Southern California around the turn of the 20th century was the birthplace of the Craftsman movement. This style spread rapidly throughout the country and became the predominant style seen in small homes built between 1905 and 1920. This was a style which was available to and affordable for just about all, whether wealthy or working class.
Taking the bulk of its inspiration from the architecture of Pasadena, CA brothers Henry and Charles Greene, Craftsman homes were a significant change from the ornate Victorian homes in style at that time. These homes aimed to present a connection to nature and a newfound simplicity of design.
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Taking their cue from nature, Craftsman homes seemed to be a part of their natural surroundings. Overhangs provided relief from summer heat and winter chills. Design elements were taken from natural ideas - wooden wall cladding, stepping stones and interior decoration schemes which reminded one of outside.
The Greene brothers were influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style as well as the architecture of H.H. Richardson. The Greenes also took inspiration from Japanese functional home philosophy. These homes were built to be adaptable to the changing needs of families and designed to integrate as closely as possible into their environment. Along with these influences, the brothers took some cues from the English Arts and Crafts movement - the sum of all these influences was what we now know as the California Bungalow.
The Gamble house in Pasadena is universally acknowledged as their masterpiece. Built in 1908, this home uses exposed joinery which seems to grow organically out of the home, verandas and an integration of home and garden to integrate the home in to its outdoor setting. Unique at the time in its asymmetry, the home appears almost a natural, rather than an architectural wonder. The exposed rafters, triangular braced supports and transomed windows are all hallmarks of the Craftsman style.
One is struck by the beauty of the Gamble House immediately at the front door. You seem to see a reflection of an oak tree behind you. The cloud lifts and Tiffany Glass (by Louis Comfort) are a sign of the beauty to come. There is a unifying theme of broad horizontal lines; this begins with the bars under the transoms and is repeated throughout the home in many windows.
Upon entering the home, you now see the same oak tree from the inside - there is a feeling of still beige outdoors. The stained glass of the front door changes with the light of the day over the hours. The main attraction of the interior is the wooden joinery. There is not a single crevice exposed here; the scarf, lap and finger joints are all impeccable.
The austere, Japanese inspired design and functionality of the home is displayed best through the extensive built-ins added by the Greenes. There are drawers built in to the dining room for linen storage and other uses. The Greenes were very concerned with creating a unified look and feel for the home; so much so that they even built most of the furniture, lest the residents disrupt the ambience with furniture which was not perfectly suited to their vision of the home.
The horizontal themes are carried on throughout the dining room. There is also a recurring motif of threes to be seen in the home - there are three stained glass windows, three vertical wooden pieces where the wall meets the ceiling, three tiles on either side of the fireplace and so on.
The windows here also continue the tree theme of the front door and also change colors over the course of the day. The mahogany table and chandelier are matching in shape (suba). All of the home's furniture was designed by the Greene brothers or by Gustav Stickley. The walls are covered in fabric and then painted over. Carpets were added for color.
The fireplace features tile with a Tiffany glass inlay in a vine pattern matching the Tiffany glass bowl on the dining room table. This pattern also meshes with the pattern of the windows - there is no element of design here which does not fit together perfectly.