If you want the bottom line up front, stop looking for a cabinet company and go with C&L. I called them when I was in the middle of purchasing a home to get a quote on the design and installation of an entertainment center. Randy visited us first and teleconferenced Craig in to get measurements. Then my wife and I met with Craig online to go over the design. Craig is a wiz at what he does. His mind is full of ideas and if you are anything like me, you will be happy that you are working with someone who knows what he is doing. Don't confuse Craig's intensity with confusion or not being organized, I quickly learned that it was part of the artistic process and I can without a doubt say that he is an artist. I won't lie, I was nervous for the amount of money that we were spending and didn't know if I was going to like it. Well.... My wife and I literally were mesmerized by the finished product. The installation was nearly flawless (one door was not cut properly, but was fixed promptly). Marco the installer was awesome. Our room was transformed into something amazing. There is one drawback to having C&L do your cabinets, you will want them to do the cabinets everywhere else. Trust Craig, Randy and the team, they know what they are doing. read more

C&L Design Specialists - There completed work. Pictures don't do it justice. The cabinets are 9ft tall. - Cabinetry Near Me

Regretting giving contract for custom entertainment center to C&L. Craig did good in giving us a design that we wanted, this is where all the good feedback ends. Towards end of March'22, we signed the contract with 50% deposit with a commitment to install the product in 8 weeks i.e. end of May. The construction time passed but no communication from Craig or his team on the installation date. We reached out to Craig in mid June, two weeks past the delivery date given, with an updated date to install the center end of June. Once again, the date comes and goes with no update on why the delivery did not happen. We wait for another two weeks and call to followup, no communication from Craig, and we now get another date that was also not met. Basically, Craig just gave me installations dates when we reached out with no intention to meet them - bait and switch. Unprofessional and lack of integrity on this company, especially when they acknowledged the issue but decide to repeat it again and again. Gave me every reason you can think about on the delays. On 8/10, we communicated to Craig that we want our contract to be terminated if the installation does not happen by 8/19, this is close to 3 months beyond the original completion date. Craig reached out saying everything is build and its going through stain and asked for the installation the following week, which we accommodated even when the installation date is after 8/19. On the day of installation, only the shell got installed i.e. no doors, no shelves, etc, with promise to come back in a week and complete it. We are now end of Sep/early Oct, 4 weeks later, no communication from Craig or his team on what's happening with the order. The shell that was delivered was not to up to the mark either, trims were not installed flush, particle wood used for the frame and the real wood only for the visible areas, clearly shows that they rushed to avoid contract cancellation. This contract with C&L has been the most painful experience we ever dealt with. While Craig regularly acknowledge the issues on their end, they didn't put any effort to address them but rather continued to take us for granted and kept us pushing to a corner as they hold half the contract value as deposit. Note to C&L - I have the SMS communication with Craig supporting the above communication. I am sure Craig has the same. read more

This is a great company to work with. I called C&L and several other local companies for quotes on an entertainment center and a piece for my dining room area. Craig came out and was extremely forthright and easy to talk to. He seemed to understand what I was looking for right away. After taking measurements, we did an initial online design meeting, where we connected through a web site and I was able to share his screen. This let us play around with various options until I had what I wanted -- and a few days later, we were easily able to go back and make a few changes. Craig's pricing was not only the best from the three companies I spoke to, I felt the value was already greater due to the attention and time he had spent on the quote. Construction only took a few weeks. I was very nervous on installation day because this involved taking apart my entire, messy entertainment center I'd had for 13+ years and I was worried about putting everything back together. The installation guys showed up on time (a little early even) and were nice and patient with me. Both pieces were installed in about 6 hours, and they helped me move the heavy items (the TV and the original entertainment center). The glass pieces needed a bit of extra cleaning when they were done, but no big deal. Other than that everything was perfect. The dining room piece almost doubled my kitchen shelf storage, and everyone keeps remarking that the entertainment center looks like it was put in when the house was built. I have no qualms at all about giving C&L 5 stars, and if the occasion arises I would definitely use them again. This is a small local company that you can trust. read more

