Each June, the beautiful and elegant Indian Village Historic District in Detroit opens its doors to visitors. This year was the 36th year of the home tour, and there are five homes that are considered Arts and Crafts or have major elements of Arts and Crafts design. There are many types of architecture in Indian Village, including Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival (sometimes considered a type of Arts and Crafts), Georgian Revival, Queen Anne, etc. Many of the homes are a combination of more than one style, making them difficult to pinpoint. Most of the Arts and Crafts architecture reflects the English influence, rather than the American we are more familiar with. However, on both sides of the Atlantic, the emphasis was on simple, refined designs, superb craftsmanship and natural materials.

Jacob Carl Danziger House at 1485 Burns (1910). This home is classified as an Arts & Crafts home with Tudor accents. The clean lines and stucco exterior are important Arts and Crafts features.

Ralph Leonard Aldrich House at 1438 Iroquois (1912). William Buck Stratton designed this home. Mr. Stratton was the husband of Mary Chase Perry Stratton of Pewabic Pottery fame. The Strattons were founders of the Detroit Society of Arts & Crafts in 1906, so I expected to see a typical Arts & Crafts design here. But Stratton chose an English inspired Arts and Crafts design. The brick exterior is reminiscent of William Morris’s Red House. The bands of windows are very typical of Arts & Crafts, elements which relieve the flat face of the exterior walls. Notice the craftsmanship visible in the brickwork. The backyard continues the Arts & Crafts elements with a garage in the same brick as the home, a lovely pergola, and a stone water feature.

Adolph F. Marschner House at 2472 Iroquois (1927). This home is Tudor revival; however, this style is sometimes considered part of the Arts and Crafts movement, so we’re including it here. The brick exterior and stucco in the half-timbering could be considered Arts and Crafts elements, as does the tapering walls beside the entrance and right side of the house. Again taking inspiration from Red House are the entrance arch and bay window over the entrance. The copper roof fits perfectly with the Arts & Crafts style. In the rear, the heavy half timbering and rivets are additional noteworthy details.

Louis A Rabaut House at 3403 Iroquois (1915). This home is a more typically American Arts and Crafts home. With its simple design, shed roof dormer, and large series of windows in front and along the side, it resembles a bungalow. The brick exterior is relieved by stucco on the gable ends.

Richard Henry Macauley House at 2240 Seminole (1919). The tour book calls this home an English Arts and Crafts in Tudor style. Half-timbering aside, the lovely subtle pattern of the brick on an otherwise simple exterior, bands of windows, and prominent chimneys are Arts and Crafts features. Ornamentation above the front door is typical of the craftsmanship of the era.

Here are a couple more houses that caught our attention, but which were not on the tour.

2984 Iroquois. Arts and Crafts features include taupey stucco exterior, bands of windows, and a pergola supporting greenery, which ties the building to the landscape. The undulating roof adds to the romantic look of this house.

1501 Seminole. The very plain stucco exterior of this home is broken up by the prominent tapered columns at the entrance. Notice how the porch roof extends beyond the columns, suggesting an Asian influence that was very popular in the Arts and Crafts movement.

Unfortunately, interior photography is not allowed, so we are unable to show you the beautiful interiors, many with Pewabic tile fireplaces. However, the 37th Historic Indian Village Home Tour will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2010. Consider taking the tour and seeing these historic homes for yourself! For more information, go to http://www.historicindianvillage.org/homeandgardentour.html