# Half Crown Design

**Trade:** Kitchen Remodel · **Phone:** (617) 497-1507 · **Website:** http://www.halfcrowndesign.com/ · **Languages:** English

**Rating: 4.0/5** (low confidence) — from 0 reviews across 5 sources.

## The honest read

Half Crown Design is a Cambridge, MA custom furniture and cabinetry studio, tracing back to 1984 as Custom Design Woodworking/William Henry; designer Jodi Robbins took over the business in 2000 and has run it ever since, co-owned with her husband Alex Robbins for the past 20 years.

The studio's work is well regarded in the press: Boston Magazine named it 2019's Best Custom Furniture Maker, and the same year it won a European Product Design Award. Its bench-made cabinetry and furniture have also turned up in high-end real estate listings, including a Newton, MA home renovation with custom red birch cabinetry and floating vanities alongside Grohe, Duravit and Dornbracht fixtures. The company produces roughly 300 pieces a year, 70 to 80 percent of them fully custom, out of a workshop in Winchendon, MA.

The Better Business Bureau lists the business (also filed as William Henry / William Henry Furniture & Design) at an A+ rating with no complaints on file, though it is not BBB-accredited.

For Greater Boston homeowners planning a kitchen, bathroom or built-in cabinetry project who want bespoke, made-to-order craftsmanship, Half Crown Design's four-decade track record and industry recognition point to a well-established, trusted studio -- worth reaching out directly to discuss project timelines given its custom, made-to-order model.

**Strengths:**
- Award-winning craftsmanship — 2019 Best of Boston and European Product Design Award
- Four-decade track record — operating since 1984, owned by Jodi Robbins since 2000
- High-end project pedigree — cabinetry featured in luxury Newton, MA renovations
- Clean BBB record — A+ rating with no complaints

**Concerns:**
- No customer reviews on file on Houzz yet

## Claims & citations

Every claim below is backed by real evidence rows — uncited claims are dropped in code before publication.

- Cambridge, MA custom furniture and cabinetry studio tracing back to 1984 as Custom Design Woodworking/William Henry; designer Jodi Robbins took over the business in 2000 and now co-owns it with her husband Alex Robbins. _(confidence: high)_
  - [Better Business Bureau](https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/cambridge/profile/furniture-designers/half-crown-design-0021-24974) — “BBB profile confirms Half Crown Design (also doing business as William Henry / William Henry Furniture & Design) at 357 Huron Ave, Cambridge…”
  - [bostonmagazine.com](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/property/2018/11/29/local-woodworkers/) — “bostonmagazine.com — Half Crown Design (formerly called Custom Design Woodworking) opened its doors in 1984 with a focus on creating beautif…”
  - [Official Website](http://www.halfcrowndesign.com) — “Half Crown Design is a custom furniture and cabinetry design-build studio in Cambridge, MA, established in 1984 and led by award-winning des…”
  - [Official Website](http://www.halfcrowndesign.com) — “Company history (self-reported): Established in 1984 in Cambridge, Massachusetts; owner Jodi Robbins has been designing furniture and cabine…”
  - [remodelingaid.com](https://remodelingaid.com/alex_robbins/) — “remodelingaid.com — For the last 20 years, Alex Robbins has co-owned Half Crown Design, one of the premiere custom cabinet and furniture com…”
- Named Boston Magazine's 2019 Best Custom Furniture Maker and won a 2019 European Product Design Award. _(confidence: high)_
  - [Official Website](http://www.halfcrowndesign.com) — “Stated certification/affiliation: European Product Design Award 2019”
  - [Official Website](http://www.halfcrowndesign.com) — “Stated certification/affiliation: Best of Boston 2019 - Best Custom Furniture Maker”
  - [bostonmagazine.com](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/best-of-boston-archive/2019/half-crown-design/) — “bostonmagazine.com — Half Crown Design, Best Custom Furniture Maker, in Boston ... # Best of Boston ... ## 2019 Best Custom Furniture Maker …”
- Better Business Bureau A+ rating with no complaints on file. _(confidence: high)_
  - [Better Business Bureau](https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/cambridge/profile/furniture-designers/half-crown-design-0021-24974) — “Better Business Bureau grade: A+”
- Custom cabinetry and vanities featured in a high-end Newton, MA home renovation alongside Grohe, Duravit and Dornbracht fixtures. _(confidence: medium)_
  - [modernmass.com](http://modernmass.com/property/samuel-glaser-designed-midcentury-modern-classic-in-newton/) — “modernmass.com — There are high-end Grohe, Duravit and Dornbracht fittings and fixtures throughout the home’s bathrooms. The powder room off…”
  - [modernmass.com](https://modernmass.com/samuel-glaser-designed-renovated-modern-in-newton/) — “modernmass.com — There are high end Grohe, Duravit and Dornbracht fittings and fixtures throughout the home’s bathrooms. The powder room off…”
- Produces roughly 300 pieces a year, 70-80% fully custom, out of a workshop in Winchendon, MA. _(confidence: medium)_
  - [bostonglobe.com](https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2014/09/17/designstory/fygu8viI4ObgJborgh4PZN/story.html) — “bostonglobe.com — Seventy to 80 percent of the 300 pieces created annually are custom designs. Each piece is made to order in the company's …”
- Specializes in custom kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, built-ins, bookcases, entertainment centers and fine furniture. _(confidence: high)_
  - [Houzz](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/cabinets-and-cabinetry/half-crown-design-pfvwus-pf~1831131429) — “Services offered (Houzz): Custom Cabinets, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Built-ins, Custom Bookcases, Custom Ent…”
- Rating reflects a strong, well-corroborated press and BBB record with no complaints or negative signals, though the packet draws on press mentions rather than a large customer-review pool. _(confidence: high)_
  - [Better Business Bureau](https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/cambridge/profile/furniture-designers/half-crown-design-0021-24974) — “Better Business Bureau grade: A+”
  - [Better Business Bureau](https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/cambridge/profile/furniture-designers/half-crown-design-0021-24974) — “BBB profile confirms Half Crown Design (also doing business as William Henry / William Henry Furniture & Design) at 357 Huron Ave, Cambridge…”
  - [bostonmagazine.com](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/best-of-boston-archive/2019/half-crown-design/) — “bostonmagazine.com — Half Crown Design, Best Custom Furniture Maker, in Boston ... # Best of Boston ... ## 2019 Best Custom Furniture Maker …”
- Specializes in Kitchen Remodel _(confidence: high)_
  - [modernmass.com](https://modernmass.com/samuel-glaser-designed-renovated-modern-in-newton/) — “modernmass.com — There are high end Grohe, Duravit and Dornbracht fittings and fixtures throughout the home’s bathrooms. The powder room off…”
  - [Houzz](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/cabinets-and-cabinetry/half-crown-design-pfvwus-pf~1831131429) — “Services offered (Houzz): Custom Cabinets, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Built-ins, Custom Bookcases, Custom Ent…”
- Specializes in Carpentry _(confidence: high)_
  - [bostonmagazine.com](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/property/2018/11/29/local-woodworkers/) — “bostonmagazine.com — Half Crown Design (formerly called Custom Design Woodworking) opened its doors in 1984 with a focus on creating beautif…”
  - [Houzz](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/cabinets-and-cabinetry/half-crown-design-pfvwus-pf~1831131429) — “Services offered (Houzz): Custom Cabinets, Custom Kitchen Cabinets, Custom Bathroom Vanities, Custom Built-ins, Custom Bookcases, Custom Ent…”

