I'm not M-A, but you might find A Field Guide to American Houses a useful book. Your library probably has it.

I wish I could help you but I find the Craftsman style to be just as difficult to pin down as you seem to. In fact, I don't think of it as a cohesive style except for the houses in California.

I have a huge book of traditional NC houses but it is too large to put in the scanner. The traditional houses in the book are more appealing to me than the Craftsman style.

If I were you, I would take a lot of photographs of what you think are nice houses and then post them here or get an architect to help you sort out what you really like.

Search Amazon for some good books. There is a lot of bad stuff but some of it is good.

ncamy:

Depending on region of the country, so-called "Craftsman" homes might be referred to as "Mission" or "Bungalow" style or lumped together as "Arts and Crafts" styles.

The name "Craftsman" comes from Gustave Stickley's magazine that was published from 1901-1916. He published approximately 200+ house plans and advocated using local materials whenever possible. So, as you travel the country you'll see tons of examples of the style I think you're describing. If you pick up the following magazines; American Bungalow, Arts and Crafts Homes, or Style 1900, you'll see a huge variety of homes that you might like. We studied all the different regions and styles and came up with a combination of what we liked most and hired a designer who is particularly fond of the whole Arts and Crafts movement. She used to live in a 1906 Sears built home.

I must have 25 books on the Arts and Crafts movement, Bungalow style, Stickley, Greene and Greene, and on and on.... Very helpful in designing and decorating our new house. Doug Keister and Paul Duchscherer's books are great.