Building a legacy, one step at a time

West Barnstable woodworker has crafted a niche making custom stairways and bannisters

Pawfection: Crafted by West Barnstable woodworker Matt Kennedy, this regal stairway, featuring a Chinese Chippendale railing, is a focal point in the Osterville home of Trudy and Michael Sullivan—and the perfect hangout spot for the couple’s miniature Japanese chins. Photograph by Dan Cutrona.

When was the last time you really thought about a stairway you were descending, the feel of the handrail and the steps beneath you? It’s easy to overlook a permanent architectural fixture like stairs, and many people do. Matthew Kennedy is not one of those people.

A West Barnstable resident, Kennedy has been designing and building specialty stairs and handrails for most of his life. He began apprenticing at his father’s stairway company at the age of 10. Today, 20 years later, he’s making a name for himself with his own business, M.C. Kennedy Woodworking, which he started in 2009.