Sproost Blog

Hey Sproosters! You know we love to entertain you, but we also (secretly) want to educate you, too. So we’ve decided to give you the down-low on different design styles. This week we’re focusing on the Arts & Crafts style so pay attention! You might just learn something you can apply to your own home.

If you like the Arts & Crafts style, you tend to prefer simple over ornate and natural materials over man-made ones.

Warm tones found in wood and brass make you feel comfortable, and good craftsmanship excites you like nothing else (except maybe a good bargain).

You enjoy patterns that highlight our natural surroundings such as plants and trees. You prefer rectilinear forms and straight lines, however you love to find intricate details (like stained glass!) where you least expect it.

The furniture that you are drawn to usually features exposed wood framing in rectilinear (Yes, it’s a word. Go look it up.) shapes with upholstery in natural materials like leather or simple fabrics that highlight function and comfort.

What is most important is showing off the natural beauty of the wood and exposing the amazing craftsmanship.

Accent pieces and rugs bring in ornamentation and color and stained glass lampshades are often found sprinkled throughout.

The light fixtures that speak to you most are framed in hammered copper or burnished brass.

They combine simple geometric designs with elements of nature such as trees, flowers, and the occasional dragonfly.

Color also plays an important role in completing the look for you Arts & Crafts enthusiasts.

If you live in an Arts & Crafts style home, you will most likely see a good deal of wood paneling as well as dramatic, linear moldings around the doors and the windows.

For those of you who prefer a lighter, almost airy atmosphere, you will paint these elements white and the walls around them in tones of beiges, greens or blues.

Alternatively, those of you who prefer a darker, cozier feeling will leave the wood natural and paint the walls in darker versions of those popular colors found in nature (think Bob Ross and his happy trees…dab, dab, dab).

Another way that you can bring in color is through the use of stencils or wallpaper (see our previous post) that are reminiscent of the beautiful forms and colors you find in natural settings.

When it comes to arranging rooms, you prefer it when the interior mimics the environment (minus the dirt and bird poop).

The transition between rooms, as well as between indoors and outdoors, should be almost seamless. However, the contrast between the heaviness of the wood and the lightness of glass will be key in your layouts.