Arts and Crafts

In Ontario, Arts and Crafts architecture may be referred to as English Domestic Revival, English Cottage, or Cotswold Cottage. Many other terms may be in common use, reflecting pastoral ideals or country influence on a particular design, but most commonly architects and home owners are familiar with the term Arts and Crafts. In Cabbagetown, among many other old architectural forms, the Arts and Crafts style can be found on two streets in the Cabbagetown South Heritage District: Nasmith Avenue and Gifford Street.    The Arts and Crafts Movement Arts and Crafts originates back to the Industrial Revolution, when a social …

The Arts and Crafts movement is characterized by its lack of style.  Often referred to as the Craftsman movement, this style was used as an expression of distaste for the industrial revolution.  The simple design of the Arts and Craft was intended to provide a better living environment for the working class. The most prevalent form of Arts and Crafts found in Cabbagetown is a “Tuscan” variation, one that is proudly plain.  These homes are usually semi-detached and can be identified by their front porch and Tuscan columns.  The non-gabled version, one slightly less popular, includes a bay just above …