Anneke Dunnington, Carpenter
This teacher-turned-carpenter found her true calling through building and raising her timber-frame home.
This time last year, Anneke Dunnington didn’t know she was going to become a full-time carpenter. A seasoned middle-school teacher, she just wanted to fulfill her dream of building her own house. So in January of 2020, she bought six acres of land. During lockdown, she used her extra time to clear the land and create house designs on SketchUp.
“The more I explored the subject of timber framing, the more interested I became,” she says. “I asked my builder friend how to get started, and he said, ‘You just have to understand it, and then you’ll know what to do next.’” So she began to collect books, talk to experts, and take classes.
In 2021, Anneke took a weeklong timber-framing course, which inspired her to use local timbers. She decided to design her own timber frame with the guidance of an experienced framer, who gave her weekly feedback on Zoom. Once the design was finalized, Anneke went to work, cutting all 121 timbers during her school vacations.
It took her three years, but the investment paid off. In 2024, she invited her friends and family for a weeklong “raising” party. She hired a crane and her framing advisor’s company, TimberHomes, to oversee the process, which went smoothly.
“When it all fit together,” she says, “it was one of the best experiences of my life.” Anneke credits art school with teaching her a variety of technical skills, but more importantly, a useful mindset. “The attitude at school was that if you don’t know how to do it, that’s OK—just learn how,” Anneke reflects. It’s also where she learned how to look closely at details, which fits with her curiosity and the work of a builder.
It’s no surprise that Anneke took the leap into building as a career. Earlier this year, she joined Mathes Hulme Builders as a carpenter, and the job already feels like heaven to her. “I couldn’t have done it without the support and encouragement of the wonderful professionals in the building world,” she says. “It feels like I’ve finally come home.”
— Jennifer Morris; FHB editorial assistant
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