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I have three words for anyone considering C&L for their entertainment centers, bars, home offices, niches, or other built-in cabinetry....HIRE C&L TODAY!! Don't waste your time searching, getting bids, or haggling pricing from other cabinet makers... it will only be a waste of your time. C&L's secret weapon is Craig and his crew of craftsman professionals who are timely, respectful perfectionists with a focus on YOU, the customer. Their customized products are a great value with all solid hard wood construction - no particle board here! Their proprietary online design sessions not only allow you to improve your home while staying safe during COVID, they allow you to contribute to the design in REAL TIME! No more need for lengthy in-home visits with pushy designers that take two weeks to schedule, then take the designer more than one visit to incorporate your design edits, making the lead time of production even longer! C&L's streamlined approach means that an e-design can be done in one 1-hour session....with your customized touches included. Craig's expertise in design work means that you will come away with a rendering that matches your home's décor and that you can't wait to see come to life upon installation! Craig listens to what YOU want, unlike others that limit the layout to THEIR designs. Craig even adds a personal touch of customized graphics to give you an image that relates to your own personal lifestyle. Your design is only limited by YOUR own imagination! I have personally hired Craig for three customized built-ins in my home (a large home office with 2 workstations, and more recently, two different entertainment centers) and I couldn't be happier with the end products, their lasting beauty and their quality! I receive comments even today - years after the installs! The deserve 10 stars, not just five. I have reserved C&L for three more built-in projects in my new home when I relocate in 6 months. I will only partner with C&L because their built-ins make a home beautiful and timeless. Always remember that true quality stands the test of time and takes time to build, but DEFINITELY worth the wait!!! All summed up in three words: HIRE C&L TODAY! read more

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Craig did such an amazing job with our entertainment center. He worked with us to make sure we were completely happy with the design. I looked all over the internet for a design I loved and only found one was from his company, which happened to be his design (what are the chances) and he was local. The entire process was easy and he worked hard to please us, which I'm sure was not easy. The project was completed early and his employees were very professional and cleaned up after they were finished. Thank you Craig for such an amazing looking entertainment center, its beautiful and we are 100% happy with it! My pictures do not do it justice, so much more beautiful in person. read more

C&L Design Specialists - Cabinetry Near Me

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Let me start by saying that I didn't think there was anyone else out there that is as anal or has as much attention to detail as I do.....until I met Craig. This gentleman blew me away with his knowledge and eye for even the most minute details. Craig crafted up a design that incorporated an entertainment center and connecting fireplace mantel. Everything fit so perfectly. The finished piece is just awesome. My wife and I liked it so much, he is crafting another entertainment center for our bedroom. Go ahead and get other bids, but if you choose NOT to use Craig, you are a fool. His work, detail, and finishes are far superior. I am a former contractor and I know quality work. I was not paid nor asked to write this, I just really like his work. read more

C&L Design Specialists - Cabinetry Near Me

So this review has been long overdue so I would like to apologize to Craig and his crew. I've never written a review before but I felt that I owe them this one because of the awesome service they provided. We were looking to have a custom built study desk and cabinets for my wife who is taking up nursing. I found out about C & L on Yelp which I really do not use very often but since we are new to the area, I figured I'd give Yelp a shot. They were one of five companies that I contacted. Of the five companies, two responded and schedule to do some measurements. Of the two, one actually took me seriously from start to finish, and that was Craig. To say that Craig is amazing with what he does is an understatement. I was a little skeptical about his virtual meetings but after doing our first session, I actually understood the method to his madness. We accomplished so much and it actually felt that I designed the furniture. Craig was very patient, attentive to our inputs and the attention to every detail of his work is very noticeable which in my opinion sets C & L apart from other companies. I remember coming home late in the evening after being away for two weeks, a couple of days after the installation was completed, and my wife welcomed me with a smile from ear to ear. She lead me straight to the study room and gave me a "tour" of the newly installed cabinets and study desk. Needless to say, she loved everything about it! There was one thing that did not make it during the installation. But once I brought it to Craig's attention, he immediately worked to resolve the issue and had it installed. Not a single if, and, or but from him. Just a genuinely nice guy who is running a honest business. The best thing about C & L is there is no project too big nor too small for them. I was expecting to take a loan for this project but once Craig gave me the quote, we were able to add a few more items and features to the project since he quoted us under our budget. As far as quality goes, everything is made of real wood, not the particle board stuff. I've just recently returned from a seven month deployment expecting some wear and tear on the cabinets and desk from the two toddlers we have running around the house, but they look like they were installed yesterday. I'm convinced that the desk and cabinets will stay with the house for generations. We have a few other projects that we want to do around the house, it's pretty safe to say that C & L will have our business from now on. read more

