“Exciting news- I am in the AJC today! Many of you know that I have been the lead agent for The Preserve East Atlanta which is a 131 home site community in East Atlanta. New construction is one of my passions in real estate. I love the process and the relationships that I create with buyers through the building and selection process. While new construction takes longer and involves more details and time than a regular re-sale, I thrive on details and the time it gives me to get to know people on a personal level. I get the opportunity to help people plan for the new baby that is on the way, the home office that is desperately needed, or will all my clothes and shoes fit into the master closet question! It is amazing to see people take such pride and ownership in something that they have created to be their very own-I just get goosepimples thinking about being a part of this!
Anyways- I sell many craftsman style homes new and old but this article features my craftsman community and I am very excited! Funny thing is that the quote is not exactly what I said or the context in which it was said. I feel like such a true celebrity being mis-quoted!!”
When it comes to houses, Atlanta is known as a traditional town. Two-story designs with brick or stone accents abound in new and established neighborhoods around the region. Yet against this backdrop, another look is making a comeback.

The classic Craftsman style is gaining a toehold in communities around the metro area. In some intown areas, the distinctive look has never gone away: Areas such as Virginia-Highland, Candler Park, Inman Park, Brookhaven and others are dotted with these houses that have their roots in the arts and crafts movement of the early 1900s. They’re joined by new developments and infill properties that emulate the particular characteristics that make a Craftsman a Craftsman: front porches with tapered columns atop stone or brick bases; roof brackets; earth-toned colors and contrasting accent shades; and windows and doors with mullioned or stained-glass panes.

Brock Built designers put a twist on the traditional Craftsman with a wraparound porch anchored by classic stone and wood columns. … Read More

“The typical Craftsman exterior is more of an informal architectural style with lots of natural building materials including brick, stone and cedar shake,” said Dan Dickinson, director of planning and design for the Marietta-based Brock Built Homes. “There’s usually a mix of two or three materials on the elevations that have very clean lines, with low-pitched roofs, larger overhangs and typically one single dormer.”

A traditional Craftsman interior follows the same functional approach, Dickinson said.

“The trim work is minimal but showcases the strong skill of the craftsmen, from a time when people took a lot of pride in their work and it showed in the execution,” he said. “There are usually built-in bookcases, plain cabinetry, a bench here and there, and fireplaces with hearths that are the focal points of a room. The cabinetry has hardware that’s oil-rubbed or patina-ed and never ornate. You won’t find carvings or intricate wood profiles.”

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Charming Craftsman making home design comeback
Brock Built constructs new Craftsman homes in several communities, including the Enclave at Laura Creek, Bennett’s Park and Cloverhurst in Cobb; Oakhurst in Cherokee; West Highlands in Fulton; and various infill locations intown. Prices range from the mid-$200,000s to more than $1 million.

“It’s a fairly typical style for us; in fact, it’s the majority of what we build,” Dickinson said. “Of course, the style has changed a bit over time; you have to go with the available materials nowadays. You’ll see people using concrete that looks like stone or Hardiplank (siding) instead of cedar to copy the original arts and crafts style that started using local, natural materials. And the interiors have changed as well, particular the room sizes, but the overall feel is very slim and sleek.”

Midtown-based Thrive Homes is another local company that has built Craftsman styles, particularly as infill houses in Morningside, Virginia-Highland, Decatur and Inman Park. Recently, they’ve been doing the same in Buckhead, Sandy Springs and Milton.

“We always work to fit the houses into the surroundings and the lot,” said Kirstin Hobday, Thrive’s chief operating officer. “A lot of times, Craftsmans are going up in neighborhoods that are already defined by that look. But even though a lot of people like them for their exteriors, they select interior finishes that are more modern.”

Thrive’s Craftsmans are often updated with open floor plans, hardwood floors, Shaker- or mission-style doors, beadboard trim and coffered or beamed ceilings.

“It’s a very streamlined look,” Hobday said. “It’s a little simple.”

Craftsman styles are popular with buyers looking to replace outdated structures on intown lots, said Becky Morris, a Harry Norman agent who has been selling for 12 years.

“In areas like Brookhaven and Virginia-Highland, buyers are taking down smaller bungalows and putting up Craftsman styles that can range anywhere from $500,000 to $1 million,” she said. “They go for Craftsmans because they like the front porches, stone patios and screened porches. Inside, there’s usually some older-style molding, bookcases on either side of the fireplace and a lot of bead board. But the floor plans have more usable space — larger kitchens and family rooms with a fireplace.”

Buyers at the Preserve at East Atlanta will find Craftsman styles with a few twists that individualize them. Along with the typical Craftsmans, the 131-home community features a prairie style that’s very plain, said agent Beth Ann Clanin of Keller Williams Realty.

“The prairie style does have a front porch, which is the one feature everybody loves,” she said. “But inside, buyers like the open floor plans, with the kitchen open to the living room. The color schemes are another big draw. We used a palette from the Craftsman era with a lot of darker grays, greens and khaki and accent trim in lighter colors.”

Prices at the Preserve range from $209,000 to $239,900 for three- or four-bedroom plans that can accommodate a first-floor study and upstairs loft areas in 2,300 to 2,400 square feet.

It’s not just single-family homes that are getting the Craftsman touch. At the East Avenue Cottages in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, Minerva developers is marketing duplex homes accented with front porches and tapered columns that sport the look of the traditional two-story designs. Prices start at $380,000 for 2,400- to 3,000-square-foot plans with hardwood floors, open floor plans and two-car garages that are marketed by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

While buyers are drawn to a Craftsman’s overall charm, there’s one element that makes the design a natural fit for the Southeast, said Darren Price, managing director of Morris & Raper Real Estate Consultants.

“In the South, we gravitate toward front porches,” he said. “I think buyers also like that these houses use different building materials — wood siding with cedar shake, brick or stone. They like the way they look. And in new homes, they combine that old look with modern features on the inside. But most of all, there’s something really attractive about having that low-lying roof line over a cozy front porch.”