Old School Craftsman Review: A Look Back at 2022

The end of the year is fast approaching, and at times like these, I like to look back and reminisce over some of my favorite accomplishments of the year.  

At Old School Craftsman, we always strive to create imaginative, careful, and unparalleled craftsmanship, but a few projects stick out in my mind as particularly impressive. 

I am proud of every project, as each takes considerable skill and effort to complete. However, some projects require me and my team to go above and beyond the realm of the typical to achieve something truly remarkable.  

In this Old School Craftsman review, we will look back at two of my team’s proudest achievements of 2022 to give you an inside look at the Old School Craftsman process.  

Come along with me, Brent W. Sears, as I review my two favorite projects of 2022! 

Old School Craftsman: Best Cincinnati Home Renovations of 2022 

You may consider these projects to be part of one over-arching work, as they were both funded by the same clients in the same home, but they were distinctive in their construction and process. As such, I consider them to be separate projects.  

These renovations belong to Doug & Renee Rennie in Anderson Township, and they are rightly very proud of these projects and love to share their admiration with friends, family, and other home renovation enthusiasts! 

Let’s break each project down to give you a better understanding of how Old School Craftsman operates on a large scale.  

Copper Dining Room Ceiling 

Anderson Township is one of the most beautiful places to live in all of Ohio. There are beautiful homes aplenty, acres upon acres of pristine forest, and friendly faces all around. It is also the home of friends of Old School Craftsman, Doug, and Renee Rennie.  

They approached me late last year (2021) about doing a large-scale project to enhance their already gorgeous dining room. The goal was to create an incredibly unique ceiling to give their dining room an old-world character. After hours of brainstorming, the Rennies and I decided on copper as the material of choice.  

First, my team created custom-sized copper panels within the space to accent the tray perimeter. Next, we laminated the copper panels in preparation for creating the enhanced patina methods with several unique products. After that, we designed ornamental corbels at the corners of the room to fit the balance of the room and enhance the warmth and charm of the old-world appeal. Finally, we created concealed lighting about the perimeter for soft dining lighting.  

Let’s take a quick look at the expertise that went into creating this masterpiece. 

• Applying copper rivets, round and tapered cedar-wrapped rosettes with layered copper banding 
  
  
• The entire project was done on a 16’ ceiling above the floor.  
  
  
• I moved out all the furniture and wall paintings, and I scaffolded the entire room at a comfortable working height for me, to access and work every inch of the room; just this piece of the project was quite an undertaking. 
  
  

Working with copper is a unique skill. 

The copper ceiling will forever be one of my favorite projects. Not only did we perfectly craft sheets of 20-ounce pure copper in a technical sense, but we also made a work of art that will bring the Rennies enjoyment for years to come.  

The client told us exactly what they wanted and we made a work of art. It doesn’t come much more custom than that!  

I have no shame in saying Renee and I shed a tear when we laid our eyes on the finished product. 

Three Centered Elliptical Copper Arch 

As I said earlier, the bespoke copper ceiling was only the first project in a twin pair of custom works for the Rennies. The second project was the three-centered elliptical copper arch.  

This project came second but was no less impressive than the custom copper ceiling.  

The goal was to create a majestic transition between the main entry and dining room.  

We decided to create a three-centered elliptical copper arch for maximum beauty and to match the copper ceiling from the previous project. 

The math required to blend three true radii of proportional sizes into a flowing three-center ellipse is anything but easy. The elliptical arch was 12 feet wide, 12 feet tall, and 18 inches thick.  

After crunching the numbers, we built the arch in three exceptionally large pieces and installed it into one unit in place onsite.  

We applied 20-ounce copper sheet materials to the inner jamb of the elliptical arch with a special adhesive designed specifically for such copper laminations.  

One of the hardest parts: the arch had to be perfectly straight, flat, and in-plane to accept the copper sheeting. Otherwise, the copper sheets would buckle with unsightly ripping, a phenomenon often called oil canning. In other words, even the slightest imperfection would ruin the entire project.  

I am pleased to say the copper laid down perfectly and the final product was as pristine as I had imagined it.  

As a finishing touch, we dressed the edges of the jambs with 3/16-inch copper tubing.  

Here is a quick look at some of the specific expertise we used to complete this project.  

• Difficult mathematics were used to determine the height, width, and length of the three combined ellipticals to balance out the Dining and Entry. 
  
  
• Overpowering the space was always a concern; a mistake of this nature was not something I could allow 
  
  
• Reaching the correct balance between the two spaces was either going to be an enormous success or an epic flop; it was an enormous success! 
  
  
• We cut up and glued up 54 rows of 3/8" x 2" rough-sawn western red cedar wood strips to create a 10" tall cedar elliptical arch. 
  
  
• The glue-up of the cedar strips required a template to bend, glue, and hold to while the 27 rows of laminated wood strips dried in place so that once released from the template would maintain the desired shape. 
  
  

This whole concept was special. Copper paint and faux techniques would have never recreated the stunning effect compared to the 20-ounce pure copper that we used. 

When my son and I walked the massive elliptical cedar arch – yet to be assembled – into Rennie’s home, Renee teared up with disbelief. She immediately snapped a few photos and FaceTimed Doug so that he could share the experience.  

The satisfaction was palpable, and my son and I knew this was a special project we would always remember.  

This is what it is all about for me, helping a client identify a vision, then using the Old School Craftsman expertise to deliver pure and honest satisfaction. 

A Year in Conclusion for Old School Craftsman 

As I look back on 2022, I must conclude that despite challenges and setbacks, this year has been one of the epic triumphs. I couldn’t be prouder of the work my team and I have done, and I can only imagine what will come next year.  

If you want to make 2023 your year, then Old School Craftsman is here to help. We are the premiere Cincinnati home remodeling company, and we proudly serve Mason, Kenwood, Hyde Park, Wyoming, Mt. Lookout, Indian Hills, and more! 

If you need a luxury home remodeling contractor who serves you diligently, never cuts corners, and knows the pathway to success, then it is time you reach out to Old School Craftsman.