How to Create Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Style

If you’ve been dreaming about a home that is timeless and classic, solid & sturdy, but also warm and welcoming, Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Style is the one for you. (And for me, I’m dreaming about it, too…)

These homes mix grounded forms with bold character, making them a joy to both look at and live in. Crafted with care, they show the maker’s hand in every surface and the natural world in every color. This style is the antidote to the sleek, shiny, and technological world we live in.

So in this latest edition of the Know Your Home series, I’m breaking down everything you need to know to make your Craftsman Bungalow exterior shine like the gem that it is.

Header photo by Polina Kuzovkova for Unsplash

Why is it called a Craftsman Bungalow?

Alright, first, let’s take it back.

Bungalow Style

Builders in England began using the word “bungalow” in the 1860s to describe small homes with a second story tucked into the roof, inspired by the Bengal style of India. So, as with most architecture, it’s Colonialism! Of course!

Now, people generally use Bungalow to mean a small house with only one story, no matter its style.

Craftsman Style

The Craftsman style we’re familiar with in America began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the Greene brothers, who designed high-end custom homes in Southern California that they called “Ultimate Bungalows”. Their studio ran from 1895 to 1922 – VERY early 20th century. 

They based their designs on Prairie-style architecture (think Frank Lloyd Wright), and then added in handmade English Arts & Crafts details, and traditional wooden building details from Japan (like true post & beam structures, and interlocking wooden elements). The Gamble House is an incredible existing example of their work.

_{A front view of the exterior of the Gamble House in Pasadena, California. Photo by Jim Heaphy.
By Cullen328 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78785710}

They promoted their work so well that their intricate Southern California designs appeared in publications across the country.

At the same time, Gustav Stickley & Irene Sargent’s magazine ‘The Craftsman’ was promoting the American Arts & Crafts movement in furniture, textiles, interiors, and later, architecture. (CW on those cover links: very deep rabbit holes, but so fun…)

Why are Craftsman homes so popular?

The ‘Craftsman’ and ‘Mission’ aesthetic originally became popular was as a backlash to the ongoing industrial revolution.

Simple, honest wooden pieces with a clear human touch drew people in while electricity, telephones, cinema, and aviation rushed in to transform their world. Which, IDK, sounds vaguely familiar?

All these forces combined and inspired builders to transform the older, more detailed custom home plans into simpler versions. Pattern books spread these new designs and helped them gain huge nationwide popularity. Sears even sold them as kit homes. 

This movement spread, and builders put up thousands of these homes nationwide before the Second World War.

And why not? A simple, yet solidly-built home with interesting handmade detailing that feels untouched by a machine is appealing to this day. (Time is a flat circle, etc.)

As these homes spread across the country, people began using the term ‘Bungalow’ for the styled versions, like Tudor or Spanish style, while homes built in California became known as Stick style or Craftsman style.

In today’s real estate lingo, people use Bungalow and Craftsman interchangeably, no matter where they are.

And in the world of retail, ‘Craftsman’ is the term you’ll look for to get this style.

What Makes A House a Craftsman Bungalow?

Low & Wide Proportion

Bungalow Architecture is warm, welcoming, and well-grounded. These homes feel heavy and wide and SOLID, no matter how big they are. They are often on a raised foundation for a basement, and have gracious steps leading up to the front door. 

Even taller two or three-story versions often have the upper story tucked up into the roof, which helps these homes to feel low to the ground and very human-scaled.

Various Roof Styles with Dormers

A bungalow can have almost every type of traditional roofline, and you’ll see front gables, cross gables, side gables, and sometimes hipped rooflines on these homes. The most authentic styles have super deep eaves (24” +) with exposed rafters, and lots of decorative detail like brackets and fancy ends on the rafters themselves. 

You’ll also very often see roof dormers, with either gabled or shed roofs, with a pair of windows matching the rest of the house. 

Deep, Wide Porches

On the front of the house, you’ll find a deep, wide porch with low walls or decorative rails. While not every porch will have rails, they’ll all have posts holding up the porch gable with a very decorative detail or the extension of the roofline. 

Sometimes you’ll see fully sloped posts, and other times a square base supports a sloped post. And you’ll often see pergolas to one side of the main porch, to extend the outdoor living space.

Windows In Groups

Often styled after the earlier Prairie style windows, with grids or grills in the top sash of a double or single hung window, you’ll see windows in groups of two, three, or even four of the same window, or a larger picture window with a hung window on each side.

You should add grids or grilles to the top sash of a bungalow window, but steer clear of modern ‘Prairie’ versions. They water down the Arts & Crafts stained glass look and don’t work well on any home.  A simpler colonial style or double bar grid, just on the top sash, is more accurate to what was originally on these bungalow-style homes.

