THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK

Owner / Contractor

Blair moved to Portland from Fairbanks, AK in 1997 to attend Lewis and Clark College, where he graduated with a degree in German Studies and Music in 2002. After college, he worked at the student-exchange nonprofit, AFS Intercultural Programs. Having grown up around carpentry and woodworking, Blair's passion for remodeling, building and woodworking was re-awakened upon buying a 1915 Bungalow in Portland. Blair enjoys remodeling in Portland for these reasons - clients who really appreciate and understand quality craftsmanship, a great stock of historical homes, environmentally sound building practices - Portland businesses and contractors are amazing in this regard.

It's this quality of Portland life that Blair tries to capture in his work and his slogan, “Building for Utility and Expression”

"Man takes a positive hand in creation whenever he puts a building upon the earth beneath the sun. If he has birthright at all, it must consist in this: that he, too, is no less a feature of the landscape than the rocks, trees, bears, or bees of that nature to which he owes his being."

~ Frank Lloyd Wright, from "The Future of Architecture"

"...form is only a beginning. It is the combination of feelings and a function; shapes and things that come to one in connection with the discoveries made as one goes into the wood that pull it together and give meaning to form."
~ James Krenov - woodworker, from "A Cabinetmaker's Notebook"

On the Jobsite

The majority of the work done through Edmiston Design/Build is done by in-house carpenters, apprentice carpenters and laborers.  All workers are legally employed and covered by workers compensation insurance.  All subcontractors are carefully screened and hold valid licenses with the Contruction Contractors Board.