Skip Navigation
Save $100 or more
Enjoy a year of This Old House magazine included with your purchase of $100 or more!

Back To Square One

Era: 1900 - 1920

Related Styles: Arts & Crafts, Craftsman, Transitional Mission, Old English/Tudor

While debate continues about the true origin of the term "Mission," the style itself remains distinct and popular to this day.

Evolving from English Arts & Crafts roots and intimately related to the American Craftsman movement, Mission was less a philosophy than a look - which can be summed up (and oversimplified, perhaps) as square and rustic.

Particularly in lighting and furniture (Mission house style is something different) Mission meant clean lines, simple construction, and natural finishes - qualities that make it just as appealing today as 100 years ago.