Craftsman-style homes are characteristic of the Arts and Crafts movement.
The Arts and Crafts Movement was arguably the most significant period in American architecture and design and is seen in the work of architects Frank Lloyd Wright and the Prairie School and Charles and Henry Green and the California-bungalow style. Although the period is associated with the early 20th century, the designs and styles that were the hallmark of the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau periods are still seen in construction and craftsmanship today. One of the areas where these visions clearly apparent is in the design of modern deck railings. Does this Spark an idea?
Understanding the Movement
The Arts and Crafts movement extended beyond the simple design of homes. Gustav Stickley created a style of furniture known as Mission style. The term "Mission style" was used to describe the furniture and creations of the Arts and Crafts period. Characteristics of the furniture were simple and introduced rectilinear forms. As the style spread across the United States, it adopted and incorporated features of cultures such as those of the Hispanic southwest and Native Americans. The blending of all these features created a unique style that became the hallmark of the period.
Other Influences
At the same time the Arts and Crafts Movement was emerging as one of the preeminent styles of American architecture and interior design, Art Nouveau had entered the world of American decorative arts. It rejected the clutter of ornate European art, believing that the source of all good visual aesthetic was found in nature. The designers associated with the movement admired the way that Japanese artisans connected nature with their creations. Art Nouveau styles derived from nature typically included sinuous, flowing and curving lines, vines, lilies, butterflies and insects. Art Nouveau was very much associated with graphic art, but it was seen in other decorative arts of the Arts and Crafts period.
Period Materials
Aside from the typical materials used in home construction, designers of the Arts and Crafts movement used a variety of materials for their creations. Gustav Stickley created Mission-style furniture, and the designs were so classic that they're still considered fashionable today. Stickley's designs used heavy wood and simple, but straight lines. Metalwork was another important part of Arts and Crafts design. Artisans created everything from jewelry to furniture pulls, lamps and containers. Other important creations included candlesticks, bookends, trays and bowls.
Deck Railings
The rectilinear lines of this railing showcase the characteristic simplicity of Arts and Crafts designs.
While there may not have been deck railings from the early 19th into the early 20th century when the Arts and Crafts period was at its heyday, the ideals and design concepts of the period are very much a part of modern life. In keeping with the Arts and Crafts ideal of using materials associated with nature, a contemporary Arts and Crafts deck railing would be constructed of wood or metal, most likely iron. A wooden design would take influences from the rectilinear lines of Stickley's Mission-style furniture. An iron deck railing might incorporate the Art Nouveau designs such as the sinuous curvy lines of leafy plant vines. Influences can be seen in the intricate metalwork of details on Chicago's Carson Pirie Scott building and other period structures.
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