Paul Diamond’s Chef-Centric Kitchen Islands and Culinary Accessories

This Cedaredge-based fine carpenter finds inspiration for his kitchen designs very close to home.

3 hours ago

Suzi Mitchell,

Built of solid American hardwood, the Signature Kitchen Island is custom designed, taking into account desired height, overhang, leg spacing and ideal shelf placement. | Photo: Mitch Belsley

Every morning, woodworker Paul Diamond awakens to the same question from his wife, Bonnie, at their home in Cedaredge, Colorado: “What would you like for dinner?” “Most people have at least had their first cup of coffee before thinking that far ahead, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he says. Bonnie’s intrinsic connection to cooking became the impetus for a 40-plus-year career in fine carpentry.

Diamond designs and builds what he calls chef-centric kitchen islands and a handful of European-inspired culinary accessories. His philosophy toward the kitchen is not founded on discreet cabinetry, fancy countertops or statement lighting, but rather on the conversations they host, meals they inspire and generations they bring together. At the core of every design is the chef: how he or she moves in the kitchen, where they store ingredients, and the height and workspace they need. Every element revolves around practicality.

Inspired by the everyday tools needed by the cook, the solid wood French Toolbox with its handlebar and hooks was created to keep the essentials close at hand. | Photo: Mitch Belsley

“They’re working pieces,” Diamond says of his creations. “They’re built to be used every day.” Diamond’s journey as a craftsman is slightly serendipitous. A 1979 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, he and Bonnie were first stationed in Washington, D.C. Living on a modest salary, they could not afford expensive restaurants, so Bonnie became resourceful in the kitchen. Fresh seafood from the docks and authentic Mexican spices sent by her sister-in-law from Albuquerque became culinary staples.

Her dedication to cooking complemented Diamond’s engineering mindset and growing fascination with an evolving interest in woodworking. Predominantly self-taught, Diamond began experimenting with premium eastern hardwoods. “I found oak, maple and cherry from a small Maryland mill that were remarkably affordable,” he explains. His newfound hobby coincided with work on the joint NASA and Italian Space Agency Tethered Satellite Program, which frequently took him to Northern Italy.

Similar to the Signature Island, the Custom Kitchen Island includes a serving counter and bow-shaped legs for extra comfort for those seated. | Similar to the Signature Island, the Custom Kitchen Island includes a serving counter and bow-shaped legs for extra comfort for those seated. | Photo: Mitch Belsley

Diamond’s Italian colleagues arranged for Bonnie to cook alongside their mothers and aunts, where she absorbed the rituals of the local cuisine through observation and shared meals. “My job was to pick out the wine,” Diamond says. The rustic practicality of European kitchens inspired Diamond to launch a new career and build for his own family what would become his signature piece: a solid hardwood-and-steel kitchen island.

“It’s indestructible,” he says. “Knife marks, hot pots and spills are part of its story over time.” Wall-mounted Euro plate racks and a French-inspired kitchen carryall soon followed. Diamond continued to refine his craft at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colorado, under celebrated masters Sam Maloof, Thomas Moser and Walker Weed. While those experiences sharpened his technical skills, they reinforced his belief that exceptional craftsmanship should never feel precious.

Operating without a showroom, Diamond designs and builds every piece around custom measurements for clients at his studio in Cedaredge. | Photo: Mitch Belsley

“I don’t build museum pieces,” he says. “I build tools.” His wife remains his trusted adviser, while daughter Kate—a food blogger—adds another discerning voice. Every custom commission begins with a conversation, ensuring each kitchen island and culinary accessory is shaped by practical experience rather than passing trends.

Alongside chef-focused furniture are handcrafted cradles for each of his three children, Greene & Greene-inspired architectural details throughout the family home, bed frames, mantels, church altar pieces and solid hardwood wedding chests presented as each child married. Every object is intended to become part of a family’s story rather than simply occupy its space. In Diamond’s workshop, engineering discipline meets artisan tradition, but neither defines the work entirely. Instead, it is the rhythms of everyday life—preparing dinner, sharing recipes and gathering family and friends around an island—that continue to shape each design.

Diamond’s chef-centric creations were inspired by wife Bonnie, shown here in blue, with friends in Italy. Dinners with their family around the first island he made remain favorite memories. | Photo: Paul Diamond