Gregory Paolini designs and creates some of the finest furniture and cabinetry in the world from the studio of Gregory Paolini Design LLC, nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina.   His work has been featured in numerous books,  magazines, and newspapers, and can be found in the homes of clients across the country.  Born and raised in Buffalo, NY,  Gregory began woodworking after inheriting some hand tools, and built his first piece of furniture when exposed to the world of precision woodworking through a pattern making class in high school during the mid-eighties.    Gregory explains: “I was blessed in a way – I had hand tools but couldn’t afford power tools.  I was forced to learn traditional, old world craftsmanship:  Hand planing, joinery, dovetailing. I’m completely self taught – I salvaged wood from pallets and where ever I could, to put into practice the techniques I learned from books, and honing my skills.”Today, Gregory expands upon his woodworking knowledge by continuously pushing his designs to the next level, and new horizons, while keeping a mindful eye of the details.  “I pay a lot of attention to the little things – I’ve come to realize that often it is the littlest things that make the biggest difference.”  Gregory closed with a bit of his philosophy: ” I accept that no man’s work will ever be perfect, but it’s my responsibility to craft each piece as close to perfect as my creator will allow.”

Phil was exposed to woodworking at an early age by his grandfather in east Tennessee, who had his own workshop and would let Phil tag along when he went for a visit. When Phil was old enough to use power tools, he began to try projects on his own. Some worked, some did not. But Phil always wanted to learn, by watching others, and by experimenting on his own. Phil's woodworking excelled, leading to a position in the custom cabinetry shop at prestigious Hatteras Yachts, and finally to a position at GPD in the summer of 2012.  "I still like to challenge myself to do different things with minimal advice from others. Being at GPD gives me that opportunity but also provides expert input when I need it. I'm here to learn and contribute to the success of the team at GPD!"

John started his journey into woodworking through the construction industry.   He was never afraid of tackling various construction projects, ranging from framing, to siding, to roofing, and eventually started his own construction company.  Desiring to learn and partake in the finer side of woodworking, John joined the team at GPD in January of 2015.   He specializes in carcass construction and project installation, but is adept in all phases of crafting bench made cabinetry.  John, his wife, and three children have called Asheville and Western North Carolina home for two decades.

Brian joined the team at Gregory Paolini Design in the spring of 2016. He brought with him 15 years of carpentry and woodworking experience which he uses to create just about every component of our custom project.  Brian specializes in custom dovetailed drawers, fit to the exact specification each project requires. Brian’s knowledge of one of our shop's most complex machines, the CNC router, has helped ensure success in launching our recent line of closets and home storage solutions.  In the evenings and weekends, Brian likes to spend time with his family, watching YouTube, and gaming.

After graduating from University of North Carolina Asheville with her Bachelor of Arts in painting, Sheridan joined Gregory Paolini Design. She’s been managing the finishing department since 2018, specializing in custom made finishes using her background in color theory, and her natural attention to detail. While well educated in fine art, Sheridan was new to finishing cabinetry & furniture when she came to GPD in the summer of 2018, but she was eager to learn, and now, in addition to finishing, she has begun to spearhead Gregory Paolini Design’s marketing! When not at the shop, Sheridan enjoys hanging out in the yard of her new home with her dogs,  and exploring the local craft brew scene.

Eric joined the team at Gregory Paolini Design in the fall of 2019, and he was quick to fit in! While adept at managing much larger companies, since joining GPD he has also become a proficient custom cabinet designer  and has been instrumental in developing and launching GPD’s closet and home storage system line. Eric moved from Buffalo, New York to the mountains of North Carolina to follow his dreams of making a career shift to a job he felt excited to go to everyday, he believes he has accomplished that at Gregory Paolini design! Eric’s life in Western North Carolina revolves around his family, with who he loves to spend time with at the lake,  and growing an organic and sustainable garden in his yard.

Sally, one of our part timers,  spends a lot of time at GPD in the office, and some would say it's her "Spa".  Sally enjoys watching wildlife and rolling in the grass, but isn't too keen on thunderstorms or fireworks.