The Arts and Crafts movement emerged in the late 19th century as a reaction against industrialization and mass production, emphasizing craftsmanship, material honesty, and thoughtful design. Rooted in the ideas of figures such as William Morris and John Ruskin, the movement sought to restore dignity to decorative arts and architecture by celebrating traditional building techniques, local materials, and the visible hand of the maker. Rather than ornate excess, Arts and Crafts design favored simplicity, proportion, and a close relationship between structure and decoration.

In architecture, the Arts and Crafts style is characterized by human-scaled buildings, asymmetrical compositions, steeply pitched roofs, prominent chimneys, and carefully crafted details such as exposed woodwork, leaded windows, and hand-finished stone or brick. Interiors often featured built-in furniture, decorative tilework, and an integrated approach to design in which architecture, furnishings, and decorative elements formed a cohesive whole. From residential homes to schools, civic buildings, and garden suburbs, Arts and Crafts architecture left a lasting influence across Europe and North America, shaping the development of early modern design while remaining deeply connected to tradition, place, and craftsmanship.