Jim Picardi Cabinetmaker

Jim Picardi became involved with woodworking at an early age when he began working in his father's carpentry shop. After receiving his BA in economics from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst in 1979, he pursued a career in fine cabinetmaking. For several years, he apprenticed with other craftsmen around the US, honing his skills in furniture design and wood joinery. In 1983 he set up his own shop in Arlington Massachusetts, not far from where he grew up, and he focused on building custom kitchens and casework for area builders and architects. Several years later, Picardi was drawn back to the landscape of rural, western Massachusetts, where he built his own home and shop in Shelburne Falls. While he's continued to take commissions from clients in the Boston area, Jim’s customer base has grown to include much of southwestern New England as well as New York and New Jersey. He has also shipped furniture as far afield as Washington State. Over the past 30 years, Jim has developed a reputation based on high quality cabinet and furniture making, client-focused relationships, and environmentally sustainable and health-conscious business practices. Jim is known for his attention to detail. Every item is handcrafted at his bench. He has worked with a variety of building materials, from exotic woods to sustainable bamboo and locally grown ash and cherry. His portfolio includes a wide range of products: contemporary media centers, traditional kitchen cabinetry, custom wainscot and paneling, civil war-era gun display cabinets, one-of-a-kind arts and crafts style furniture, and more. Furthermore, his creations are crafted with a lifetime of service in mind. His cabinets incorporate the highest quality European hardware and accessories, resulting in effortless function and trouble-free use for many years.