Modern Craftsman Makeover: Siding Options To Enhance Your Craftsman Home

You love your Craftsman-style home. The spacious front porch, gabled roof, quintessential front door, and lap siding reveal an iconic style of days gone by.

But, truth be told, your siding has seen better days. 

It's time for an upgrade —but how do you decide which type of siding is the best option to maintain the integrity of your home’s classic style?

Choosing new siding for Craftsman-style homes doesn’t have to be difficult. 

Keep reading to learn more about siding options, what to consider when choosing siding, and where to go for expert installation of siding for Craftsman-style homes. 

Table of Contents

  • What Features Constitute Craftsman Style?
  • 3 Common Siding Styles of Craftsman-Style Homes
  • 3 Design Decisions To Consider When Updating Your Craftsman Home’s Siding
  • How To Decide on Siding for Craftsman-Style Homes
  • Update Your Siding With Craftsman Exterior Remodeling Experts, Lifetime Remodeling Systems

What Features Constitute Craftsman Style?

Craftsman homes aren't your typical, run-of-the-mill dwellings. They are distinct and unique, and include a wide variety of styles such as:

  • Bungalows: Bungalows are cozy, one-story homes that feature large, functional porches with tapered columns. The roofs are low-pitched and usually have features like stained-glass windows.
  • Mission-style: Spanish influences abound in mission-style Craftsman homes. You’ll see plenty of stucco walls, arches, curved edges, terra-cotta roofs, and tile detailing. These homes often boast quaint interior courtyards and sprawling verandas.
  • Prairie-style: This style was popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright. It maintains a distinctly contemporary feel and gained popularity in the Midwest region of the U.S. Rows of windows help to bring the outside in while drawing focus to the home’s horizontal lines. Prairie-style Craftsman homes sport a low profile with flat, overhanging roofs and covered porches. 
  • Four square: Four square Craftsman homes became popular because they fit well on city lots and were easy to build. They are generally square, have two stories with four rooms on each floor, and a generous covered front porch. 
  • California Craftsman: One of the birthplaces of Craftsman-style homes was Southern California. The California Craftsman home maintains a more traditional style with a low-pitched roof, and charming, trellis-covered walkways and porches.

While Craftsman-style homes are individual in nature, you’ll find several common characteristics that define Craftsman architecture. These include:

  • Use of natural materials, such as wood, stone, and brick
  • Dark-colored exteriors
  • Clean lines
  • Intricate woodwork and handmade details
  • Low-pitched, often gable-style roofs
  • Wide, overhanging eaves
  • Prominent, covered front porches
  • Pillars lining the entryway; and 
  • An emphasis on high-quality craftsmanship

The Evolution of the Craftsman Style

Originally designed by Gustav Stickley, Craftsman-style homes were part of the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th and early 20th century. Stickley’s goal was to create high-quality, functional homes that were accessible to a wide section of the population. 

The main objective of the home was functionality, including plenty of built-in storage like:

  • Shelving surrounding the fireplace
  • Numerous cabinets; and 
  • Window seats in dormer windows

Porches were covered to allow for outdoor living. Natural materials, such as hardwood, wood shake, and stone were prominent features both outside and inside the homes.

Nowadays, Craftsman-style homes include additions that incorporate sustainable materials.

3 Common Siding Styles of Craftsman-Style Homes

#1: Hardieplank Siding

The exterior of a well-designed Craftsman-style home incorporates multiple textures. Because of this, the Craftsman style presents an opportunity to use a variety of siding styles to create a unique aesthetic. 

Hardieplank siding is known for its:

  • Durability
  • Versatility
  • Weather-resistance
  • Low maintenance
  • Energy efficiency; and
  • Design flexibility

Plus, when compared to many other siding options, Hardieplank is less expensive but offers the same aesthetic. It also combines well with traditional natural materials, providing texture while still maintaining the clean lines that Craftsman-style homes are known for. 

This external option for siding for Craftsman-style homes is available in the following styles:

  • Select Cedarmill
  • Smooth
  • Cedarmill; and 
  • Beaded Cedarmill

Hardieplank siding is available in the perfect selection of Craftsman-friendly colors or can be primed and painted.

Whether you’re updating a pre-existing Craftsman-style home or choosing siding for a new home, the professional team at Lifetime Remodeling Systems can help you choose the look that’s right for you. 

Contact us today for your free, in-home estimate. 