Detached Garages

With a true Craftsman Bungalow, you’ll usually find Small single-car garages at the end of the side driveway, often with carriage-style doors from the earliest days of the automobile.  The color and materials typically match the house itself.

Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash

What are some regional Craftsman Bungalow styles?

No two Craftsman Bungalows are alike – their uniqueness is what makes them so charming and wonderful. 

But your region largely determines the materials you use, not the style. So while the general architecture remains the same nationwide, look at other historical or even just older homes in your area, and see what they’re doing. Is it brick? Stucco or Pebble-Dash? Shingles and river stones?  It all can make sense on this architecture, depending on where the house is.

Homes in the same area often share the same details, so you may spot a block of Tudor bungalows or a full neighborhood of Craftsman ones. Look at the homes around yours to understand how it was first built.

Photo by Kyle Smith on Unsplash

What are some tips for restoring a Craftsman Bungalow exterior?

First, figure out what changes your house has gone through. I often see people strip away or cover the original details with vinyl siding and soffits. They install modern sliding windows without grids and swap in Mid‑Century Modern doors.

So, start by outlining how your home has changed over the years. Here’s an example of what I started with a recent client project:

Next, look at original homes. The Internet Archive offers a rich collection of 20th‑century pattern books you can explore to study the original Craftsman Bungalow style.

But also drive around your neighborhood! It’s rare to find a single Craftsman Bungalow home in a neighborhood, so look at the other homes nearby.

Then, make lists and outline how to take your stripped-down house back to its original, highly detailed glory.

What Materials Should you use for a Craftsman Bungalow Restoration?

• Be Authentic..ish. Make sure you’re either choosing or referencing genuine materials. Look for wood grain textures if you’re going with a low-maintenance modern, material like fiber cement or PVC. Faux shake shingles are great here, too.
• Look Local. Choose stone or masonry finishes that come from your local area.  Check out the color of your soil to get an idea of where to start with neutral accents and undertones.
• Keep in Natural. Use natural metal finishes on hardware. Think about iron, bronze, or copper that will patina over time.
• No over-sizing. Watch the scale and proportion of everything new you select.  Even on a larger home with two stories, you’ll want to make sure that rails, doors, windows, and light fixtures are on the smaller side to match a more human-scale.

How Do I get Craftsman Bungalow Curb appeal?

The materials on these houses are where the handmade, natural aspect of this style really shines.  Since this style comes from the Arts & Crafts movement, let those ideas guide every choice.

• Does it look like a human made it?
• Does it feel solid and grounded?
• Is something about it (a finish, color, or material) a reference to nature?

Craftsman Bungalow Roofing

Starting at the top for roofing, think about shingles. No matter if that’s a faux shake or simple asphalt, for a traditional look, go with a material with a LOT of physical or visual texture.

Craftsman Bungalow Siding

For siding, mix it up! There’s nothing that says you have to pick one material and do that everywhere. In fact, it’s better if you don’t.

So, pick a lap siding and accent it with shingles. Pick a Shingle siding and accent it with panels. Go with brick and accent it with stucco. Balance the textures so one doesn’t feel heavier that the other.

And no matter what you pick, there should be LOTS of decorative trim. On the siding, on the corners, at the gables, with brackets, around the windows and doors, with a rail if you have one. GO FOR IT.

Craftsman Bungalow Doors & Windows

The style and function of the windows and doors on this style is just as important as the siding and trim.  Because if the windows don’t have the same feeling as the rest of the exterior, it all feels off.  

So, again, original windows are typically single or double hung in function, and usually have a decorative grill or grid on the top sash, in a Colonial or Double Mullion style.  No Prairie grids, which are a modern invention based on simplifying stained glass windows.  

Here are my favorite vendors for authentic Craftsman style windows, with tons of options for color, glass and trim.

Favorite Craftsman Bungalow Window & Door Vendors

And this is all especially important with the entry door! The saddest thing is to see a beautiful old house with a “90s special” oval glass front door.  

So look for a ¼ or ½ lite entry door, typically with double or triple panels below. The dentil shelf makes sense here, too, so feel free to add that. And this would be a lovely place to add some art glass from a local maker. 

Here are my favorite national door suppliers with excellent Craftsman styles, each with lots of options for wood, color and art glass:

Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Accents

I know I’ve said this more than once, but this is a style where you can really go for it. The design will be better if you do! So make sure to finish off your exterior with those special touches in the hardware, lighting, and other details.  

Look for numbers in typefaces that feel hand-drawn, gutters and rain chains that feel like they grew like that from the ground, and mailboxes and accents with intricate patterns and colors.   

