Vilas Schertz, Founder
For 75 years, exquisite design and Old-World craftsmanship have made Grabill Cabinets the finest custom kitchen cabinets on the market.
Grabill Cabinets is the only high-end custom kitchen cabinet maker that offers true customization, allowing you to tailor every single aspect of your custom cabinetry. We build the finest custom cabinets, employing old-world techniques, blended with today’s modern styles, for durability and a beautiful finish that protects and enhances the inherent beauty of the wood.
After World War II, many people began new lives away from the horrors of war. In the small town of Grabill, Indiana, a young man, Vilas Schertz set up shop, building things for friends. He created useful things – things that made life better.
Schertz started with simple wooden cases designed to hold a young homemaker’s dishes. He took his time, giving particular attention to the unseen details that would add strength and durability to the case. Quality craftsmanship was not enough. Vilas went even further. He topped his work with a beautiful finish so that his functional case became a work of beauty.
Vilas was soon known for his high-end custom cabinets. The company grew as people from all over the area sought his designs. Though he made custom cabinets for any room, the kitchen was where Vilas focused his most creative efforts. Vilas firmly believed that the kitchen served as the heart of the home and that it was where families came together and made lasting memories.
Continually Focusing on Craftsmanship and Beauty
Like days of old, the kitchen remains the epicenter of the home. When you entertain friends, where do they gather? During the holidays, the kitchen is the hub of activity. Even with our hectic schedules, we still enjoy those precious moments when everyone gathers for a family meal.
Vilas believed that the kitchen should be a place of beauty and that philosophy continues. Grabill Cabinets uses only the finest, premium products to build our custom cabinets. We craft each set of cabinets to order, fully customizing every aspect according to your needs.
True Customization
Vilas recognized that each family was different. He believed then, and we believe now, that each kitchen should be designed around each family’s specific needs. Our true customization allows every home to reflect the individuals living there. Function, style, materials, and finishes are chosen by you. Every project is unique and exclusive to each customer, therefore no two are ever the same. Whether it’s a kitchen, bathroom, living room, office, laundry room, or mudroom, every single area of your home can be customized to reflect the style and functionality of your home.
Enduring Finishes
The inherent beauty of wood remains hidden until the finish is applied. However, the reality of life is that your custom cabinets will see daily use. To demonstrate the durability of his finishes, Vilas would lay his cabinet doors on the floor and let clients walk on them. He would then show how the integrity of the finish held up under duress. With a wipe of a cloth, the beauty of the wood would shine forth once again.
Today, we continue to hold onto the idea that the finish is the key to a beautiful cabinet. We use only the highest solids content for protection and retention of the wood’s true beauty.
Beyond that, we offer and produce finishes with enduring color. We believe that color brings character to the room. Our clients choose the one that reflects their personalities best.
Finest Cabinetry
Vilas believed that integrity was the highest of values. Second, he believed if a product was worth making, it also needed to have the highest integrity. Therefore, he determined that both the maker and the product would be known as the finest available.
We parallel that today by building the most beautiful custom cabinets on the market. We put the highest integrity in every product we create. We know that you want a cabinet that will last a lifetime. Therefore, we use Old-World techniques, including dowel joinery, for strength and precision fit. If it were possible to pass down kitchen cabinets, ours would be the family heirloom. A product that is at the heart of your home should be of the finest materials and represent the finest craftsmanship available.