Building a Timeless House in an Instant Age

Author, master craftsman, and hands-on preservationist, Brent Hull, challenges us to consider the impact our decisions will have when building a house. What do our homes say about us? What stories are they telling? Are they declarations of integrity, beauty, and heritage? Or do they suggest we have lost our sense of value, craft, and harmony? Nationally recognized as an authority on historic design, architecturally correct moldings, and millwork, Hull is uniquely qualified to speak to the craft of building and art of design. In an age of ''instant'' homes, how do we build something timeless that weaves a tale of character, values, history, and heart? The decisions we make for our homes are not inconsequential. What we build defines us. In fact, the contrast between the way we build today and how structures used to be built has become only more vivid. What happened to craft? What happened to the art of building? Our values and what we believe about life have changed as well. We have come to see houses as a tradable commodity. We live in a time that is obsessed with ''what's next?'' We need to be careful of fooling ourselves into thinking that a bottomline mentality is the best way to approach building a home. Now is the time to examine ourselves, our motives, and our hearts.

Auteur

Brent Hull, owner and president of Hull Historical, is a nationally recognized authority on historic design, architecturally correct moldings, and millwork. Trained in the art of museum quality preservation at the prestigious North Bennett Street School in Boston, Brent is the exclusive licensee for the architectural interiors of the Winterthur Museum and Country Estate in Wilmington, Delaware. He has designed two lines of award-winning moldings and is a popular speaker and presenter. Brent is also the author of two books, Traditional American Rooms celebrating style, craftsmanship, and historic woodwork with a foreword by Barbra Streisand and Historic Millwork, a guide to restoring and recreating doors, windows, and moldings from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. He is the recipient of four John Staub Awards for classical architecture in craftsmanship and historic restoration.