Check Out Jay Randolph’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jay Randolph.

Hi Jay, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I fell into the cooking/restaurant world. It was a perfect fit in many ways – tools, lots of activity, creative but also very technical, craft like before craft was the catchword it is today. I dove deep. I spent my time off reading, eating at restaurants and trying new recipes and techniques. At home, I cooked and started building things, trying my hand at framing, furniture, and decks. I always had the building/making stuff as my “hobby” and cooking was my career. I started to have a good tool collection and pretty soon I was reading as much about building as I was about cooking.

Well, after many years, the cooking/restaurant chapter closed and it was time to figure out what’s next. A couple of neighbors saw projects I was doing on our house and inquired – I said why not. And it just kept going from there.

So, in the five years, I have been operating Colorado Craft I have done a very wide range of projects – decks, pergolas, built-ins, custom cabinets, outdoor kitchens and a mobile bar built from a horse trailer! I tend to gravitate to projects that require creative solutions. The greater flexibility I have to design and build something the more I am energized.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The hardest thing to figure out is your worth. In the restaurant business, the market had some defined parameters. But when I started Colorado Craft, I didn’t know that much about the rates for the projects I was doing. So many of my projects went way out of the standard format. So, figuring out how to make that work for the customer and myself took some time and a few painful lessons.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I don’t build boxes, and what that means is I can’t bring energy and creativity to a project that doesn’t require it. It’s hard sometimes to convey to folks what you do, especially as a creative. I try to keep my website current so I can direct folks there first, then we can start from that point to define their project. Right now, I think I am mostly known for the decks and pergolas I’ve done, which I love because I get to work outside. I am working on expanding my outside work towards landscaping – building an outdoor environment, and expanding the opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. With my background in hospitably, I am well versed in creating atmosphere, designing flows and providing spaces that are extensions of the house.

I am also branching out my furniture ideas, trying new forms, and integrating different materials to make furniture that is both functional and unique. I like to build things you can use, sit on, touch, and wear down. I think it’s important to impart functionality into everything.

I am proud of the variety of skills I have acquired, how I can come to a project with real-life knowledge of building, welding, sculpture, hand tool skills, and a can-do creative attitude. It’s satisfying is to say, “well, I will just make that” rather than “I hope we can find that…”

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Quality, one of a kind, has always been the more challenging road, harder to build a clientele base that wants that and will pay for it. With many folks’ price drives the project which results in simple designs that don’t necessarily stand out but get the job done. I think the building business in Colorado is a good place to be. It’s about building your name and brand and sticking to what you’re good at.

Contact Info:

• Website: colorado-craft.com
• Instagram: jay_randolph_craft
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coloradocraft

Image Credits
All photos by Jay Randolph