Elite Woodwork is a family-owned Sarasota-based company, specializing in design and construction of custom kitchens, woodwork, cabinetry and furniture for 35 years.
We are well known for versatility and excellence and our design team is most frequently commended on ability to listen and translate your thoughts and ideas into a spectacular plan.
From decades of taking unusual and difficult projects, our
team has the ability to build almost anything you can dream up, in any material, and with any finish. The process starts with an interview and review of materials which we translate into accurate CAD drawings so you can see exactly what will be built.
Your projects are then built and finished by individual craftsmen in our shop. Pieces are completed and transported to your home or business where they are completed by our careful and skilled installers.
Owner, Marc Bresee began his woodworking career in 1979 in a small rural shop in Mendocino County, California. He worked there for peanuts but times were exciting and there was lots to be learned. Wood was taken from the rough mill to the drying barn, and from there to heavy milling machines where boards were dimensioned. Projects involved allot of hand joinery and truly traditional treatments from classic tools like hand plane, scrapers, and chisels.
Projects were fascinating and much experience was gained. Mendocino county was a hotbed of local craftsmen and the famous James Krenov had opened a woodworking school there influencing the high standards of many woodworkers. Marc loved the quality of this work but was determined to produce pieces that were priced like furniture and not art. He always had an eye to improving construction methods to achieve same result but at a better price for his clients. Consequently his work became desirable in some Bay Area social circles and collaboration with many excellent professionals resulted.
It was a great time of experimentation in the media and method. Marc was perhaps most impressed with the design of Greene and Green which blended the craftman precision with Asian grace. The armoire shown, though not particularly Asian themed, was an early piece that Marc designed and built around age 19. It was built out of white oak with redwood burl door panels and pulls. Even the back was frame and panel traditional joinery and drawers were all hand dovetailed. It was built as a spec piece and is still in the family to this day.
In 1982 Marc met his wife to be, Deborah and the two became inseparable. One of the first projects they did together was construction of a stained glass entry door that Marc had designed.
They were married in 1985 and worked together in the shop for the remainder of the California experience, working for a select group of Bay Area contractors and architects. Then In 1996 they decided to pull up roots and relocate to Florida where we had many family ties. Sarasota was the top choice due to its affluent clientele and its vacation like feel. After a very short stint with a local company, they put heads together and decided that it would make sense to start over. And to celebrate true independence, on July 4th, 1996 Elite Woodwork was born, taking possession of our first shop in a 2000 square foot building on the east side of town. But it wasn't but a year before growth forced a move to a larger shop downtown. After a couple years there growth again demanded a bigger facility and the shop was moved to its present location on Desoto Rd. in 2000.
One of the single best changes to the business was the inclusion of the Bresee's son, Rajon Ryan. He started with the business back in its Sarasota first shop at age 18 and has since worked through every phase of the operation to become an extremely well rounded part of the business. He is currently VP and head of custom production where he does an amazing job.
Besides our huge variety of experience, our willingness to tackle almost any job, and our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction....the quality of our crew is one of our greatest attributes. We have gradually assembled a team of talented, experienced, efficient, and friendly individuals. There are currently over a dozen of us.
Beginning in 2004 we were excited to add a robot to the staff. This computer controlled machine (CNC) allowed us to take design to the next step. Many shops use these for basic panel processing and such simple tasks, but we typically reserve it for our most demanding constructions. It truly excels at ability to produce accurate and complex components. Besides our good workers it is one of the attributes of our shop that really set us apart.
After racing through decades of events and a pile of woodwork that would fill an airplane hanger, we stand at the present... ready to take on the latest challenge.
We hope you will take some time and enjoy our portfolio here and also take note of the many good reviews we have accumulated: We would LOVE to add yours!