OUR STORY

Berkeley Woodworking History

Berkeley woodworking was founded in 1978 by Richard Webb, his dream was to provide customers with impeccable service. Making customers dreams a reality is one of the services Berkeley woodworking focuses on. Something our clients like Melanie Walton is very fund of. “We saw quartersawn oak cabinets built from logs on the estate when we stayed at the Baltimore Inn,” she says. “The wood was so pretty; I was determined to find someone willing to use it in my new kitchen.” Though beautiful, quartersawn wood with its fine graining and unusual Medullary Rays (straight lines that spread from the center of the tree perpendicular to the grain) is rare today, primary because it yields less lumber and takes more labor to produce than plainsawn wood. “Everyone tried to talk me out of it until I heard about Berkeley Woodworking from other homeowners in Sugarloaf Country Club,” she says. “He just shrugged and said it was no problem. The couple’s timing was impeccable. Richard came on board while the framing was going up, Just In time to eliminate some walls and the lay out the kitchen design. “I showed him pictures in English home magazines and he was able to give me exactly what I wanted. The look of the home may be a replica of its English Tudor counterparts, but the kitchen incorporates every modern appliance with one exception the Aga stove seen in every high-end kitchen across the pond. She said, “I fell in love with it. It’s no wonder, the cand apple red Aga oven is the focal point of the large open kitchen.

