The Toftnesses.

Andrew and Liz met in church youth group and married right out of cabinetry and cosmetology school, respectively. They settled in the Brainerd Lakes area, where they grew as a family, and developed their knowledge of the construction/restoration world.

Designing and dreaming has always been part of their lives. As a kid, Liz took inspiration from her Country Home magazine subscription (which she paid for with her allowance), arranging antique books and knickknacks in her bedroom. Sometimes she couldn’t help herself and she would rearrange her mother’s things, too. She and her cousin Megan, who is now the lead designer at TC, often reminisce about their childhood affinity for antique stores and interior design. (Yes, it is a dream come true for them to work together!)

When Andrew was a kid, he was endlessly drawing floorplans with trampoline rooms and spiral staircases and hidden passageways. When he was a teenager, Andrew felt inspired to redesign their family’s landscaping and his parents obliged. During high school he worked at a log furniture company, where he gained further knowledge and inspiration to build things.

Traditional Cabinetry.

While employed at his first cabinet making job after tech school, Andrew noticed a lack of quality materials and timeless design in the industry. With his creativity and conviction, he set out to get back to the basics: classic inset cabinetry and wood interiors, mindfully made.

Traditional Cabinetry launched in December of 2006, with Andrew and his business partner, eager to build custom products with style and integrity that would stand the test of time. A couple years into their partnership, his partner moved away and Andrew became sole proprietor.

Together.

Since its inception, TC has grown beyond Andrew to include more craftspeople. There are also some clever machines helping with accuracy and time/product efficiency. And after years of Liz homeschooling the kids, it was time to let them fly. In 2020 the Toftness children transitioned to public school and Liz was able to officially join the TC team, sharing her love of design with the workforce and clients of TC. 

It brings Andrew and Liz joy to see this company of 7 use their unique gifts, creatively working together to brainstorm, design, and build for their customers. The team has worked through challenges, continuing to learn and grow, professionally and personally. There is beauty to be made and beauty to be drawn out in everyday spaces. Traditional Cabinetry loves to be part of the story of ‘home’.

Work.

Values:

Through the veins of artistry, integrity, balance, growth, and gumption, we seek to build a culture of excellence, both in our work and in our personal interactions. 

We value relationships between clients and colleagues.

We value creativity in our daily work. 

We value functionality through artistry.

We value design challenges as a way to stretch and learn new techniques and skills. 

We value boldness in taking risks. 

We value meshing functionality with artistry. 

We value home, beauty in the places we belong. 

We believe beauty can and should be found in the mundane as well as the obvious.

Vision:

We strive to fulfill a personal desire to create, and a corporate need for integrity and innovation in custom cabinetry. We seek to bring beauty through our work and through our daily interactions with customers and each other.

Mission:

Traditional Cabinetry exists to bring beauty and functionality through quality, one of a kind products, tailored to fit our customer’s lifestyle. In today’s hurried culture, we propose bringing a thoughtful, lasting product into the world through accurate and efficient methods. We strive to help our clients express their personal style through one of a kind designs. Whether it’s through a utilitarian piece painted to blend in with its surroundings, or a unique conversation piece made of exotic wood, we want to help bring beauty and function to spaces through custom cabinetry.