Appenzeller Woodworking
Emily Appenzeller is the founder of Appenzeller Woodworking, a Maine-based solar-powered custom cabinetry shop specializing in handcrafted kitchen cabinets, built-ins, and furniture.
After earning a degree in fine art, Emily began her career as a painter and sculptor before transitioning into woodworking. She gained hands-on experience in carpentry through work as an art handler and assistant to a furniture maker, then further developed her skills through formal furniture-making training in Maine before launching her own business in 2020.
Her client-centered approach ensures each project is designed around both aesthetic preferences and real-world use. Appenzeller Woodworking designs, builds, and installs custom cabinetry and furniture, handling projects from initial consultation through final installation. Each project is approached with a focus on how the cabinetry fits within the space, how it will be used, and how design decisions contribute to long-term functionality and value.
In addition to running her shop, Emily co-founded Tradeswomen of Maine in 2024, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and connecting female-identifying tradespeople through mentorship, community, and increased visibility.
“We're really trying to get the word out to the next generation of women that this is an amazing option… It's lucrative financially, but it's also emotionally so fulfilling. All these women just light up when they talk about how much [Tradeswomen of Maine] changed their lives.”
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The Challenge
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The Solution
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The Results
- Reduced labor and increased capacity, which helped streamline production. As Emily explains, “It took off so much labor hour and lead time and that ultimately led to me being able to take on more clients.”
- Cost-effective production, making outsourcing a more practical option. “Economically, it just made so much more sense, for both me and my clients.”
- Consistent quality and precision, especially for custom sizing. “What stands out to me is customer relations and the consistency in their product… they nail it every time.”
- Reliable communication and service, supporting smoother project execution. “I look forward to talking to them.”
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The Conclusion
The Challenge
Appenzeller Woodworking takes a fully custom approach, tailoring each project to the client and the space, which requires significant time, precision, and hands-on labor.
Early on, Emily built both cabinet doors and drawer boxes in-house. While manageable on smaller projects, it became increasingly difficult as kitchen sizes grew and project demands expanded.
Producing drawer boxes became a bottleneck, slowing production and extending timelines. Plus, keeping drawers in-house was significantly more expensive than outsourcing, making it difficult to stay competitive while maintaining margins.
“As the kitchens got bigger, I couldn’t keep up financially with making all those drawers… it’s twice as much if we do them in-house.”
To continue growing without sacrificing quality or overextending her shop, Emily needed a reliable way to offload a critical but time-intensive component of her builds. This is what led to her partnering with Eagle Woodworking.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Emily decided to outsource drawer production to Eagle Woodworking.
Eagle Woodworking’s ability to deliver custom-built drawer boxes to exact specifications allowed Emily to maintain the level of customization she’s known for, without taking on the time and cost of producing them in-house.
In addition to cost savings, Eagle provided the reliability and flexibility needed for custom cabinetry work.
Rather than replacing craftsmanship, the partnership acts as an extension of Emily’s shop—allowing her to stay focused on the parts of the process where she adds the most value.
The Results
Outsourcing drawer production had a direct impact on efficiency and overall capacity at Appenzeller Woodworking. By removing a time-intensive process from the shop, Emily is able to focus on higher-value work like design, fabrication, and installation, while keeping projects moving.
Key results include:
“They're incredible. They answer the phone. If they have questions, they'll give you a call. You can give them any kind of crazy, weird design idea that you have, and they'll make it for you. And they'll use any material that you want. It's been a really positive experience, and it's impacted how I move forward as a business."
The relationship also supports the long-term sustainability of the business. By outsourcing labor-intensive components, Emily and her team are able to avoid burnout and stay focused on high-value work.
For a small, design-driven shop, that balance is critical to continued growth.
The Conclusion
Appenzeller Woodworking demonstrates how small cabinet shops can scale by outsourcing key components to increase capacity and improve efficiency.
By partnering with Eagle Woodworking, Emily has reduced production costs, shortened lead times, and created more room to take on additional projects.
For independent woodworkers and cabinet shops, the takeaway is clear: you don’t have to do everything in-house. Focusing on your strengths—and partnering where it makes sense—can lead to better outcomes for both your business and your clients.
“You can't do it all yourself. You just can't. You’re going to burn out… If you focus on the things that you really love about this business, and outsource the things that are holding you back, you'll be in it longer and you'll be making better work.”
The Challenge
Appenzeller Woodworking takes a fully custom approach, tailoring each project to the client and the space, which requires significant time, precision, and hands-on labor.
Early on, Emily built both cabinet doors and drawer boxes in-house. While manageable on smaller projects, it became increasingly difficult as kitchen sizes grew and project demands expanded.
Producing drawer boxes became a bottleneck, slowing production and extending timelines. Plus, keeping drawers in-house was significantly more expensive than outsourcing, making it difficult to stay competitive while maintaining margins.
“As the kitchens got bigger, I couldn’t keep up financially with making all those drawers… it’s twice as much if we do them in-house.”
To continue growing without sacrificing quality or overextending her shop, Emily needed a reliable way to offload a critical but time-intensive component of her builds. This is what led to her partnering with Eagle Woodworking.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Emily decided to outsource drawer production to Eagle Woodworking.
Eagle Woodworking’s ability to deliver custom-built drawer boxes to exact specifications allowed Emily to maintain the level of customization she’s known for, without taking on the time and cost of producing them in-house.
In addition to cost savings, Eagle provided the reliability and flexibility needed for custom cabinetry work.
Rather than replacing craftsmanship, the partnership acts as an extension of Emily’s shop—allowing her to stay focused on the parts of the process where she adds the most value.
The Results
Outsourcing drawer production had a direct impact on efficiency and overall capacity at Appenzeller Woodworking. By removing a time-intensive process from the shop, Emily is able to focus on higher-value work like design, fabrication, and installation, while keeping projects moving.
Key results include:
- Reduced labor and increased capacity, which helped streamline production. As Emily explains, “It took off so much labor hour and lead time and that ultimately led to me being able to take on more clients.”
- Cost-effective production, making outsourcing a more practical option. “Economically, it just made so much more sense, for both me and my clients.”
- Consistent quality and precision, especially for custom sizing. “What stands out to me is customer relations and the consistency in their product… they nail it every time.”
- Reliable communication and service, supporting smoother project execution. “I look forward to talking to them.”
“They're incredible. They answer the phone. If they have questions, they'll give you a call. You can give them any kind of crazy, weird design idea that you have, and they'll make it for you. And they'll use any material that you want. It's been a really positive experience, and it's impacted how I move forward as a business."
The relationship also supports the long-term sustainability of the business. By outsourcing labor-intensive components, Emily and her team are able to avoid burnout and stay focused on high-value work.
For a small, design-driven shop, that balance is critical to continued growth.
The Conclusion
Appenzeller Woodworking demonstrates how small cabinet shops can scale by outsourcing key components to increase capacity and improve efficiency.
By partnering with Eagle Woodworking, Emily has reduced production costs, shortened lead times, and created more room to take on additional projects.
For independent woodworkers and cabinet shops, the takeaway is clear: you don’t have to do everything in-house. Focusing on your strengths—and partnering where it makes sense—can lead to better outcomes for both your business and your clients.
“You can't do it all yourself. You just can't. You’re going to burn out… If you focus on the things that you really love about this business, and outsource the things that are holding you back, you'll be in it longer and you'll be making better work.”
