Who we are
Heard Woodworking began in September 2000 with a simple goal: to build truly custom, handmade cabinetry with care, patience, and real craftsmanship. We’re a small, dedicated team working out of our shop in Chatham, New Jersey, and every piece that leaves our hands is individually cut, sprayed, and assembled by craftsmen who treat each project like it’s going into their own home.
Even though everything is built the old-school way, the process starts digitally. We use modern 3D design tools so you can walk through your kitchen, bar, or built-in on the computer before the first board is touched. It’s the perfect mix of 21st-century precision and old-world technique.
From high-end kitchens to a single mantel, we guide you through every step and offer a full range of finishes — custom colors, pigmented lacquers, stains, glazing, whatever your space calls for. In the end, you get cabinetry that feels personal, thoughtfully crafted, and made just for your home.
Our process always starts in your home. We like to see the space in person, talk through how you live, and get a feel for the style, function, and overall vision you’re after. That first visit helps us understand the size and scope of the project so we can put together a detailed, transparent proposal.
Once you’re ready to move forward, we head into the design phase. Everything is drawn digitally using our professional cabinetry software, so you can review floor plans, elevations, and 3D views that show exactly how your space will look. This is a collaborative step where we tweak, revise, and fine-tune as much as needed. We’ll walk you through every option and offer recommendations from over 25 years in the trade. Door styles, crown profiles, custom inserts, special hardware, organizing systems, glass or wire mesh details, any species of wood, any stain, any paint color… this is where you get to dream a little and make it all your own.
After the design is approved, the build begins. Even though the layout is created on the computer, every piece is still cut, crafted, sprayed, and assembled by hand in our Chatham shop. Our CNC router helps us cut with incredible accuracy, but the craftsmanship comes from the hands of our team. Every component is individually handled, inspected, and finished with care.
When everything is complete, your cabinetry is professionally packaged, loaded into a covered truck, and delivered safely to your home. Installation is handled by our own crew, the same trusted guys who’ve been with us for years. They’re quick, respectful, and take pride in making sure everything is perfect before they leave.
It’s a thoughtful, detailed process from start to finish, and it’s all built around making your home feel exactly the way you imagined..
Our Process
About Russ Heard
Russell Heard, President of Heard Woodworking, brings more than 45 years of hands-on experience to the craft of custom cabinetry. Long before opening the shop, Russell was the kid who spent his afternoons tinkering in the basement, taking things apart, building new ones, and falling in love with the smell of fresh-cut wood. That early fascination never left; it grew into a lifelong career built on skill, discipline, and genuine passion.
With a degree in Carpentry Construction Technology, Russell combines formal training with decades of real-world expertise. He’s worked with many of New Jersey’s most respected builders, architects, and contractors for more than 20 years, and he’s known throughout the industry for his craftsmanship, integrity, and reliable leadership. Whether he’s managing a job on site, guiding a client through a design decision, or mentoring craftsmen in the shop, Russell brings the same expertise and exacting standards to every project.
Living in Westfield, where he raised his family, Russell has deep roots in the community and the local building world. To him, each project is personal. As he likes to say, “Some people work 40 hours a week for a paycheck, but the paycheck for me is creating something that someone else can enjoy, appreciate, and build memories from.”
It’s that philosophy, paired with decades of experience and a genuine love for the craft, that continues to shape every piece that comes out of Heard Woodworking.
