WHY ?

Why do I get up in the morning? I get up with the ambition to beat all odds. I enjoy creating and building dreams to turn into a reality. I am fortunate enough to have the chance to make a living out of my dreams. When I get up in the morning I never feel like I go to work, it is simply another day of doing what I love. Since I was a child, I dreamed about building. I always loved to play with dirt and create hands on projects. I cherish the fact that I can drive past my creations years later knowing that the homes I build give families a place to create memories. Knowing the homes I build will stand the test of time and are just as sound and stable as the day they moved in. A lot of people love what they do for a living, but I am what I do for living. My work ethic is not something that can be taught, but was instilled in me since birth. I am blessed that I have the ability to not only push myself, but also the people around me to accomplish great things. A wise man once told me " Enjoy the journey, son. Never lose sight of who you are. " Well ladies and gentlemen, I am enjoying this journey and that is why I get up in the morning.

SVEN BARNES

Born and raised in Fairfax, Virginia, Sven Barnes developed a passion for building through his family. Growing up, his grandfathers taught him their trades of furniture and home construction giving him a deep understanding of how things fit together. Since he was 18 years old he worked with his uncle becoming an expert carpenter. Carrying on his family’s legacy he founded Presidential Construction in 2007. Now he is working to enrich his home town by bringing back the Craftsman style. Like the first American Craftsman, Gustav Stickley, Sven is proud to combine furniture and house building expertise to create amazing homes. Over the years Sven has developed a clear sense of what his clients want with a keen eye for the details they need. These qualities are evident in his projects and in the success of his business.




CRAFTSMAN STYLE

The Arts and Crafts movement in Britain was an international design movement that flourished between 1860 and 1910. It was a counter movement to the eclectic over-decorated aesthetic of the Victorian era. The Arts and Craft movement inspired a variety of distinct design movement throughout Europe. The American Craftsman style arrived to the United States in the 19th century after the Victorian era was coming to a close. The movement’s name, American Craftsman, originated from a well known philosopher, designer, furniture maker, and editor, Gustav Stickley, in 1901. Stickley founded the well known magazine, The Craftsman, which featured original houses and furniture designs that were influenced by the arts and craft movement. These designs were by Harvey Ellis, the Greene and Greene Company, and others. The designs, while influenced by the ideals of the British movement, found inspiration in specifically American antecedents such as Shaker Furniture, the Mission Revival Style, and the Anglo-Japanese style. In 1903 Gustav Stickley hired architect Harvey Ellis, who had an immediate effect upon the design of The Craftsman magazine. Ellis’s architectural offerings combined with Stickley’s furnishings reinforced the connections between Stickley’s work and that of the English and Glaswegian designers. Stickley began to further develop his concept of the Craftsman home announcing the formation of the Craftsman Home Builders Club which provided architectural plans from The Craftsman to its subscribers. The homes were offered in the farmhouse, town house, cottage, bungalow, and others. These designs reflected current approaches to open floor plans, economy of function, and the use of natural materials throughout the home...