330 Homes Summer 2021

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by KELLY PETRYSZYN and photos provided by SWEET MODERN

SECOND LIFE A midcentury modern store preserves the history and quality of vintage furniture.

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W hen Adam Krutko and Ronald Higgins were looking for midcentury modern furniture to 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 “The goal was to have vintage furniture but not leave you wonder ing how you’re going to get it recovered, refinished or delivered,” Higgins says. Sweet Modern’s show room has refinished Modern, a vintage midcentury modern furniture store, in December 2018. fill their Highland Square home, they

CR E D E N Z AS , $895 - $3 , 595

pieces, while the ware house has furniture that can be custom refin ished upon purchase by craftspeople with expertise in upholstery, metalwork, woodwork and caning. The couple picks the furniture from auctions, flea markets and contacts nation wide, and likes midcen tury modern furniture for its quality hardwood frames and versatility. “The style of midcen tury 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 fami lies so happy that this

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.

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.

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