Nancy Hiller

Nancy Hiller (July 2, 1959 – August 29, 2022) was a cabinetmaker, period furniture maker, and author based in Bloomington, Indiana. Hiller owned and operated NR Hiller Design: Custom Furniture and Cabinetry, taught woodworking classes, and was the author of several books including Making Things Work: Tales from a Cabinetmaker's Life.

Early life and education Nancy Hiller was born on July 2, 1959, in Miami Beach, Florida to Herbert Hiller and Mary Lee Adler.

Hiller moved to England with her mother and sister in 1971 after her parents' divorce. Inspired to learn the craft, she earned a Certificate in Furniture Making from the City & Guilds of London in 1980. After graduation, she worked for Roy Giffiths building antique kitchens in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. She went on to work briefly in the wood shop at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford Airbase outside of London.

Upon returning to the United States, she attended Indiana University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993 and a Master of Arts degree in 1996, both in Religious studies. She enjoyed custom work on old houses and antique architecture.

Publications English Arts and Crafts Furniture: Projects & Techniques for the Modern Maker Published in 2018, this book is an in-depth depiction of the furniture of the Arts and Crafts movement. This book includes historical lessons as well as drawings and photos to illustrate the traditional construction methods. Hiller describes the founding principles, the people such as William Morris and John Ruskin, and links the methods of construction to the philosophy of the movement.

Making Things Work: Tales from a Cabinetmaker's Life First published in 2017, this book is a reflection of Hiller's decades-long career as a cabinet maker. This book is a series of short essays about making things from wood and about running a one-woman business in a traditionally male field.

Death Hiller died on August 29, 2022, of pancreatic cancer at her home in Bloomington, Indiana.