Whimsy makes sense for this style! Flora and fauna work well here, be that in decorative numbers, art glass lighting, or simply as inspiration for the color palette.

What are some popular Color Schemes for Craftsman Bungalow Exteriors?

Bungalow Craftsman color palettes always reference nature, no matter if that’s the earth or the sky, the forest or the garden, which means that pretty much anything goes!

And historically, these are not subtle colors!

But picking a color is only the first step.  Because the true magic in a color scheme for a Craftsman Bungalow is all in how it’s applied.  Emphasizing the trim or blending it in, highlighting a surface of hiding it away.  Accenting each and every piece, or using color to help sections feel joined – it’s all in the application.

Heres’s how to create a Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Paint Scheme:

1. First, start with a base color. This will be for the main siding. 
2. Next, add in an accent color. This is typically used on accent siding (like shingles on a gable). 
3. Then, think about the color of the trim.  Or colors, PLURAL.  Maybe it’s a secondary accent on the windows, or the railing, and one on the fascia. Trim can can be more thant white! Add a jazzy color to the window sashes. You can take it as far as you want!

And here are some examples of full schemes, with my favorite Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Paint Colors…

Yellow Ochre Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Paint Scheme:

SW 2814 Rookwood Antique Gold on Siding
SW 7523 Burnished Brandy on Accent Siding, Foundation & Trim
SW 7689 Row House Tan on Fascia & Trim
SW 7625 Mount Etna on Accent Trim, Window Sashes, and Porch & Steps
Hinkley Lighting Freeport Outdoor Wall Sconce in Black
For Similar Door: Rustica Apprentice with Sidelites in Alder with Stain Glaze
For Similar Roofing: Brava Synthetic Cedar Shake in New Cedar
Heartland Lettering Address Number in Textured Black

Red Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Paint Scheme:

SW 2839 Roycroft Copper Red on Siding
SW 2813 Downing Straw on Fascia, Trim, Foundation, Porch & Steps
SW 2838 Polished Mahogany on Rafter Tails, Window Trim, Accent Trim & Entry Door
SW 2810 Rookwood Sash Green on Window Sashes
Hinkley Lighting Freeport Outdoor Wall Sconce in Black
For Similar Door: Rustica Apprentice with Sidelites in Alder with Stain Glaze
For Similar Roofing: Decra Shake XD Stone-Coated Metal Tile in Chestnut
Heartland Lettering Address Number in Textured Black

Green Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Paint Scheme:

SW 6180 Oakmoss on Siding & Foundation
SW 9100 Umber Rust on Fascia, Eaves, Window & Porch Trim and Porch & Steps
SW 6069 French Roast on Rafter Tails, Accent Trim, and Window Sashes
Hinkley Lighting Freeport Outdoor Wall Sconce in Black
For Similar Door: Rustica Apprentice with Sidelites in Alder with Stain Glaze
For Similar Roofing: Brava Synthetic Cedar Shake in New Cedar
Heartland Lettering Address Number in Textured Black

Blue Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Paint Scheme:

SW 6243 Distance on Siding & Foundation
SW 9176 Dress Blues on Trim, Fascia, Eaves and Rafter Tails
SW 2803 Rookwood Terra Cotta on Rafter Tails, Accent Trim, and Window Sashes
Hinkley Lighting Freeport Outdoor Wall Sconce in Black
For Similar Door: Thermatru Classic Craft Artissa Collection CCA150XR in Fir Grain with Rustic Clay Stain
For Similar Roofing: Decra Shake XD Stone-Coated Metal Tile in Chestnut
Heartland Lettering Address Number in Textured Black

How do I make my Craftsman Bungalow exterior feel modern?

It’s tricky to make Craftsman Bungalow architecture feel modern through simple updates.  These homes have that natural hand-crafted and old-fashioned feeling baked into their core! 

But here are some ways to update your exterior to feel a bit more modern without losing charm:

• Simplify the color scheme. Go with a neutral trim color, a neutral siding color, or both. Colors like white, charcoal or dark brown.  Or even pick one single color to use on every single surface. 
• Use natural materials as your accent. Wood stains on doors, windows, or even parts of the siding can immediately elevate your home to a modern style. Or think about simple natural concrete finishes on step surfaces. 
• Streamline the materials. If you’re making bigger changes, consider materials like standing seam roofing, a fine sand stucco finish or lap siding with mitered corners without trim, and simple or no porch railings if your porch is low to the ground.
• Pick a very modern, but still ‘Craftsman’ light fixture. Much like with the other materials, a streamlined and modern light fixture can immediately update your exterior to feel more modern.  It’s a slippery slope to Modern-Land, though!  So still look for lantern styles or fixtures with decorative glass to keep it feeling right with the Craftsman Bungalow architecture. 
• Limit the Whimsy. Playful, whimsical detailing can be a large part of a Craftsman Bungalow exterior.  But if you want a more modern look, limit the whimsy, look for simpler geometric shapes, and more machine-made details.  

