photo provided by sweet modern
When Adam Krutko and Ronald Higgins were looking for midcentury modern furniture to fill their Highland Square home, they were disappointed by reviews of new brands that said the pieces didn’t hold up. They decided to go vintage and found pieces that needed work. They researched affordable ways to fix the wood and upholstery, and it felt like an opportunity. Higgins had extra office space in Akron he was renting for his web development company, and they used their newfound skills to open Sweet Modern, a vintage midcentury modern furniture store, in December 2018.
“The goal was to have vintage furniture but not leave you wondering how you’re going to get it recovered, refinished or delivered,” Higgins says.
Sweet Modern’s showroom has refinished pieces, while the warehouse has furniture that can be custom refinished upon purchase by craftspeople with expertise in upholstery, metalwork, woodwork and caning. The couple picks the furniture from auctions, flea markets and contacts nationwide, and likes midcentury modern furniture for its quality hardwood frames and versatility.
“The style of midcentury modern furniture — clean lines, simple profile — mixes well into any kind of setting,” Higgins says.
Each piece has a unique history, and they love preserving it.
“A lot of people — we buy the furniture they grew up on,” Krutko says. “It makes families so happy that this piece they loved is going to be loved again.”
The unique inventory is always changing, but here are a few pieces Sweet Modern has redone.
Credenzas, $895- $3,595
This massive 9.5-foot custom floating Danish modern credenza doubles as a buffet. The team added magnetic drawer latches and sturdier French hooks, lightly sanded spots of wear out of the wood and applied Danish oil. “We want to leave a bit of character,” Krutko says. How to Style: Credenzas can be stylish and functional for a dining room or living room. “There’s storage in it that’s vertical that could be used for records or serving trays,” Higgins says.
photo provided by sweet modern
Couches, $2,200 & up
This funky ‘70s striped couch was taken from upstate New York to the disappointment of a little girl who didn’t want her Mommy to sell it, so Sweet Modern made the girl a throw pillow out of some extra fabric and selected a similar high-quality fabric to reupholster it in. “We really took time to find a fabric that we felt honored the over-the-top nature of that original fabric with these big bold pink, purple, brown and orange stripes,” Higgins says. How to Style: The team can upholster couch cushions with a pattern on one side and a complementary solid color on the other, so you can flip them for a new look.
photo provided by sweet modern
Dining Sets, $1,495-$3,495
Featuring alternating stripes of rosewood, walnut and butternut on the table, this dining set has been reoiled, and the chairs have been re-caned and reupholstered in high-end charcoal leather. While one of these sets is in the couple’s home, another is available in the showroom. How to Style: At their home, a mahogany credenza complements the reddish rosewood in the table. “The wood on the table can serve as a bridge between multiple kinds of wood within the same room,” Higgins says.
photo provided by sweet modern
Desks, $1,000 & up
Higgins was lucky to inherit a desk by influential designer Jens Risom from a former co-worker, who found it at an Akron Goodwill. The pair bought some items from Risom’s daughter in Connecticut, and she told them stories about how workers would get wood right from the forest. “When we find a piece of furniture by her father and redo it,” Higgins says, “we take pictures and send it to her so she can enjoy it.”
Shop online or in person, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. or by appointment, 2 N. Summit St., Akron, 330-923-9230, sweetmodern.com
