Design. Craft. Character

Carl Wheeler

Master Craftsman | Architectural Woodworker | Furniture Maker

For more than 42 years, Carl Wheeler has dedicated his career to the art of fine woodworking. Specializing in custom cabinetry, architectural millwork, historic restoration, furniture making, trim work, and custom stair design and construction, Carl blends traditional handcraft with thoughtful problem-solving to produce work that is both beautiful and enduring.

While much of the industry has moved toward automation and production systems, Carl continues to work the way he always has—by hand, with patience, precision, and a respect for materials that can’t be rushed. Every piece, whether a cabinet, staircase, furniture piece, or architectural detail, is built with the goal of lasting far beyond the moment it’s installed.

Carl has built his reputation on integrity, reliability, and doing things the right way.  Clients often find that what begins as a project quickly becomes a collaboration, and just as often, a surprisingly enjoyable process.

Known for his quick wit, "punny" sense of humor, and calm confidence in the face of complex challenges, Carl brings both skill and levity to his work. He genuinely enjoys solving problems and finding better ways to build. The more unusual the request, the more likely he is to smile and say, “Let’s figure it out.”

Carl holds an Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) in Building Construction from Alfred State College and a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Education from SUNY Oswego. His work has been featured in Architectural Digest.

Heidi Schlegel, NCIDQ

Architectural Designer | Interior Designer | Business Manager

As The Cape Cod Craftsman's in-house architectural designer and business manager, Heidi combines decades of design expertise with a focus on helping clients clearly see what is possible. The Bonnie to Carl's Clyde, she brings both structure and curiosity to every project—and is usually the one asking, “What if we tried this instead?”

Her work spans interior architecture, aging-in-place design, sustainability, and historic preservation. Heidi believes the best design is not just visually successful, but deeply responsive to the people who use it—balancing function, comfort, craftsmanship, and atmosphere in a way that feels natural and lasting.

Whether refining the character of a historic home, shaping a custom interior, or solving a complex design challenge, Heidi enjoys helping clients work through ideas that often start as a question and end somewhere better than expected.

Heidi holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Rochester Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Architecture with a specialty in Interior Design from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

After a rewarding career at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she served as Associate Professor of Interior Design and Associate Director of the School of Design, Heidi retired in 2026 to join The Cape Cod Craftsman full-time as lead designer and business manager.

She continues to research and publish on collaborative design, exploring how cultural context, lived experience, and individual perspectives shape how people understand and interact with space. These insights directly inform her work, helping create environments that feel intuitive, grounded, and personally meaningful.

Clients will often find her in the workshop or on-site with Carl, translating ideas into built form. Together they combine design thinking with hands-on craftsmanship—and an ongoing, low-level debate about whether something should be adjusted one more time (it usually should).

Kate Symonds

Craft & Workshop Assistant

Kate’s path to woodworking began in another hands-on craft. A graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Crafts, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics before founding Coach Street Clay in Canandaigua, a pottery business she owned and operated for more than a decade.

Her interest in construction grew while renovating her own barn in downtown Canandaigua. What began as a personal project quickly became a deeper curiosity about building, materials, and the process of turning ideas into physical form.

After selling her business to focus on family life, Kate eventually found her way back to making through The Cape Cod Craftsman. What began as a new challenge became an opportunity to learn a different craft from the ground up.

Working alongside Carl, Kate continues to develop her skills through a hands-on, learn-by-doing approach that feels reminiscent of a traditional guild system—where knowledge is passed through practice, repetition, and real projects rather than theory alone.

Today, Kate assists with a wide range of custom woodworking, renovation, and construction projects. Passionate about quality craftsmanship, she continues to expand her skills under Carl’s mentorship while contributing steady hands, thoughtful effort, and a fresh perspective to the work.

Faced with an unfamiliar task, Kate’s typical response isn’t “Can I do that?” but “Can you show me how?”—usually followed by an idea or two of her own and a willingness to keep going until it’s right.