Author Paul Duchscherer Passes Away

Well known Arts and Crafts author and speaker Paul Duchscherer passed away last week after a courageous battle with a brain tumor discovered just six months ago.

After graduating from the Rudolph Schaeffer School of Design in 1975, Paul lived in San Francisco for more than forty years. Paul combined his expertise in architecture and interiors with his interest in history and period landscape to establish himself as one of the most sought after consultants for both commercial and residential projects. An avid proponent of historic preservation, his professional activities included lecturing, writing and teaching about historic design, especially in the Arts & Crafts era.

Ever seeking fresh outlets for his creative nature, Paul began writing what eventually amounted to 17 books, many done in collaboration with Douglas Keister and Linda Svendsen. Among them were The Bungalow: America’s Arts & Crafts Home (1995), Inside the Bungalow: America’s Arts & Crafts Interior (1997), and Outside the Bungalow: America’s Arts & Crafts Garden (1999), all published by Penguin Putnam, Inc. Most recently, Paul had been working on a memoir of his life growing up as the son of a hotel manager whose specialty was rescuing hotels in financial trouble.

Paul’s books led to frequent invitations to appear on national and regional television shows, including “This Old House.” He soon thereafter was tapped to serve as one of the hosts of the popular HGTV show “Curb Appeal.”

Attendees of the National Arts and Crafts Conference held each year at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC came to know Paul well, for he often appeared as a seminar speaker, a discussion leader and a landscape design workshop teacher.

A memorial service is being planned; details will be included here as soon as possible.

For more insight into Paul, see this week’s “Little Journeys” column.

– Bruce Johnson