Keynote Speaker

2008 Keynote Speaker

Brent Hull is a nationally recognized speaker on topics as varied as historical millwork, historic interiors, residential design, the Winterhur Museum in Delaware, and the "Death of Craftsmanship." Even at a young age Brent was involved in building and craftsmanship. Growing up he worked construction jobs and even started his own construction business while in college. Brent earned a degree in Preservation Carpentry from the North Bennett Street School in Boston. According to his web site "It was from this training and apprenticeship that Brent developed a 200 year perspective of homebuilding and home design. Brent strongly believes that it is only by seeing how things were built historically that we can truly make the right decisions when building our homes today."

After college Hull returned to his home in Texas and started Hull Historical, a company which specilizes in the restoration of historic buildings. "Historic Millwork, A Guide to Restoring and Recreating Doors, Windows and Moldings of the Late Nineteenth to Mid-Twentieth Centuries" Mr. Hull's first book was published in 2003 by John Wiley. Mr. Hull also created an award winning line of molding for Windsor Mill.

Additionally Hull has been a architectural consultant and the provider of archtectural interiors for the Winterhur Museum, a country estate and former home of Henry Francis du Pont which houses one of the finest antique collections in the world. Mr. Hull is also working on a series of books regarding the architectural interiors of Winterhur. Mr. Hull was honored in the Otober 2005 issue of This Old House Magazine in their Contractor Hall of Fame. He writes often for magazines including Fine Homebuilding, Old House Journal, and Period Homes Magazine and speaks frequently to architects, designers, builders, and homeowners.

Hull's second book "The Death of Craftsmanship" is almost complete. Taking a look at over 200 years of home craftsmanship techniques and processes he tries to bring to light ways to incorporate better design and quality into todays architecture. Most importantly Brent tries to explain why better design is needed in today's homebuilding. According to his web site "Brent is passionate about historically accurate and architecturally correct quality and design. A current hot trend, Brent believes that this will only continue as new home quality diminishes and the market seeks out products that make sense and ring true."

Sponsored by Breakell Inc., General Contractors