Bill has been inspired time and again by his travels; several of his earlier cabinet lines resulted from trips to Europe. But his professional journey began a little more than three decades ago when he was handcrafting case goods for Denver clients and barely staying ahead of the bill collector. It was Nancy who changed the course of his life—in more than one way. “She asked why I was spending time designing projects with no future, then suggested I consider kitchen design,” recalls Bill. That was in 1972. The suggestion proved to be the start of Wm Ohs Inc.

No surprise, the first kitchen Bill designed was for Nancy. The style was contemporary, but he soon realized his heart was in something more traditional. “I loved Shaker design and began to advertise it as my specialty,” says Bill.