Traditional Craftsman Bungalow Exterior with Light Modern Color Palette

SW 6150 Universal Khaki on the Siding, Accent Trim & Foundation
SW 6148 Wool Skein on the Accent Siding and Porch & Steps
SW 7001 Marshmallow on the Fascia, Eaves, Rafter Tails, Window & Porch Trim and Window Sashes
Hinkley Lighting Freeport Outdoor Wall Sconce in Black
For Similar Door: Rustica Apprentice with Sidelites in Alder with Stain Glaze
For Similar Roofing: Decra Shake XD Stone-Coated Metal Tile in Chestnut
Heartland Lettering Address Number in Textured Black

Modern Craftsman Bungalow Exterior with Light Modern Color Palette

SW 7001 Marshmallow on Siding, Accent Trim, Foundation, Accent Siding, Fascia, Eaves, Rafter Tails, Window & Porch Trim and Window Sashes
SW 6150 Universal Khaki on Entry Door
Alder & Ore Rutherford Outdoor Wall Light
For Similar Door: Thermatru Smooth-Star S2000XK with Reeded Glass and Prepped for Paint
For Similar Roofing: Standing Seam Metal Roofing in Charcoal Gray
West Coast Lettering Address Number

Traditional Craftsman Bungalow Exterior with Dark Modern Color Palette

SW 9100 Umber Rust on every single surface
Hinkley Lighting Freeport Outdoor Wall Sconce in Black
For Similar Door: Rustica Apprentice with Sidelites in Alder with Stain Glaze
For Similar Roofing: Decra Shake XD Stone-Coated Metal Tile in Chestnut
Heartland Lettering Address Number in Textured Black

Modern Craftsman Bungalow Exterior with Dark Modern Color Palette

SW 9100 Umber Rust on every single surface except Window Sashes & Entry Door
SW 6991 Black Magic on Entry Door & Window Sashes
Alder & Ore Rutherford Outdoor Wall Light
For Similar Door: Thermatru Smooth-Star S2000XK with Reeded Glass and Prepped for Paint
For Similar Roofing: Standing Seam Metal Roofing in Charcoal Gray
West Coast Lettering Address Number

Where can I find Bungalow Exterior Lighting fixtures?

Exterior lighting is where this style can really be stellar. The fixtures themselves, and the glass they use, can really be a way to add some authentic Arts & Crafts detailing to your exterior.  

So look for metals like copper that will weather to a lovely finish over time. Think about patterned or textured glass to cover the bulb.

This is a great place for a bit of extra budget, or even a true splurge.  There are so many incredible makers for these fixtures. This is an easy way to get some true hand crafting onto your exterior. 

And always remember that you want the scale to be a bit on the smaller side – even if that means more fixtures to light the area.

What are some ideas for a Craftsman Bungalow Porch?

Front and side porches are fundamental parts of a Craftsman Bungalow exterior.  Here are some key things to think about adding if your home doesn’t already have them:

• Porch Swings. Craftsman porches are almost always perfectly sized for a two-seat swing.  And this is a great way to add some hand-crafted artistry to your exterior
• Lounge Chairs. A pair of outdoor armchairs of any material, but especially woven wicker, are a wonderful way to enjoy the cozy outdoor space a porch provides. Look for wide arms, and plush cushions perfect for a long conversation.

The outdoor spaces of your home are also a great way to connect back to the natural aspects of the Arts & Crafts style, too:

• Planters. A pair of beautifully handcrafted planters or slightly old-fashioned-looking urns brings just the right touch. Put a pair on on either side of your front door or at the bottom of the stairs. And look for honest materials like ceramic, or really good faux concrete, iron, or stone. 

• Rain Chains. Watching the rain cascade down the beautiful repetition of a hand-crafted rain chain is a magical touch that cannot be matched. The gutters are also a great place to add a bit of whimsy, too. Yes, really!

Craftsman Bungalow Exterior Design Help

So there you have it!

Above all, no matter what color or light or door you pick, remember to keep your selections honest. These are homes that are true to themselves, and won’t feel as warm and welcoming if you start to mix in other styles, or leave one thing undone in the end.  

These homes are truly timeless, and it’s a wonderful gift to be able to live in one!
And if you ever get stuck, I’m always here to help

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