Craftsman Home
06-16-2011, 05:09 PM
Since 1995, The Craftsman Home has provided Arts and Crafts period and revival home furnishings: truly “honest furniture for the home and heart.”
Owner Lee Jester (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/about/lee-jester-profile.html) got his introduction to the Arts & Crafts style (sometimes also called “Mission” or “Craftsman”) through his former duties as a woodworker in a boatyard, where he came to appreciate the quality of workmanship that went into Arts & Crafts furniture. Later, after working in antique furniture restoration, Lee saw the need for a retail store specifically dedicated to the American Arts & Crafts Movement, prevalent in San Francisco’s East Bay area. In 1995, he and his wife Marcia opened The Craftsman Home at its present location (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/store/index.html), in the heart of the East Bay bungalow neighborhoods.
In founding The Craftsman Home, Lee’s goal has been to provide both antique furniture and new pieces that meet contemporary needs. Antique furniture, besides often being prohibitively expensive, couldn’t provide for things like coffee tables or entertainment centers. By carrying the work of modern craftspeople — and establishing a custom furniture service (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/furniture/custom/index.html) — Lee fulfilled his goal of supporting living artisans who work to make beautiful objects that will last for future generations.
Happily, today’s contemporary Arts & Crafts furniture holds its own against the antiques, at a fraction of the cost. The quality of new revival furniture often exceeds that of the past, given modern precision manufacturing techniques, adhesives, and finishes.
Information for homeowners The Craftsman Home is not just a business but also an informational source for the community, providing a robust starting point for homeowners wishing to bring the beauty and function of the Arts & Crafts style into their homes.
A visit to the store can help customers see all their options in one place — from floor coverings to furniture to lighting and beyond. Besides the items sold in the store, The Craftsman Home also provides a home design service (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/home-design/index.html), custom furniture design and building (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/furniture/custom/index.html), and antique restoration (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/furniture/custom/index.html). The store staff can also provide referrals to suppliers, vendors, and craftspeople, who can help customers develop their home as fully as they wish.
Community involvement Since its beginning, The Craftsman Home has worked closely with the Arts & Crafts community, being involved with groups such as Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA), Alameda Historical Society, Berkeley Historical Society, and Oakland Historical Association. Lee Jester has organized and sponsored events in the store such as hosting scholarly lectures, artisan demonstrations, artist shows, and pottery throwing. Past speakers have included Arts & Crafts scholar and Princeton professor emeritus Robert Judson Clark; and authors David M. Cathers and Paul Duchscherer. Lee has also produced a play based on Elbert Hubbard’s Scrapbook, and hosted a benefit for craftswoman Debbie Zito.
http://www.craftsmanhome.com/_img/store/exterior1.jpg
The Craftsman Home (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/index.html) • 3048 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley, CA 94705 (http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=262455341971770014&q=Craftsman+Home,+3048+Claremont+Avenue,+Berkeley, +CA+94705&gl=us&hl=en&dtab=0&sll=37.854703,-122.248044&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&ie=UTF8&ll=37.858685,-122.25174&spn=0,0&z=17) • tel. (510) 655-6503 • lee@craftsmanhome.com
Owner Lee Jester (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/about/lee-jester-profile.html) got his introduction to the Arts & Crafts style (sometimes also called “Mission” or “Craftsman”) through his former duties as a woodworker in a boatyard, where he came to appreciate the quality of workmanship that went into Arts & Crafts furniture. Later, after working in antique furniture restoration, Lee saw the need for a retail store specifically dedicated to the American Arts & Crafts Movement, prevalent in San Francisco’s East Bay area. In 1995, he and his wife Marcia opened The Craftsman Home at its present location (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/store/index.html), in the heart of the East Bay bungalow neighborhoods.
In founding The Craftsman Home, Lee’s goal has been to provide both antique furniture and new pieces that meet contemporary needs. Antique furniture, besides often being prohibitively expensive, couldn’t provide for things like coffee tables or entertainment centers. By carrying the work of modern craftspeople — and establishing a custom furniture service (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/furniture/custom/index.html) — Lee fulfilled his goal of supporting living artisans who work to make beautiful objects that will last for future generations.
Happily, today’s contemporary Arts & Crafts furniture holds its own against the antiques, at a fraction of the cost. The quality of new revival furniture often exceeds that of the past, given modern precision manufacturing techniques, adhesives, and finishes.
Information for homeowners The Craftsman Home is not just a business but also an informational source for the community, providing a robust starting point for homeowners wishing to bring the beauty and function of the Arts & Crafts style into their homes.
A visit to the store can help customers see all their options in one place — from floor coverings to furniture to lighting and beyond. Besides the items sold in the store, The Craftsman Home also provides a home design service (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/home-design/index.html), custom furniture design and building (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/furniture/custom/index.html), and antique restoration (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/furniture/custom/index.html). The store staff can also provide referrals to suppliers, vendors, and craftspeople, who can help customers develop their home as fully as they wish.
Community involvement Since its beginning, The Craftsman Home has worked closely with the Arts & Crafts community, being involved with groups such as Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA), Alameda Historical Society, Berkeley Historical Society, and Oakland Historical Association. Lee Jester has organized and sponsored events in the store such as hosting scholarly lectures, artisan demonstrations, artist shows, and pottery throwing. Past speakers have included Arts & Crafts scholar and Princeton professor emeritus Robert Judson Clark; and authors David M. Cathers and Paul Duchscherer. Lee has also produced a play based on Elbert Hubbard’s Scrapbook, and hosted a benefit for craftswoman Debbie Zito.
http://www.craftsmanhome.com/_img/store/exterior1.jpg
The Craftsman Home (http://www.craftsmanhome.com/index.html) • 3048 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley, CA 94705 (http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=262455341971770014&q=Craftsman+Home,+3048+Claremont+Avenue,+Berkeley, +CA+94705&gl=us&hl=en&dtab=0&sll=37.854703,-122.248044&sspn=0.006295,0.006295&ie=UTF8&ll=37.858685,-122.25174&spn=0,0&z=17) • tel. (510) 655-6503 • lee@craftsmanhome.com