Chad Womack

Feb. 21, 2007

Chad Womack is a completely down-to-earth kind of guy, but he has designed furniture for some of the absolute richest, fussiest clients on this plane
This is no exaggeration.
His portfolio includes twin dressing tables custom made for an English woman who needed them to hold her 50 vintage cocktail watches. The tables, with a price tag of nearly $100,000 each, included secret compartments and mechanical gizmos, which allow the watches to be raised up on a display platform at the push of a button.
For 20 years, he comfortably functioned in a heady world of high-fashion furniture, where people speak of $50,000 rosewood logs and $350,000 china cabinets. A Womack-designed chair took an honored position beside a weimaraner in a William Wegman photo. And Womack was periodically spotlighted in high-end architectural magazines.
But Womack wanted to get back to his roots as a furniture maker. About three years ago, he decided he would step away from his corporate job in England as director of design for Arthur Brett & Sons.
He and his family moved from England to Traverse City, and Womack invested his savings into a furniture workshop. (Womack’s sister lives here and he attended Northwestern Michigan College some 30 years ago.)
It was a significant step—his wife, Su, is English and had to leave her family behind. Their two young sons, who speak with a delightful accent, have only known England. They now live in a chalet outside of Traverse City, allowing Womack to work at home. He bought his last major piece of equipment in November—a saw/shaper—and eagerly went to work on some custom doors.
Like most artisans who move to the area, Womack has become the king of flexibility, adapting to customers’ tastes and needs. Finances are tighter now, but business has been steady as Womack adapted his style to the Up North rustic tastes here. His dream is to ultimately specialize in coffee tables preferably with a funky, neoclassical design.
“A coffee table can really make the room, and they’re nice to make. They’re not too big, and they don’t take forever. If you ask any decorator, the first thing they are always looking for are unique and interesting coffee tables.”

To contact Chad, call 499-1044.