Tudor Perfection

In Richard’s design that integrated the eye-Popping Aga into the kitchen so effectively. To counteract the visual weight of the oven, he designed a mantle from matching quartersawn oak that complements the Tudor style of the arched cabinet doors. Detailing includes oversized crown molding and carved mantle supports. He also constructed a unique two-level island. On the area opposite the stove, the lower countertop matches the kitchen granite. On the upper level of the island, the countertop is wood stained to match the cabinets. As Walton said, “It adds warmth to the kitchen.”
Though all the upper cabinets are made from Walton’s favorite stained quartersawn oak, the island and cabinetry under the window are made from a contrasting soft green that Walton first saw in the Webb’s home. “Richard’s custom designed the cabinet doors with the distinctive Tudor arch. He outdid himself and gave me everything I wanted and more. Those “wants” included two fully intergraded dishwashers and a Sub-Zero built-in appliances disguise behind cabinetry doors. Richard divided the mass of the refrigerator and freezer with the narrower wine cooler and added an adjacent icemaker and appliance caddy. All blend into the room as comfortably as antique furnishings. Even the pantry, tucked at an angle and hidden behind leaded glass doors adds to the eye appeal of the space.
Features such as roll-out trays soft closing full extension drawer slides, trash and recycling pullouts, and adjustable shelves are incorporated to meet the desires of the individual homeowner. Many different cabinet interior options are available, from wood to any color veneer, as indicated by Richard’s eagerness to accommodate the Waltons. Countertops, appliances, and hardware are all part of the selections process. Berkeley Woodworking is not afraid to offer special finishes like latte or antique heirloom (like furniture that has aged with time) used in combination with rich stained woods like cherry, maple, and oak. He opens a cabinet door to reveal the interior, which he insists, is a beautiful as the exterior. “It would be a shame to use shelf lining” pointing to the adjustable shelves, which are edge banded and finished on all four edges of the shelf.
It was this attention to detail and ability to listen and design cabinetry to meet customer expectations that attracted River Club residents Pat and Fred Lane to Berkeley Woodworking.Pat said, “We went snooping through homes under construction in Sugarloaf and saw some Berkeley kitchens. We liked their workmanship and their kitchen designs. Like the Walton’s, the Lanes knew the features they craved. They just weren’t sure how to incorporate tall the items on their wish list. “Richard made everything work,” she says with satisfaction, “it’s Perfect!”
Richard suggested building niches on each side of the oven, backing them with bead board to match wood elsewhere in the English country Kitchen. The niches feature a beautiful display of antique China that adds interest to an otherwise bland wall. Over the stovetop, Richard added a commanding mantle and Lane plans to commission local artist, Stewart Huntington, to faux paint the graceful hood to echo Huntington’s subtle faux designs elsewhere in the Lane home. “Because the kitchen is the heart of our home, it had to be attractive,” says Lane. “I knew I wanted a farmhouse sink, Sub Zero refrigerator, double ovens, a garbage garage, and a recycling bin. The problem was the space.” Richard’s design and execution surpassed the couple’s expectation. One wall contains the Sub-Zero refrigerator, double ovens and a “wonderful hutch” that contains a wet bar, glass shelving for display and light ad a wine cooler. “It resembles a fine piece of furniture that matches the rest of the cherry tones of the cabinets”.
The island has a contrasting “Heirloom Antique Sage” finish, with beautiful details including the fluted and carved acanthus leaf turned legs. Like the Waltons, the countertop is made from a warm wood instead of the granite which is the remainder of the space. The farm sink that is “so Large I could put Fred in it” is cleverly placed in a corner with easy access to the eating bar. In every kitchen there is “dead space, “but Richard has all but eliminated that thorny problem by custom designing narrow shelving for cooking oils and paper products like clear wrap and foil. “Richard not only gave us exactly what we wanted; he is very easy to work with. He was always available when we needed him and even helped work through problems on the jobsite.
Workshop magic
Giving clients exactly what they want has been Berkley Woodworking mission since 1978 when they first opened the doors. The Business took off, and in 1985 Berkley Woodworking expanded their business with the purchase of their current 55,000-sq-ft facility, which includes a showroom and a manufacturing plant. The spacious showroom contains a litany of kitchen displays along with a separate styles, colors, stains, profiles, and wood combinations. “Architects and builders are not usually kitchens designers, so it’s best to come to the experts,” says Richard. “We like to work in tandem with them to customize every kitchen to meet the homeowners needs. Because we manufacture the cabinets here, there is no extra charge for odd sizes. “We listen carefully to what the customer wants and then design a virtual kitchen on the computer, employing Computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD CAM) technology. It incorporates every product to be used in the design. This allows the customers to see a three-dimensional prospective view that incorporates all the elements they have selected. These three-dimensional drawings are downloaded onto the computer technology control (CNC) equipment in the factory which allows for the cutting, routing, and drilling to accuracy within one-thousandth of an inch. The same person that designs also engineers the job, we do it right the first time.
The enormous, well-organized, state of the art workshop was designed for the ultimate in efficiency by a German engineering firm with input from Richard. Despite this high-tech equipment, cabinetry is finished the old-fashioned way by skilled craftsmen. They use age old techniques of hand sanding and hand staining. The cabinets are then topped with a catalyzed conversation varnish to achieve a durable finish resistant to food, chemicals, and water. It’s the only way to achieve the high quality and durable product we want. Before being sent to the customers home, each cabinet is carefully inspected and wrapped in plastic shrink-wrap to avoid damage. Then the cabinetry is delivered and installed by skilled cabinet installer employed by Berkeley Woodworking. We don’t use subcontractors.
Because word-of-mouth referrals make up the base of Berkeley’s business, the company has done extensive work in upscale communities. And the client list is a litany of celebrities in the entertainment and sports worlds. Customers are often so delighted with the results; they invite Richard to design Kitchens in their second homes. We’ve done extensive work in Bermuda the Caymans and on the East Coast. Future for expansion include working with interior designers, builders, builders, and architects who want to work with a local company interested in offering high quality cabinetry as well as responding to customer needs. Today’s kitchen takes center stage in a home, Open house plans with contiguous spaces lend themselves to casual, relaxed living. And the kitchens are the heart of those plans. We home to continue to serve our clients with products that reflect the high quality of their homes and meet their lifestyle needs.
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4600 S Berkeley Lake Rd NW Norcross GA 30071 US
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Monday - Friday9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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