Five Cabinetmakers in Durham NC

A fine piece of wood worked into a great piece of furniture is a true beauty to behold. There is no doubt in one’s mind when they are looking at the intricate and accomplished work of a professional craftsman. Often the wood is worked to display the fine qualities found in the grain at angles that increase the beauty of the finished piece.

Some cabinetmakers prefer to develop the wood at a minimalist level, letting the natural beauty of the wood, imperfections and all, provide a sense of creations majesty. For many woods, this is the right choice as they have been blessed with natural colors and textures.

Other cabinetmakers prefer to use other qualities of the wood, such as the ability to take certain kinds of finishes, to enhance the ultimate enjoyment of the furniture to the owner. These products may show the builders craftsmanship while using the wood in a more utilitarian way. Often the goal is to build furniture that can weather the passages of time.

Great cabinetmakers like Thomas Chippendale and George Hepplewhite did both at once. There creations displayed the full beauty of the wood, were (and still are) grandly utilitarian and were designed to last through many lifetimes. (Where they were properly cared for this is true)

Sometimes the name of the artisans shop provides an idea to the goals of the craftsman. One shop with such a clue in it’s name is:

Old Growth Cabinets Inc
2319 South Alston Avenue
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 598-0177

Though most of the time we never get a chance to use the older pieces of furniture as they are locked up in museums and restored mansions. In Austria a few years back, my wife and I visited a really cool museum. There is a castle just outside Viena with all it’s original walls, ceilings and floors. It is supported by a small fee charged to tour groups and a miniture golf course outside the castle. Having no money for antiquities, the local population has filled it from their homes. It is amazing how many pack rats have kept items, not for decades, but for centuries, in there attics.

One set of these antiquities were some chairs that dated from the twelth century. Believe me, the cabinet makers of that time were phenominal. After climbing a few flights of stairs in the museum, one rather large woman in our party was feeling exhausted. The first thing our host, the museum curator did was guide her to one of these chairs. After centuries it was not only beautiful but still functional. There were no ropes to keep you from touching the furniture or sitting in the chairs. That’s the quality great cabinetmakers produce. After eight hundred years this sturdy, well build furniture still maintained its ornate carvings and it’s rich deep color.

One local place where craftsmen of museum of the future quality furniture may be being designed and built;

Unlimited New Creations
923 East Trinity Avenue
Durham, NC 27704
(919) 667-0667

Many cabinet makers today restrict themselves to custom cabinets and an occasional set of custom book shelves. The most likely reason for this is the difficulty involved in pricing that occurs in unfamiliar work.

Three who may provide for your custom needs are:

ENO Workshop
431 South Riverdale Drive
Durham, NC 27712
(919) 383-4810

Each cabinetmaker is unique in what aspect of designing, constructing and finishing appeals most to him or her. They also have there preferences for certain types of woods and colors of woods.

My son, who only does cabinetmaking for his immediate family, prefers to work with soft woods and finishes them to reveal the natural grain. Knots, in his view, give fine softwoods character. His work, in my most unbiased opinion, is fantastic. Any time he needs a new piece of furniture; he pulls out his tools, has one of his trees milled and builds it to his own design. His work is always both fully functional and very beautiful. As a father of four young boys, his work is built not only to pass the test of time, but also the test of youthful vitality.

One cabinetmaker who may be able to provide for your custom needs is:

ENO Workshop
431 South Riverdale Drive
Durham, NC 27712
(919) 383-4810

One element that I really love that some cabinet makers can accomplish is the ability to finely work a complex piece of furniture like a grandfather clock or roll top desk. Not the Office Depot or Staples variety; although for the price they tend to be good functional pieces of furniture; no, the real McCoy, a fine hardwood piece guaranteed to look as good two hundred years from now as today.

Whether something of this type or just the restoration work on an older piece that needs a gentle, skilled hand, here is another suggestion:

ARCH JOHNSON CO
2410 E CLUB BLVD
DURHAM, NC 27704-3535
919-687-0478

Cabinetmakers, like all artists, have a place where they are comfortable and areas that just don’t interest them much. If the cabinetmaker you contact isn’t too interested in your project, don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions. Good craftsmen and craftswomen usually know who does related work types or who is that net worker who knows. Dealers in similar, fine furniture can also be a good source, particularly antique and furniture restorers often know about the craftsmen who build the items they get to restore. Often they will have a small list of craftsmen they use for special restoration jobs.

One other cabinetmaker whose name implies a unique quality can be found here is:

ONE OF A KIND WOOD WORKS
2311 W CLUB BLVD
DURHAM, NC 27705-3111
919-688-7757

As always, if for any reason these cabinet makers cannot meet your needs, remember to ask them who might. Like most craftsmen, you can bet they know who does the kind of work your looking for.