This building, in Morris Plains, Morris County, was originally designed and built in 1908-1910 by Gustav Stickley to be a school, but later became his home and now stands as a museum. Stickley’s main goal in designing this building, along with his design of furniture and other buildings, was to simplify building practices and seeing beauty in more basic, yet unique, objects, going away from the poorly crafted mass-produced items. This building finds charm and peace in being designed as a log cabin structure with dark wood being used for the walls and floors with stone being used for other elements of the building, such as a fireplace. As the house was renovated in the years since, white paint was added along with other elements to brighten the building, but as it has been converted to a museum, workers have attempted to retain the original appearance of the building.

               While buildings having old, rustic elements along with being very dark usually gives me a very ominous feeling, the way that this building uses simple techniques in building is extremely comforting. The stone and dark wood along the walls and floors make the building feel as though it all flows together and really feels like a peaceful experience. Along with that, the curving of the logs used for the walls makes the building seem to come alive, in a comforting way, making you feel as though the house is connected with the trees and greenery outside.

               Overall, the simplicity of the design methods used in this building make it seem very peaceful, with each element seeming rustic and old-fashioned with a sense of care put into choosing each element of the structure. With many rustic designs, I get a feeling that they are dark and mysterious with so much history and things of the past that I would feel uncomfortable and scared. However, this building balances the simple, old-fashioned styles with the expansive land and trees surrounding it, that it feels very peaceful and relaxing, even if it may seem lonely at times.

Craftsman Farms in New Jersey (njskylands.com)