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Here's an update on the staircase wall custom tv cabinet after my wife fully decorated it. :) read more

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C&L Design rocks. Al they build are bars so they know bars! Ultimate professionals from the minute you call them until the minute they complete the job...and on time! It is obvious that the entire company is managed very well. The coolest thing is the design team will work with you offering the best designs until you are happy. Check out my pics.... this was just a hole in my wall, now I have a great wine bar, custom lights, granite, etc..... If you want a bar of any size C&L are the people to call. read more

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Wow.. Craig and his team are awesome. Craig designed the media my fiancé and I wanted on the computer in a virtual meeting. 5 weeks later we got exactly what we wanted and on top of that I had to make a change towards the end of it and Craig wasn't even mad at me and just handled it for me. His installers were awesome and very cool and did a clean install and made sure I was super happy. You can't go wrong with C & L Design and even Lauren she is funny and is on top of Craig! Now we have a wet bar for Craig to design :) read more

Very happy with the work done by Craig and his team. The process from beginning to end was painless. We needed some built-ins for either side of our mantle. The house we bought featured two gaping holes on either side of the fireplace. We contacted Craig, then got pre-occupied with other stuff, then reconnected. He remembered everything and immediately visited to take accurate measurements. The coolest part is the virtual cabinet design web tool they use. It allows you to go online with the designer and manipulate CAD from every angle with every option. What we got was EXACTLY the same as the CAD. Very cool and so easy to do. They built the two cabinets (four pieces) at his place in three weeks and his professional installer showed up on time to the minute. Install was professional and painless. Looks great and happy we used C & L! read more

C&L Design Specialists - Two built-ins. Perfect! - Cabinetry Near Me

Just recently worked with C&L on a TV cabinet for our living room. Craig was awesome to work with. Super helpful. Came up with a really great design. Stayed in contact with us during the whole process. And the installer (Rafael) was fantastic. He did a super, clean job. This was one of those rare cases when the result was better than expected. We will definitely be working with C&L again on another project. Thanks! read more

C&L Design Specialists - Cabinetry Near Me

The worst customer service I have ever encountered! The communication was horrible! Measuring mistakes caused delays, and the project manager failed to show up during the final installation and further mistakes were made..!! They left with many draws and cabinets still filled with sawdust, (which I'm allergic too) and we had to vacuum ourselves! The project manager seemed not interested in our satisfaction, only with our final payment! Craig just responded that He doesn't know me...That is BS on the basis of a voicemail he left my wife after I posted the review. I have no idea why Yelp listed me as in the Republic of Ireland...!!! Yelp issue problem on zip code I would imagine...But anyway, my review is not only accurate, the truth...BTW..He did this job in Carlsbad, California and he knows it..!! STAY AWAY..!! Not recommended!! Jim C San Diego read more

Wow! These guys did a fantastic job. We converted a garage to a den and these guys handled the built ins for tv with storage and a side unit with cubby holes for toys and a desk. I was worried about it looking too big because of the amount of storage we needed and the depth we requested on the units besides the tv. My worries were put to rest when we got the final product. Craig is an expert! We did everything online, he has an unbelievable software design system that shows in great detail what the project will look like. You can also quickly tell he knows this system inside and out. Highly recommended these guys are pros! read more

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We contacted C & L Design Specialists and contracted to have them install an entertainment center in our family room in the spring of 2015. Randy and Craig designed our unit to our specifications and wishes and yes - at the beginning of April, 2015 - the installers arrived and what at beautiful unit it is! It was built over our fireplace and around the television and yes - we not only love it, we can't stop looking at it. Craig designed the unit the accommodate our CDs and DVDs, the stereo system and glass shelving for family pictures as well. The installers were prompt, knowledgeable and did a great job of cleanup. Every detail was attended to - cleaning the glass doors, inspecting the wood and all the last minute things one would want. We definitely would recommend this company and look forward to our next project in our home here in Corona. read more

