Jewett Farms Custom Cabinetmakers

A few weeks ago I took a little day trip up to my favorite spot of Newburyport, MA. I previously shared some photos of my drive around Portsmouth, NH and the beautiful coastal route from Portsmouth to Newburyport. The reason for my trip to the Northshore was an invitation to a luncheon and showroom tour of Jewett Farms & Co.  - a custom cabinetmaker based in York, ME. I wasn't familiar with Jewett Farms and they didn't have a showroom in Newburyport when I lived there, so decided it was a great excuse  take a road trip!

Jewett Farms was founded by Matthew Lord and was joined shortly thereafter by Mike Meyers in 1999.  Since then, they have created a wonderful business model focused on beautiful, custom cabinetry made by hand from wood that comes from sustainable sources.  Starting out as a two man operation where the pair worked on entire projects from rough wood to packing for delivery, this model has been replicated even as their business grew to include some of the region's finest craftsmen and women. Each project is assigned a team which works on it from start to finish. Visit their workshop and you won't see pre-cut doors and drawers stacked up. All projects are designed, built and finished completely to order.

The passion that owner Mike Meyers and Newburyport showroom manager Elena Bachrach show for their workmanship and clients is palpable.

During our tour, we talked a lot about process. From design stage to delivery - the folks a Jewett Farms will work directly with homeowners or through a designer, architect or builder. They don't dictate style and their work shows a remarkable range of styles and detailing. From the classic old New England style above with custom punched-tin door inserts to the beautifully finished entertainment center below - if it's made from wood and needs to store something - the folks at Jewett Farms can do it.

Well, when I was painting my own kitchen cabinets, I sure wish I could have done this type of finishing below. But, I just knew there was no way! Don't you just want to run your fingers over this? Like buttah!

While most of their showpieces are based on very traditional designs, which is mostly the only thing that sells here in New England, they are able to create some more contemporary cabinetry as well, such as the display below, complete with shaded glass front cabinets and concrete countertops.

As a proponent of the smaller house movement that seems to be growing in popularly, I really appreciated Jewett Farms owner Mike Meyers saying that some of his favorite projects are for smaller homes and that they regularly service a more middle class clientele.  While there is certainly a premium on custom handmade goods, these are worth saving for and I get the feeling that their clients are more like family than simply "installations".

Coming next, a photo tour of my beautiful Newburport. 


Note - Aside from a tasty luncheon, I was not paid for this endorsement.

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