5 min readOne architectural style that nearly everyone recognizes is midcentury modern. Rising to popularity in the 1940s, it remains just as relevant today—thanks in part to furniture brands like West Elm that continue to champion the look. But beyond that design era, there are plenty of other architectural styles deserving of renewed attention. One of them is the Arts and Crafts style, which emerged in the late 19th century and remained influential through the early 1920s. Despite its name, Arts and Crafts has nothing to do with a DIY approach to architecture. Instead, the term is quite literal: The movement centered on bringing together the art—the beauty of architectural details—with the craft, meaning the skilled artisans who created them by hand. Unlike midcentury modern, which embraced mass production, Arts and Crafts celebrates a slower approach to design.
Just ask House Beautiful Next Wave 2026 designer Taylor Hill, who lived in a circa-1922 Arts and Crafts home for many years.
“The Arts and Crafts style allows a level of playfulness that many architectural styles do not,” she notes. “Iconic for its bright hues and interesting millwork both in interior and exterior application, the style gives way to many design opportunities. I took advantage of this lenience at my own house by painting the window sash a funky jungle green as a contrast to the other creamy white trim and brickwork on the exterior.”
The creative possibilities, it seems, are endless. Below, check out the main hallmarks of this design style—along with how designers today are keeping the Arts and Crafts movement alive.
Honest Function
Spend any time exploring the history of the Arts and Crafts movement, and you’ll quickly notice the word “honest” appearing again and again. The term “honest function” refers to a defining principle of Arts and Crafts architecture, meaning a complete absence of unnecessary ornamentation or purely decorative design. That philosophy is beautifully reflected in this Warsaw tenement home, pictured above, designed by Luiza Anyszka of Anyszka Studio.
The designer needed a place to tuck away a washer-dryer system, and this small alcove was the only viable option. Rather than conceal the appliances behind standard cabinetry, she custom-designed wooden doors with charming perforations that serve both form and function. The detailing adds visual interest while also providing essential ventilation.
“Those perforated details naturally evoke Arts and Crafts, with an emphasis on craftsmanship, honest function, and the trace of the human hand,” the designer says.
Stained Glass
Leaded glass is a common material you’ll find in any Arts and Crafts–style home, and it’s almost always colorful. In this home, designed by Blank Slate Studio, the stained glass front door is a wonderful introduction to both the style and the home itself.
Firm director Bari Jerauld notes, “The stained glass was non-negotiable for me, as it's such an authentic expression of the period and casts the most beautiful quality of light into the hallway at different times of day.”
What’s more, this house was erected during the same period as the rise in popularity and renown, so Jerauld chose to honor and enhance the history rather than cover it. “When a house has this kind of history, your job is really to listen to it rather than impose on it. Every detail here was chosen to feel like it had always been there. That, for me, is the mark of a successful restoration,” she adds.
Wooden Architectural Elements
Remember when we said the word “honest” is a hallmark of Arts and Crafts architecture? Honest craft goes hand in hand with honest materials, and the most commonly used one is rich-toned wood. In this home, originally designed by Robert and Gary Byrd in the early 20th century, warm woods are quite prolific.
Interior designer Lindsay Pennington, who updated this historic home, installed the beams not only to keep the home accurate for its age but also to fill in some negative space with the sloped ceiling.
Medieval References
As is the case with so many architectural styles, Arts and Crafts is very much inspired by popular aesthetics and practices from the past. While it doesn’t exactly mimic the Gothic Revival look, it does borrow one big defining characteristic: Ornamentation is integrated rather than tacked on as an afterthought.
In this turret of an Arts and Crafts–era home, Waldo Studio’s Tom Bartlett developed the curtains by looking at medieval wall paintings in a nearby castle.
“I think the reason it feels like an Arts and Crafts room is that it looks toward medieval ‘craft influences’ and designs and reinterprets them for new uses and the present day, just like they were doing,” Bartlett says.
Open, Minimalist Storage
When this 1930s building, located on Brigham Young University’s campus, was slated for demolition, the local Utah community rallied to save it—and won. Designer Melody Welch of Welch Studio was then tapped to preserve the charm of the historic space while making necessary updates to bring it into the 21st century.
The unique sloped ceiling in one of the kitchens was one of the original features Welch wanted to spotlight, so she opted for a creative—and Arts and Crafts–inspired—storage solution to fit the space.
“Opening the cabinetry with shelving ends made the most cost-effective sense,” Welch says. The decision was also a practical one, given the scale of the project: the home boasts a whopping 13 kitchens total.
Coffered Ceilings
Re-Find Ltd.’s Natasia Smith and Sandy Baisley inherited a truly historic project: a 1950s addition of an 1890s home. So when tasked with modernizing it, they had their work cut out for them.
“The existing recreational room and guest quarters felt disconnected—plain, divided, and not in keeping with the home’s historic core. We approached the space as an opportunity to reintroduce a sense of permanence and intention,” explains Smith.
So, their first order of business was installing something with character, which is how the ceiling came into play. “The defining move was introducing a walnut coffered ceiling—a decision that immediately grounded the room. From there, the rest of the design followed naturally.” Baisley adds, “We leaned into a moodier palette to give the room presence, but balanced it with moments of levity—playful artwork and richly textured stone that keeps the space from feeling too formal.”
Original Old Details
It’s hard to incorporate architectural elements like this carved wooden railing in today’s world because the artisans who craft them simply don’t exist anymore. So, when Megan Oliver, associate director of Godrich Design, happened upon it in this English project, she decided to keep it and embrace it.
“Whilst the railing itself is relatively simple, its beauty lies in the honesty of its material and design,” she says. “It was carefully restored to highlight the hand of the maker, with surrounding colors and finishes chosen to enhance its natural character.”
