About Wolf Creative

Venn diagram with circles labeled Creativity, Expertise, and Experience. The Creativity circle mentions fostering creative ideas for homes, businesses, and communities. The Expertise circle states expertise in fabrication processes. The Experience circle highlights over 20 years in home remodeling and project management. The center features a wolf logo with the text 'Wolf Creative.'

Long before Wolf Creative, owner John Fimmano started PMR Property Maintenance focusing on general construction and home improvements

The idea behind the company was to be a resource for his neighbors in Portland, Oregon to improve their spaces so they blended seamlessly with the style and period of their home. At the time, a lot of cheap infill was going up around the metro area, so rather than contribute to the “blandification” of Portland’s treasured neighborhoods, he hoped to protect, maintain, and restore the charm and uniqueness of each home he worked on.

The decade PMR has been in business represents an incredible depth of knowledge of home renovation projects that are now part of Wolf Creative. From initial design ideas and budgeting to managing sub-contractors and timelines, John knows what it takes to get your project done the right way.

Rooted in Restoration

After collaborating for many years, John took over operations of Wolf & Son Cabinetmakers, a respected custom cabinet business in the area, where he continues to create the highest-quality custom cabinetry for his customers, from initial conversation and design to handcrafting and fabrication of all the casework from start to finish.

Along with customized storage solutions, Wolf Creative can offer customers bespoke woodworking projects and finished carpentry services that will make your design feel one-of-a-kind.

Specializing in Quality

Wolf Creative combines the renovation experience from PMR with the precision and skill gained from Wolf & Son to bring customers a full-service experience, whether you are just wanting custom cabinetry or they are part of a bigger home remodel design. Additionally, Wolf Creative is uniquely positioned, and genuinely excited, to help you bring your design ideas to life. Our understanding of the entire renovation process allows us to work with you from day one, talking through a plan to identify possible roadblocks and create novel solutions for them before they ever become an issue.

At Wolf Creative, we are passionate about…well…creativity. We love getting into the shop and crafting things that are useful and beautiful. One thing that is really important to us is to pass this love of creating down to the next generation. Our Little Makers Project is how we aim to accomplish this. Part trade school, part community outreach, Little Makers is an opportunity for kids to learn about woodcrafting, proper hand and power tool use, and shop safety while building everything from a birdhouse to a “Viking Chair”. The trades are such a vital piece of our industry, and with Little Makers Project we hope to creatively build the future!

Capturing Creativity

A man holding a crab on a wooden dock with a marina in the background, wearing a Carhartt jacket, gloves, and a beanie.

John Fimmano

Founder, Wolf Creative

John’s not a big fan of talking about himself.

If he had his way, there wouldn’t be a bio on this website at all. But since he’s usually too busy in the woodshop to bother figuring out how websites work, this one has managed to stick around.

With many years of hands-on experience under his belt, John knows his way around a job site. Through Wolf Creative, his goal is simple: deliver high-quality custom cabinetry with a truly full-service experience. From design and fabrication to final installation, he handles every detail so clients don’t have to.

When he’s not in the shop, you won’t find John sitting still. His personal motto—“Have a great time!”—pretty much says it all. That might look like weekend camping trips with the family, bonfires, BBQs, home projects, tending goats and chickens, music festivals, sneaking off to Baja in search of the perfect roadside taco, or hosting friends and family for every major holiday (especially Christmas, where you might just spot him as Old Saint Nick himself).

John is an art school graduate, a seasoned tradesman, a former restaurant owner who knows a thing or two about a proper cheesesteak, and a dedicated member of whatever community he finds himself a part of. His music taste is wildly eclectic (his Spotify is proof), and you can always count on him to have mozzarella sticks in the freezer.

A true jack of all trades—who’s managed to master quite a few.

FAQs

  • The main advantage of custom cabinets is the ability to design your project from scratch, without any restrictions. Unlike prefabricated cabinetry that rely on pre-sized boxes and fillers, our approach allows for total creativity and flexibility, so the finished product fits your space perfectly and is truly one-of-a-kind.

    You also work directly with the person who is building your project from start to finish. This hands-on collaboration ensures clear communication and an understanding of your goals at every stage of the build.

  • Prefabricated cabinets are manufactured in predetermined (stock) sizes. While you have some options, you are still limited by the manufacturer’s finish choices, and you may feel forced to compromise on your design to make them work in your space.

    Semi-custom cabinets are also factory made but allow for more customization than stock cabinets offer. While you can slightly tweak sizes, features, and finishes, you are still confined by what a particular supplier offers as options.

    Full custom cabinetry is the only option that allows you to have control over every design aspect so you can be sure you are outfitting your space in the most efficient way without having to compromise on your creative vision.

  • If you are deciding between semi-custom and custom cabinetry, with us there is not much of a difference. This is because we do our own designing and installation. With semi-custom cabinets, you should expect to add the cost to hire a contractor for installation to your total budget. At Wolf Creative, installation is included in the bid, so we tend to fall right in the same ballpark as semi-custom jobs, but with much more to offer and explore.

  • A great way to start is by finding out what you like. Browse home magazines or search images on the internet to discover design styles that are appealing and would work well in your home. Then give us a call to discuss your project! Coming in with a general idea of what you want is helpful, but not always necessary. Rest assured that the details will come together as we discuss the different possibilities for your project.

  • It is a passion project to help connect kids with their hands and, hopefully, find a more natural desire and ability to explore, take apart, build and create. More to come soon!!

Book a Consultation

Let’s find a time to discuss your project. We can schedule a site visit to go over the plan and what you’re hoping to achieve. From there, a more detailed quote can be prepared and presented to you, if you feel we are the right fit.

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“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
— Thomas Edison