Skeeter Jones founded Clearheart in the early 1980’s. His work includes extensive design development, Victorian restorations, and architectural millwork. He learned to build houses with old Yankee craftsmen masters of New England. He has since enhanced the beauty of San Francisco by creating over 70 new Victorian facades from buildings previously stripped of their ornamental splendor by misguided modernization. Skeeter found an outlet for the expression of his artistic style through architecture.
Clearheart’s workmanship has been recognized with respect by House Beautiful, Professional Builder, Qualified Remodeler, Georgia Pacific, Pacific Lumber Company, Heritage Foundation, Union Street Association, California Redwood Association. Skeeter was featured on the cable TV Home and Garden Program “Modern Masters” and was also listed in the National Register’s Who’s Who 2001-2002 edition, the Victorian Alliance and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Clearheart is a licensed, bonded and insured company of carpenters and millwrights. Competent professionals in all aspects of a project are hired to assure an outstanding finished product.
A Victorian Cottage on Scott Street: a stripped bay window existed; The portico, mansard roof, cornices and balustrade were added, along with the Vermont slate and iron cresting. The original design by Skeeter Jones of Clearheart was inspired by a faded photograph.
Hill Street, San Francisco. These sister Eastlake houses dating from the 1880s have both been brought back to life by Artistic License members. Erik Kramvik restored the façade on the left, which was painted by San Francisco Local Color Painting. The house on the right had previously been stripped of all its surface ornament, and Skeeter Jones of Clearheart Fine Design and Building, recreated the sister façade, which was also painted by San Francisco Local Color Painting. Photo: Skeeter Jones.
A vintage Eureka Valley home was given an exuberant new Victorian Revival façade designed and built by Skeeter Jones / Clearheart Fine Design and Building. Fanciful dragon-headed brackets and gold leaf accents highlight the subtle purple and smoky gray-green color scheme by Bob Buckter. Photo: Skeeter Jones.
Buena Vista Terrace. This original design by Skeeter Jones/Clearheart for an Eastlake/Stick Victorian home replaced a plain facade wrapped indifferently in aluminum siding. The new facade features a bracketed, arched portico and hood clad in copper. A slate mansard rood with extended gable is topped with cresting, and new windows and transoms, X-patterned spandrel, and brackets supporting a mansard frieze. This is a completely original design in a historic style.
A vintage Eureka Valley home was given an exuberant new Victorian Revival façade designed and built by Skeeter Jones / Clearheart Fine Design and Building. Fanciful dragon-headed brackets and gold leaf accents highlight the subtle purple and smoky gray-green color scheme by Bob Buckter. Photo: Skeeter Jones.
A re-envisioned facade of a workingman’s Edwardian house, with brackets at the bay window supporting a cornice of corbels and egg and dart moulding. Details include ionic columns and capitals at the portico, patterned shingles in the gable framed with a frieze and crown, and panels highlighted with pierced scrollwork. Designed and built by Skeeter Jones/Clearheart.
2833 26th St : A new building was proposed here on the condition that its original facade be saved, but during construction the facade collapsed leaving only a bare plywood front. The new facade in “Victorian Fantasy” style was designed and built by Skeeter Jones of Clearheart and features a strong portico and mansard of slate, interrupted by a bracework gable.
2833 26th St : A new building was proposed here on the condition that its original facade be saved, but during construction the facade collapsed leaving only a bare plywood front. The new facade in “Victorian Fantasy” style was designed and built by Skeeter Jones of Clearheart and features a strong portico and mansard of slate, interrupted by a bracework gable.