#2: Engineered Wood

Engineered wood siding provides homeowners with a durable, real-wood look and feel that is:

  • Hail and impact-resistant
  • Weather-resistant
  • Fire-resistant; and
  • Easy to paint

Engineered wood siding is made from wood fibers or strands and resin composite material. Extreme levels of heat and pressure are used to press the resin and wood components together to increase the durability and strength of the siding. Then, a wax coating is applied to help increase the siding’s resistance to moisture, mold, and mildew. 

The final step of the engineered wood-making process is treating the siding with zinc borate. This further increases any other infestations. Once the entire process is complete, the siding is easily cut into various shapes and sizes. 

Engineered wood siding is available in panels, planks, shakes, and trim and comes in a wide array of textures, colors, and finishes that easily mimic the aesthetics of traditional redwood or cedar.

#3: Metal Siding 

Metal siding is a beautiful option for Craftsman-style homes and is generally made of steel or aluminum.

This siding for Craftsman-style homes is:

  • Cost-effective
  • Durable
  • Easy to install
  • Climate-friendly
  • Low-maintenance
  • Pest-resistant; and
  • Fire-resistant

As with other siding options, metal siding is available in various wood grain and color options. 

3 Design Decisions To Consider When Updating Your Craftsman Home’s Siding

Deciding exactly what you want your siding to look like can be a tricky process — unless you’re working with the team at Lifetime Remodeling Systems. 

Design is a huge part of our services. We provide 3D renderings of siding projects using HOVER technology, so you can envision what your completed siding project will look like before it begins.

#1: Siding Color

While Craftsman-style homes traditionally have natural-colored siding, there are still varied options to choose from. 

The goal is to choose a color palette that enhances the charm of the Craftsman style while highlighting any desired accent areas. On the color wheel, opposite or complementary colors are great options for creating a vivid, dynamic home exterior. 

Consider the following color combinations for shutters and siding for Craftsman-style homes:

  • Cream siding with dark red shutters – The cream exterior will exude simplicity and warmth, as the dark red shutters enhance the artistic Craftsman style.
  • Warm beige siding with forest green shutters – Warm beige portrays a cozy feel, while the forest green shutters contribute a sense of natural beauty. This contrast focuses on the Craftsman-style’s natural aesthetic while simultaneously highlighting nature.
  • Earthy brown siding with cream shutters – A brown exterior contributes a sense of grounding, while cream shutters offer just enough contrast to complement the Craftsman-style lines and materials.
  • Olive green siding with chocolate brown shutters – The warm, natural ambiance of olive green siding invokes a connection with nature. Depth and an earthy elegance are achieved with the addition of chocolate brown shutters.
  • Taupe siding with dark teal shutters – Dark teal shutters provide a pop of color to taupe’s neutral base to give the home’s exterior a versatile, timeless look.

#2: Mixed Exterior Materials

Once you’ve selected your siding’s color, you have a variety of options when it comes to additional materials for your home’s exterior. 

Combining a variety of materials on the outside of a Craftsman-style home can help create visual interest and texture. Options for exterior accents include:

  • Stone
  • Brick; or
  • Wood

#3: Complementary Doors and Windows

The final touch to bringing out the beauty of a Craftsman-style home is choosing the right windows and doors

You’ll want to choose woods with distinct grains, such as: 

  • Red or white oak
  • Mahogany
  • Walnut; or 
  • Similar hardwoods

Craftsman-style doors incorporate decorative glass panels along the top. The windows often have beveled designs around the edges and may even have stained-glass 

Windows on Craftsman-style homes are most commonly double-hung, and multi-pane. The upper sash is divided into four or six sections, with the lower sash remaining unobstructed for a clear view of the world outside.

Update Your Siding With Craftsman Exterior Remodeling Experts, Lifetime Remodeling Systems. 

Lifetime Remodeling Systems offers decades of experience with siding design and installation for Craftsman-style homes. Combine that with our unmatched craftsmanship and commitment to exemplary customer satisfaction, and we’re confident you will be proud of your home’s new siding for years to come.

As Portland's premier professionals for siding installation and exterior design, we use only the highest quality materials to create our innovative, one-of-a-kind designs and can transform your Craftsman-style dwelling into the home of your dreams. 

Through our HOVER technology, you’ll know exactly what your home’s remodel will look like before construction begins. 

We’d love to provide you with an estimate!

Contact Lifetime Remodeling Systems today for your free, in-home consultation.

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