The integration of a natural setting and home "growing" from that environment was an important part of the American Arts & Crafts philosophy. Plants native to the area like woodland settings in the northeast were emphasized. In the west the ultimate "bungalow" was the Gamble House with it's California perspective. Stickley's Craftsman Farms was on a rolling, rural tract of land that was only 23 miles from Manhattan. I received email from a gentleman who worked as a handyman at Stickley's Craftsman Farms when it is was owned by the Farneys. The sloping grounds had a dairy farm at one time and even a ski slope in later years. During the years that Mr. Farney owned the property he said the grounds were always stunning no matter what the season.
As you can tell from my other web pages, I have featured the American Arts & Crafts Movement. Unfortunately, as far as collecting goes, the prices have really soared over recent years. It has become harder to search for undiscovered areas to collect. Unlike people who follow their designers dictum to buy Stickley and Grueby pottery for their Architectural Digest homes, I love learning about the history and the importance of an object's connection to the past. Consequently the original 1900's Bungalow Magazine is one of my favorite finds of the period. Other turn-of-the-century home catalogs are great resources for bungalow history and restoration. Aladdin homes is one of the gems in this group. Sears, Montgomery Ward, Keith's, and others participated in the mail order home business.
To really participate in the Arts & Crafts spirit, you have to at least attempt to make something. After all, this was a movement that embraced hand-craft. Anything can evoke this spirit; even designing graphics with the computer. Here's a lamp I made, it took too long to make, but hopefully it will live on well beyond my stay... The "life so short, the craft so long to learn." I will try to update this information as time allows. There are obviously quite a few sites with Arts & Crafts Movement themes and antiques. I'm not trying to compete with them, but just present some personal experiences.
These guys paid a visit to my home when they were doing a refinishing episode for The Learning Channel about Mission Furniture. Here they are ready to compliment the refinishing job on a Stickley Brothers China cabinet. (It originally had 4 coats of white paint inside and out).