Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/1050422
RENAISSANCE MAN Meet Daniel Westbrook Westbrook renovates historic homes He takes immense pride in protecting the past as much as he can He is engaging from the get-go, with a finely-tuned brain whirring away under sleek silver hair, typically covered by a newsboy hat He could be from the past, we do not know I'd known this hatted look so well from his educational homebuilding video series in coordination with Dunn Lumber that I initially didn't recognize him when I visited one of his latest projects, a 1920s cottage-style home nestled snugly in the quiet Atlantic neighborhood of Seattle, just up the hill from the I-90 artery As we tour the home's interior, I can tell it's a home that has been loved and lived-in by some lucky family for quite some time And it dawns on me that projects like these really are a bit of a conundrum One must preserve the look and feel and smell that make this home initially attractive—its character, I suppose—while, with surgical precision, adding crucial updates that will keep it cool and cozy for as long as need be It's a delicate balance and one that takes the skill, perspective, and passion of someone undeniably right for the job Someone like Westbrook On looking over the home's exterior, Westbrook lamented that a previous contractor had some time ago affixed vinyl siding all over the once-beautiful and original "I believe in responsibility in one's work, and an intelligent design in building." —Daniel Westbrook woodwork, substituting cheap materials for tried-and-true character This is not the way to preserve the unique craftsmanship of the home, he said, while pointing out what were now clear and obvious flaws to the home's "updated" accessories It's stuff like this that removes character from a neighborhood, stealthily but steadily, until our streets are left void of any defining traits at all Westbrook is tasked with stopping this character assassination, or fixing and minimizing damage already done PUTTING THE PAST ON A PEDESTAL On his video work, as in person, he is happy, almost giddy, to talk about his craft He's not showing off his incredible skill set, he's just genuinely excited to talk shop For another project, a historic renovation in the equally historic Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, Westbrook replaced the original siding and moldings of a 115-year-old home with historically accurate millwork, which he hand-crafted in his shop The design was unique to its age and not easily replicable Not for most, at least Westbrook perfectly replicated—"to a T," according to the home's owner—the one-of-a-kind design to the elation of the client resident 16 master builder WINTER 2018