Fab Furnishings

Custom-made, reclaimed, and upcycled furniture to give your home a high-end touch

By Jillian Manning | Oct. 15, 2022

There’s a special kind of magic involved in finding the furniture and décor for your home. Pieces need to be functional, stylish, comfortable, and ready to stand up to whatever your household throws at them, be it weekly dinner parties or 100-pound dogs. Most importantly, they need to speak to your tastes in a timeless way, because if you bought the right piece, it will be with you for years to come.

No offense to IKEA—though many of us love a good MALM, deep down we know the best investments in the furniture game are the high-end pieces built to last. Where you get that furniture is up to you, as northern Michigan has no shortage of creative ways to find the perfect piece.

Custom Creations
Urban Diversions, an interior design and retail showroom in Williamsburg, was born from a powerful legacy. President Dale H. Campbell is the recipient of three of the highest furniture and design honors worldwide and is in the process of producing his second collection with Kindel Furniture of Grand Rapids. (Which, you might recall, is one of the furniture-making hotspots of the U.S.) Whether you’re looking for a one-off piece or an entire home design, Urban Diversions has you covered.

“When you walk through our door, you quickly realize that it is a one-stop to build a whole house,” Campbell says. “We do everything from kitchens, to bathrooms, closets, all the living spaces, bedrooms, living rooms—we even do custom bedding and drapes. … If you love fashion, this is kind of like the Candyland of design studios.”

Urban Diversions focuses on working with U.S. manufacturers with “price points that convey value” like Hancock & Moore and Kindel Furniture. Because those companies are American-based, tons of items can be customized. Indeed, Campbell estimates about 70 percent of sales are custom.

“Our clientele wants their own look for everything,” he explains. “They want it to be uniquely theirs so their home doesn’t look like anybody else’s home. Working with U.S. manufacturers affords us the opportunity to change anything: seat depth, width, height, the firmness of the cushions, the different fabrics…everything is customizable.”

As far as style goes, Campbell says they range from “eclectic to traditional to contemporary,” and that the goal is always to complement the client’s tastes rather than impose their own personal design preferences.

While most of Urban Diversion’s business comes from interior design for a room or entire house (consultations are $250 with a $3,000 retainer to follow), those looking to fill in some gaps with a special piece or a new sofa can come into the store and buy items right off the floor.

“There’s only maybe two things in this building that are not for sale,” Campbell jokes.

The store itself is filled with one-of-a-kind items beyond furniture, including cool antique signs, paintings, and lighting solutions that can spark a shopper’s imagination. Visit the showroom in person at 3586 Bunker Hill in Williamsburg or head to urban-diversions.com.

Planet-Forward Pieces
For those who want a sustainable statement piece, look no further than Great Lakes Reclaimed of Petoskey. Owners Jim and Lisa Millen offer handcrafted tables and furniture made from “reclaimed and upcycled wood and materials” that are perfect for NoMi homes and cottages.

Each piece comes with its own story, and Great Lakes Reclaimed is often able to create customized options for their clients. For example, the Gray Plank Farmhouse Table ($2,200) has the classic patina of aged barn wood, but can be distressed on the tabletop and leg base to suit a customer’s particular taste.

While the shop focuses on tables—dinner tables, end tables, console tables…you name it—they also make chairs and benches to complete the dining set. And don’t miss their décor options, which include signs, mirrors, and shelving options for everything from fishing gear to skis to wine bottles. Peruse their online selection at greatlakesreclaimed.com.

Another cool spot for the sustainably-minded is Edge Modern Furniture Design. (Literally, their tagline is “sustainable furniture that will last generations.”) Designer Mark Waldrup combines the rustic and industrial with his custom pieces, the materials for which all come from within 20 miles of his studio in Traverse City.

Edge offers wood-based works like tables and barstools that make you feel like you’re sitting down at your favorite brewery (probably because they also do seating for local restaurants). Pro tip: They also make desks, so if you’ve been working at your kitchen table since 2020, now is the perfect time for an upgrade. Scope out their gallery at edgemodernfurnituredesign.com.

Estate Sale Scores
Speaking of sustainability, giving new life to an existing piece is a great way to shrink that carbon footprint. While garage sales are often hit or miss, estate sales can be treasure troves of amazing furniture, art, and collectibles, and Brenda Meindertsma of The Spare Room Estate Sales in Traverse City knows what it takes to find a diamond in the rough.

Meindertsma focuses on creating small sales full of quality items. Her work begins with a consultation with the assumption that everything in the house is for sale once the client has determined what they want to keep. While this means she could be selling items as small as pantry spices and wrapping paper, it also means she tackles high-end furniture, valuable clothing, diamond rings, boats, and even cars.

In past sales, item prices tags have been as high as $35,000. Meindertsma is a team of one, but works with appraisers for antiques, jewelry, cameras, art, and more to not only offer fair prices but also make sure no hidden gems are tucked away…because that’s happened before.

“There was [a piece of art] in the back of a closet,” she recalls. “It wasn’t framed or anything. And my antique appraiser recognized that it was something special.” The piece ended up being a signed photo taken by acclaimed photographer Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952), and Meindertsma found herself fielding calls from buyers and antique scouts alike. (According to Christie’s Auctions, similar pieces appraise for $15,000-$20,000.)

Her top recommendations for luxury finds at an estate sale? Fashionable area rugs, artwork, and contemporary or mid-century modern furniture that’s in great condition or that just needs a bit of TLC.

“There’s a large group of people that love to upcycle things,” she says. “So if there is an older end table or dining table that doesn’t look very nice, they love to get that and then paint it to make it look lovely.”

Meindertsma says hundreds of people from across the state come to her sales, and folks can even bid on in-demand pieces online ahead of the event if they can’t attend in person. Learn more and find upcoming sales at thespareroomsales.com.

The Moose in the Room
You didn’t think we’d miss a chance to mention The Quiet Moose when talking about home furnishings, did you?

The Petoskey-based interior design firm and furniture store is Pinterest-worthy in every way, with a vibe that seamlessly blends Up North living with understated elegance. They’re intentional about creating beautiful, calm spaces that make you feel like you’re at the beach, the spa, or on vacation in a perfectly-appointed NoMi cottage. (We would happily live inside their Second Home storefront if we could.)

Find The Quiet Moose online at quietmoose.com or at 300 E. Mitchell St. (showroom) and 305 E. Mitchell St. (QM Second Home storefront) in Petoskey.