## License

No license record has been checked yet for this contractor.

## Sources

- [Yelp](https://www.yelp.com/biz/half-crown-design-cambridge): Listed on this source
- [Exa](https://www.bostonmagazine.com/best-of-boston-archive/2019/half-crown-design/): 6 web mentions across the open web (each linked to its source)
- [Better Business Bureau](https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/cambridge/profile/furniture-designers/half-crown-design-0021-24974): Listed on this source
- [Official Website](http://www.halfcrowndesign.com): 42 yrs in business · Self-reported profile and service details
- [Houzz](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/cabinets-and-cabinetry/half-crown-design-pfvwus-pf~1831131429): Listed on this source

## Mentions

Unverified third-party mentions found on the open web — relay with attribution ("a Reddit commenter said…"), never as Tavlee's own finding.

- “Half Crown Design, Best Custom Furniture Maker, in Boston ... # Best of Boston ... ## 2019 Best Custom Furniture Maker ... ### Half Crown Design ... With two decades at the company, designer Jodi Robb…” — bostonmagazine.com (2019-07-12) — https://www.bostonmagazine.com/best-of-boston-archive/2019/half-crown-design/
- “Half Crown Design (formerly called Custom Design Woodworking) opened its doors in 1984 with a focus on creating beautiful, tailor-made Shaker and Arts and Crafts-style furniture and cabinets.” — bostonmagazine.com (2018-12-12) — https://www.bostonmagazine.com/property/2018/11/29/local-woodworkers/
- “There are high end Grohe, Duravit and Dornbracht fittings and fixtures throughout the home’s bathrooms. The powder room off of the main floor is fitted with Ann Sacks tile and a red birch floating van…” — modernmass.com (2017-05-30) — https://modernmass.com/samuel-glaser-designed-renovated-modern-in-newton/
- “In 2000, Jodi was taking classes at the North Bennett School and working as a furniture designer for Cambridge furniture manufacturer William Henry when the owner offered her the business.” — bostonglobe.com (2014-10-12) — https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2014/09/17/designstory/fygu8viI4ObgJborgh4PZN/story.html
- “For the last 20 years, Alex Robbins has co-owned Half Crown Design, one of the premiere custom cabinet and furniture companies in the Boston area.” — remodelingaid.com — https://remodelingaid.com/alex_robbins/
- “There are high-end Grohe, Duravit and Dornbracht fittings and fixtures throughout the home’s bathrooms. The powder room off of the main floor is fitted with Ann Sacks tile and a custom-designed red bi…” — modernmass.com — http://modernmass.com/property/samuel-glaser-designed-midcentury-modern-classic-in-newton/

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Data freshness: last scanned 2026-09-12T01:31:59.365Z.
Cite as: Half Crown Design — Tavlee (https://tavlee.com/contractor/half-crown-design)
Source: https://tavlee.com/contractor/half-crown-design