their locations, their style, their uniqueness, made them part of the very fabric of the City – an essential part of its ethos. Over the years since the introduction of Craftsman style homes, some of these homes have disappeared. Others have been maintained and preserved as they were originally built. Others still have been expanded, updated, renovated or even redesigned. Most of these homes have remained as a part of the essence of Seattle living.

When we look at the history, the philosophy of Craftsman design, and the beauty and adaptability of Craftsman style homes, it is no secret why Seattle loves Craftsman homes. It should not be surprising that homes designed for family life that incorporate the work of craftsmen and are both beautiful and utilitarian should be loved and desired by the people of Seattle.

I would be delighted to help you buy or sell a Seattle metro Craftsman home. Call me. And remember, I’ll bring the coffee!