Working with Craig and all of the people at C & L Design Specialists was a pleasure. They made the experience easy and rewarding. The cabinets turned out beautifully and added real long term value to our home. From the beginning, C & L made it easy. We submitted a few photographs of our area and added our list of wants to be achieved in the design. We were able to work from our home computer to go online and in real time view and discuss the actual design with Craig as he manipulated the CAD software to create the exact look we were trying to achieve. This effort and an onsite visit to take measurements and we were ready for install. The C & L Design Specialists install crew was fast, professional and did everything in their power to install and finish the detail work to our satisfaction. Within one day they had the install complete and ready to admire. The pros of working with C & L Design Specialists: Pleasant and friendly staff. We had no Issue with any member of the team. Easy design consultations and rapid design completion from the comfort of our home using realtime CAD software. Short lead time for manufacturing of cabinets, quality wood, paints, beautiful lacquer countertop and quality door and drawer hardware. No cheap MDF particle board used. Fast install Accommodating install crew who all communicate well. Reasonable and realistic pricing. We had no issues and are fully satisfied with the results. We would not hesitate to recommend C & L Design Specialists for our next project. read more

This review is a little late but i want to make sure C & L gets the credit it is due. I rareIy write reviews but I want complement Craig on the work he did for me. I worked with Craig on building a new entertainment center for my TV components and shelving. They entire experience was great and went with out a problem. Every time I called Craig he answered promptly and answered all my questions. I initially called for a quote and he introduced me to the online meetings conference call set up he uses. He was able to show me through his computer program what he could do with the space I had to work with. Within a two week time , the work was done with a about a two hour install. Craig even worked with me and the new TV installers so everything could match up for an easy installation. I would recommend C & L based on the quality of work and the excellent customer service I received. read more

Awesome work and professional service start to finish! After exhaustive shopping various cabinet specialists, it was an easy decision to go with C&L Design Specialists. Spoke with Craig S and setup an easy online design session (the only one's that offer this convenient feature) and quickly, the entertainment unit we envisioned was rendered online to our specifications. Craig was always available to answer any questions and put us at ease. The work and installation was scheduled & completed in less than the estimated delivery time. The team quickly demoed the old and installed the new unit quickly and efficiently. Thank you Craig and C&L! read more

Outstanding Job! I had a new entertainment center built into my alcove and it looks fantastic. Craig designed it over the phone and it's exactly what I wanted. I'd highly recommend them. Thank you Ken Papich read more

We agree with all the 5 star reviews of C&L Design and then some!! We were looking for a built-in bookcase/cabinet for our home office. We loved the idea of having the cabinets custom made here in California from start to finish -- but especially loved the idea of having the construction and staining done before the beautiful bookcase arrived to be installed at our home (rather than days or weeks of construction in our home that others offered). Our wall to wall bookcase was installed in less than 4 hours, with very careful attention to protecting existing flooring, etc -- and a very impressive clean-up! Craig was terrific from start to finish -- with the initial design plus ideas for extra touches and a very, very good price. No matter when I called, even with last minute adjustments as we thought of new features, Craig was always pleasant and ready to take our calls. Kenny was also terrific and was a true artist in crafting the cabinetry. Thank you, Craig -- we'll be back soon for the next wall unit! read more

Simply said, if anyone is looking for a professional custom design company to trust to do any custom woodwork for their home, this is the ONLY company they should call. From the start my wife and I were nervous about finding a company that would be able to capture our vision on what we wanted for the office/den area in our home and deliver the kind of quality product/installation that would make us happy. Craig from C&L exceeded all our expectations. He met with us at our home and walked the room and asked us key questions about what we wanted and what our vision was. We then had a second meeting where he showed us a draft design of the custom office and we made revisions to that draft drawing right on the spot. All our reservations were immediately gone when we saw his design. He hit almost everything we wanted and the design was actually better than we had expected. Craig was more than willing to talk as many times as we needed and went out of his way to make sure all our questions and concerns were addressed. Once the design was finalized his team came out and installed the unit and we could not be happier. His installers did an INCREDIBLE job making the unit and did a very professional and clean job of installing it. They made sure we were 100% happy before they left our home. This company should be used by anyone that wants to get quality work done for their home by professional and experienced people that care about their customers. read more

From the very first appointment we could tell C&L was going to be a good fit to meet our expectations. They are prompt and will do everything possible to meet all the customers requirements. We often joked about their motto Expect Excellence!! Based on the several meetings and conversations that is what we expected and that is exactly what we got. Our entertainment center is exactly what we expected and it is excellent to the very last detail. You will not find better quality in both your hardware, design and most importantly the people. Dave&Maureen D. read more

