Anonymous wrote:I really love my Craftsman-style house. It may be considered outdated in 2030, but it's gone up about $350K in value in just a few years. I was bored with center-hall colonials, and it's nice knowing that this house is big enough that no one will ever need to slap on some sloppy addition like you find on so many older Colonials or Cape Cods.

If you don't have a main level bedroom and bathroom, you might have to slap on an addition when you get too old to go upstairs to your "owner's retreat."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope the trend of 5,500 sq ft monstrosities will one day be a thing of the past, and people will start wanting houses that merely meet their needs and have much less of an environmental impact. I'm probably delusional, though.

Yes you are

No, you aren't delusional above PP. The trend is to smaller houses. Consumers are tired of unused rooms which they have to decorate, furnish, heat and cool, maintain, rinse and repeat. If delusional people want to buy 5,500 sq.ft bless their hearts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love my lawyer foyer it kicks ass and the home is less 2 years old

So you bought a home that was already dated? Yep, you seriously kick ass.

2 Story foyers are not dated and are the norm once a house reaches a certain size. They may be dated on smaller homes but not larger ones.

Anonymous wrote:Some HardiPlank has permanent coloring and some is paint grade. If you have paint grade HP, you will have to eventually paint it.

There are quite a few complaints of HardiPlank color plus permanent paint.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0423212631373.html

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/build/msg0813175932401.html

Anonymous wrote:I love my lawyer foyer it kicks ass and the home is less 2 years old

So you bought a home that was already dated? Yep, you seriously kick ass.

Anonymous wrote:Colonial will be back as rich guilt subsides from the recession. Lol trying to look modest you rich mfers.

Oh my goodness, someone is jealous

Some HardiPlank has permanent coloring and some is paint grade. If you have paint grade HP, you will have to eventually paint it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brick/stone veneer on the front and siding on all other sides is atrocious. Not specific to today's craftmans but that's a sure sign of mass produced housing.

Once all of those hardiplank craftsman start needing to be painted in a 5-7 years people will be cursing them.

We don't have a craftsman, but our house is hardiplank and it is 12 years old. No need to paint. Ever. It looks the same as it did the day we bought it, 12 years ago.

My parents have to repaint their hardiplank and it's not going to be cheap. I was surprised because I thought the color was permanent.

the faux design

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brick/stone veneer on the front and siding on all other sides is atrocious. Not specific to today's craftmans but that's a sure sign of mass produced housing.

Once all of those hardiplank craftsman start needing to be painted in a 5-7 years people will be cursing them.

Nope.

8+ years and counting.

Colonial will be back as rich guilt subsides from the recession. Lol trying to look modest you rich mfers.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kitchen in the middle of then living room.

I have never seen this. So the kitchen is in the center of a living room?

I'm not PP, but I believe (s)he is referring to the extremely open floor plans.

Does someone need an education on what an open floor plan entails?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kitchen in the middle of then living room.

I have never seen this. So the kitchen is in the center of a living room?

I'm not PP, but I believe (s)he is referring to the extremely open floor plans.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tee hee. I've lived in apartments, rowhouses, ramblers, Colonials, and our "Craftsman-style" (concession to those who would brand it as "faux") house is far and away the most comfortable, enjoyable place I've ever lived, and not by a small margin.

Each to her own, I guess, though from all signs I have plenty of company.

That doesn't even make sense. A colonial can be the same exact size and layout as a craftsmans, it's just the decor.

True to some extent, although (1) I enjoy living in a house that isn't aiming to be a mini-replica of something you'd find in Williamsburg and (2) locally, it's the newer Colonials, not the Craftsman-style houses, that are more likely to have big center halls and two-story family rooms, neither of which I like. Our house has plenty of space, but it feels relaxed and informal.

Good for you, one could argue your home is a MEGA replica of a small sears 1930 house.

Both are fake and inspired just like Asian inspired, doesn't mean one if worse than the other.

http://www.arts-and-crafts-style.com/craftsman-style-homes.html

Absolutely, though I'd prefer "inspired" to "fake." But the Craftsman-style houses wouldn't be as popular as they currently are if they didn't tap into current preferences for homes that have plenty of space, but feel less formal than a Colonial. For many buyers, the smaller Colonials don't have enough space, and the bigger Colonials feel overwhelming.

What's obvious, though, is that as cheaper versions of Craftsman-style houses get built, the style will get tainted by association, and something else will replace it.