The Hilltop Craftsman is Ken Litscher, born and raised in Wisconsin, but living in West Tennessee for the last 10+ years.
Ken is the owner and primary craftsman at the Hilltop Craftsman.
Growing up in central Wisconsin, some of Ken's earliest memories were building things with his dad: a picnic table, a birdfeeder, or some Pinewood Derby cars. It wasn't long after that they would spend some afternoons watching This Old House, Hometime, and The New Yankee Workshop on PBS.
Shortly after getting married in 2002, Ken and his wife, Renee, moved into a 1926 brick bungalow in south Denver. This little house enabled Ken to put the DIY skills he'd learned from his Dad, Norm Abram, Tom Silva, Dean Johnson, and others to good use: new hardwood stairs and flooring, built in bookshelves, an egress window.
When the kids started coming along in 2005 was when the furniture started. The new baby needed a crib - why not build one? A new changing table and dresser was custom designed (the height decided by stacking books on the dining room table to find proper diaper changing ergonomics). As the kids multiplied and grew, there was a need for a couple sets of bunk beds.
In the midst of fund-raising for an adoption, several friends and family were kind enough to commission built-in bookshelves, Adirondak chairs, and other woodworking pieces. For the most part, though, the busyness of life caught up with him and the tools stayed silent until 2020 came around.
Ken's day job is as a student life administrator at a university and the all-consuming wave of COVID-related problems was burning him out. But then a big chainsaw and a bunch of rough-sawn lumber found their way to his place and the immediate satisfaction of starting a project and seeing it through to a beautiful creation was just what he needed.
Ken enjoys milling lumber and building furniture and other pieces that encourage connection and meaningful conversation. If he can help you with the missing piece in your kitchen, dining room, living room, porch, or patio, please don't hesitate to reach out for a quote.
