About Us

Tom Palmer and Palmer's Wood Designs

In 1985, Tom Palmer was working for a lumber warehouse in Central Florida. As he made visits to the local cabinet shops, he struck up a friendship with Ed Chiavini of Chiavini’s Custom Cabinets. One day Ed made Tom an offer he just couldn’t pass up. He said, “I know you don’t know anything about building cabinets. But if you’ll come to work for me and promise to give me four years, I’ll teach you everything I know about cabinet making.”

Tom ended up staying with Chiavini’s for seven years. And Ed made good on his promise. Tom started out sweeping the floors and cleaning up the shop and by the time he left, he was a Master Craftsman. Today, every kitchen, bath vanity, desk, bookcase, media center, linen closet, and more, that leaves Palmer’s Wood Designs shop is hand-crafted just the way Ed taught Tom. With an attention to detail and a pride of workmanship that is rarely seen today.

Every job that comes to Palmer’s is built by Tom. Sometimes Tom’s two sons help out in the shop, but Tom enjoys doing the work himself. He enjoys going to meet his prospective customers and hearing what their ideas and dreams are for their home. He enjoys working with them to figure out the characteristics and details that will make that project uniquely theirs. And he enjoys planing each board, building each drawer, finishing each piece. And he enjoys installing the finished product in his customer’s home. He especially enjoys being able to stand back and see the finished product. He enjoys carrying on that legacy that Ed taught to him.