Jeff Crawford

I’m an art director. I spent my Wonder Bread years here in LA years ago, working at Sony Pictures (then Columbia TriStar) and MGM and as an art director in the home video divisions. I moved to North Carolina and was the Associate Creative Director for Duke University Medical Center, one of the top 10 research medical centers in the country. Our office created logos, branding, advertising, and marketing material for Duke’s health system, including 3 hospitals. A link to my design website is below. But don't go there just yet, I'm talking houses right now. This will just take a minute.

I renovated the house I lived in – a 1940s bungalow in Durham, NC. (Pictures to come.) I recreated a ‘40s kitchen, but added enhancements like skylights, and for the countertop, I used a dyed, bright red wood laminate. I put in checkerboard yellow and red and green flooring. Red bakelite hardware came from Liz’s Antique Hardware in LA. I sold the house for a big profit a few years later, and moved to nearby Asheville and renovated a house there – a 1970 architectural wonder on a street called Lucky Lane. I put in all new floors, new kitchen, new everything. But I kept the baby blue retro tile master bathroom. I even found more of the original tile in an abandoned tile warehouse so I could put in heated towel warmers and take out the old space heater and vanity. The original owners came back to see what I'd done and loved it. I was a little nervous about that part. But they were happy I kept the integrity of the house. I was spoiled early on when I functioned as a contractor and worked with great tile artists and plumbers and carpenters who enjoyed working on my projects and put their all into it. I love collaborating with people and figuring out their goals, even when it is different than mine. Challenges are great. They make a project better as a result.

Feeling flush with creativity, I tackled a 1969 split-level rancher. It had layers of great patterned formica flooring under the carpeting downstairs. I used that and my dogs' white wavy hair for pattern inspiration. I called it the wavy house. When I put it on the market, it showed only 4 times and sold over asking price.

Thank you for reading all this backstory. Below is my graphic design link. Logos and branding are something else I can add to your mix. I branded 5 Lucky Lane as Lucky Lounge with a red pair o’ dice logo to accompany my mid-century party invites. Added value. Just sayin.’ https://www.jeffcrawford.org/