Paul & his team were amazing! We contacted C&L and Paul came out and looked at the space we wanted to build an entertainment cabinet. We showed him some examples of things we liked in images we had captured (mix of cabinets and open spots, different backing that matched our floors, etc). Paul was up front and said they haven't done anything like we were asking for but would give it a try. He created a design and worked with us to tweak it a bit. The end product came out amazing! They were able to match the backing to our floor within our cost range and blend it all into our wall. Paul delivered exactly what we were looking for. We've received so may compliments on and it and in blends in with the look and feel of the rest of our house. Would definitely recommend C&L! read more

C & L is awesome--from start to finish. The front office, the designer (Craig) and the installer are all honest, hardworking people. Craig designed our media cabinet virtually, which saved us and him, time and effort. Craig is really an artisan when it comes to design and is excellent at what he does! He gave us some ideas to incorporate that we never would have considered. When delivered and installed the media cabinet was exactly like the picture he gave us in the design process. This is the second piece we've got from Craig and I give him my my strongest recommendation and agree with what other reviewers have said, that you'll want to come back for more. Thanks again for a great job! read more

Craig and his team are amazing! From his design help to the quality of the materials to the installers, it was all an amazing experience. They do beautiful work and we had them do an office and entertainment cabinets and they both look so amazing that we get many compliments. We will be using Craig and his team in the future and I would highly recommend their services! read more

C & L Designs built in two cabinets wrapped around my new fireplace and totally exceeded my expectations. Craig and Randi were great from the first meeting we had all the way up to the install date. The installers, Marcos and Carlos were fantastic. They worked nonstop for eight hours without a break and hustled every minute from start to finish. I highly recommend C & L Designs to anybody seeking excellent cabinets, attention to detail and service that's second to none. Thank you for delivering more than what we were expecting. Way to go! read more

I normally don't write Yelp reviews however with C&L Designs, I felt I must due to the outstanding process and results C&L design delivered. I started my search for my built-in entertainment center on the internet. Based on images and online reviews I decided to contact C&L Designs for an estimate. After submitting an online estimate request, Craig called me that day. He explained his online design process and installation. I then sat down to my computer where he invited me to an online environment where he would design my project. He took my ideas, added some ideas of his own, and designed an entertainment center as I'm watching him on my computer. WOW was I impressed. The entire process and the final result of his design blew me away. In the beginning I was worried the design process would be painful. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I've had horror stories with contractors in the past. He put all that at ease. He gave me a reasonable cost to build and install it. I decided to take a day to think about it to make sure that design was want I wanted and he needed to put the final touches on the design. A day later he contacted me and had the final design ready. With the few small things he added, I was again blown away. I decided to move forward and a few weeks later we were ready for install. The two installers showed up on-time, which I'm a stickler on, and were ready to go. They were great. They showed respect for my home and were very professional. They covered the flooring and not damaging anything, you could tell, was their priority. When they were finished, again I was blown away. I can't say enough of how easy and professional the entire process was. Thank you Craig for a job well done. read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about Craig and the entire team at C&L. My husband's review on 6/14/15 shows the pictures of the wonderful work done by C&L and how happy we are with the finished product. We found C&L through a Google search and contacted the company on a Sunday morning. I left a message not expecting to get a call back until Monday. However, shortly after I left a message, Craig called me back and left his cell phone number for me to contact him that day. I talked with Craig on Sunday and he was able to set a design appointment for us the next day. We met with Craig via an online software program. He spent time with us figuring out what we had in mind for the project and then he did a mock of the design. Through the software we could see exactly what the finished product would look like from all dimensions- this was so great because we had looked into some other companies for an entertainment center and other built-ins, but none could give us a good visual of the finished product. Craig is a design expert. He showed us different pictures to help us understand the various designs we were considering and made great suggestions. He was very patient with us as we went through the process. The great thing about their design software and Craig's knowledge was that it immediately let us see the various design ideas we were considering and rework the design until it was exactly as we wanted. Craig got us the finished design and quote at the end of our meeting. In addition to the great custom design service, we were pleasantly surprised at the competitiveness of their pricing. Not only was Craig great and super responsiveness, but so was the entire team including Randi, Rhomney, and Jose (and his install team). They got the built-ins installed within the timeframe we were looking for and the quality of the product is superb. 5 + stars - outstanding customer service, quality, and cost. Thank you C&L! read more