Look inside 3 of our favorite Craftsman-style homes

Louisville’s homes feature a variety of architectural styles. From ornately embellished Victorian mansions to colonial revival abodes with classical columns, there are a plethora of different designs to suit all aesthetics and lifestyles.

Craftsman-style homes — inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement — are also common in Derby City. Featuring key characteristics such as low-pitched roofs, wide porches, and exposed rafters, these houses also boast a distinctively warm, inviting atmosphere.

Here, we take a look back at a few of our favorite previously featured craftsman abodes.

Leisurely living

Empty nesters Michael and Renee Major were living in Oldham County when they purchased their current Prospect home. With their two grown children living out of state, Renee said, “We were thinking we (needed) to downsize and buy something long-term so that we could retire there.”

The couple wanted something that was one story, with a bit more land, and in a quieter area. They found a Craftsman-style home that was built in the 1970 and just needed a little love.

After a major renovation, Renee says her favorite space is the front porch, which was also modified during the renovation.

“It was really small,” she recalled. “It was all brick. It was pretty, but it was too small and had some stabilization issues.”

The updated porch now boasts ceiling fans, additional lighting, and room for multiple chairs. And on warm Sunday mornings, it’s where Renee can be found.

“I love to have coffee and read the Sunday paper on the front porch,” she said.

“We have to go to a (later) church (service) so she can read the Courier Journal,” Michael added with a laugh.

Award-winning abode

Gerald and Dorie Shelburne were thinking about downsizing when Dorie drove past a sign that said, “Horse Barn,” and decided to check it out. The property was for sale, and once she and Gerald got a chance to view it together, what they really fell in love with was the land — all 20 acres.

As for the house itself, the Shelburnes kept only the original studs and flooring, enlisting the help of Twin Spires Remodeling to create an open space that’s ideal for entertaining and perfectly built for viewing the beauty of the outdoors from inside.

Today, large windows all around the home let in lots of natural light, while glass doors in the living room open to the patio, allowing the two spaces to seamlessly flow into each other.

Twin Spires also added on a completely brand-new main suite, complete with a conveniently placed laundry space and two walk-in closets. After all was said and done, the European-inspired, craftsman farmhouse-style abode won an award on the Tour of Remodeled Homes.

“The design is (so) functional,” Gerald exclaimed. “Our main bedroom — with the closets (and) the laundry room — (makes getting ready so) easy.”

Dining den

When Josef and Danielle Spalenka purchased their American Foursquare Craftsman home in Old Louisville, the 2,400-square-foot space accommodated their needs perfectly. But when the pair realized accommodations needed to be made for their growing family, they enlisted the help of friend and interior designer Bethany Adams of Bethany Adams Interiors.

“It is a lovely little house,” Adams said, “but once they started having kids, they realized it didn’t really work for them.”

She explained that the historic home had been recently remodeled and was in great shape, but several of the rooms were designed without doors — a feature not conducive to children.

“By the time I entered the picture,” Adams said, “they had two kids, so they just needed a little more separation as a family. … They asked if I could design an addition that incorporated a dining room … (as well as) a bedroom and closet for them.”

After Adams worked her magic, she added two new bedrooms, plus a family room and a bright new dining space that opens to the back deck and boasts a pass-through window to the kitchen.

The room features heated Montauk Blue slate floors, with an indoor/outdoor rug under the CB2 dining table. Adams placed apple green slipcovers over the Crate & Barrel chairs for easy cleanup and incorporated cordless Hunter Douglass shades over the windows for safety.

With windows along two walls, the revamped dining room serves as a sunroom as well, with a cozy nook at one end, perfect for sipping a morning coffee or curling up with a good book.

“They really wanted a sunroom because it is beautiful back there,” Adams said. “There are three sets of doors, but only the center doors actually operate. The others are fixed, but it gives you that gorgeous, sunroom feel.”

Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at [email protected] or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at [email protected].

nuts & bolts: Leisurely living

Owners: Michael and Renee Major. Michael is a pilot with United Parcel Service, and Renee is a city administrative officer for the City of Anchorage. Also in the home is Cupcake, an 8-year-old West Highland White Terrier.

Home: This is a 4-bed, 5-bath, 3,917-square-foot, craftsman-style home in Prospect that was built in 1977.

Distinctive elements: Completely remodeled kitchen and main bath; front porch addition; back porch addition with overhead propane heaters; wedding cake steps outside of mud room added; transom glass in main bedroom; backyard water feature; Gallopalooza horse statue outside; original mirror walls and doors, recessed bedroom shelves, step-down family room, and herringbone wood flooring.

Applause! Applause! General contractor and designer Laura Popovich from Creative Interiors of Anchorage; Architectural Concrete for extensive porches, patio, steps, and walkway design work; landscape architect Gregg Bennett for redesigning the grounds; artist Ewa Perez for painting the Gallopalooza horse; and the neighbors for being supportive and understanding during the exterior remodel.

nuts & bolts: Award-winning abode

Owners: Gerald and Dorie Shelburne. Gerald is a project manager and Dorie is a hospital CEO. Also in the home are Jax and Bear, the couple’s two dogs.

Home: This is a 3-bed, 2-and-a-half bath, 2,700-square-foot, European-inspired craftsman farmhouse-style home that was built in 1979 in Louisville.

Distinctive elements: Granite and marble countertops, a walk-in pantry, and farmhouse sink in the kitchen; open floor plan, vaulted ceiling, and wood-burning fireplace in great room; 10-by-8-foot windows, 12-foot ceilings, and laundry room in the main suite; free-standing soaker tub, double vanities, and large walk-in shower in the main bathroom; 12-foot ceiling and wood-burning fireplace in the front room; arched hallways and 8-foot doors throughout; DaVinci Slate roof; half-round gutters; bricked front and side porches; and cedar dovetails.

Applause! Applause! Twin Spires Remodeling general contractor Brandon Fields, and architectural designer and project manager Todd Shelburne.

nuts & bolts: Dining den

Owners: Josef and Danielle Spalenka. Josef is the director of data science at LineVision, Inc., and Danielle is a digital preservation librarian at Indiana University. Also in the home is Graham, 7, Lyra, 5, and the family cat, Chloe.

Home: This is a 4-bed, 2-and-a-half bath, 2,900-square-foot, American Foursquare Craftsman home in the Old Louisville Historic District that was built in 1903.

Distinctive elements: Heated Montauk Blue slate floors in the dining room/ sunroom, CB2 dining table, herringbone wool carpet in the bedroom, natural woven window shades throughout.

Applause! Applause! Designer Builders (contractor), Spindletop Draperies (window shades), Meyers & Co. (landscaping).

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Explore three Craftsman-style homes with distinct interior styles