September 28, 2021

A Forward-Looking Design Firm: How Shea Makes is Innovating the Future of Design

Shea has always strived to be an industry leader in design, starting with complete integration of architecture and interiors (back when that was not a thing that was done), and elevating that approach into fully immersive design using all aspects of business, brand, graphics, interiors, and architecture to create complete branded experiences.
Our next major evolution moved Shea into production and procurement—a portion of business that grew directly from our own innovation upon seeing what our clients needed. Our design philosophy is to innovate, not replicate. Our goal is to take control to ensure quality execution, along with staying on schedule and on budget. So we took things into our own hands to be certain that every implementation meets our standards, and we created a dedicated team as part of Shea Design to execute, fulfill, assemble, procure, and install.

Introducing: Shea Makes

Shea Makes is a group with a singular purpose: to bring our unique and innovative designs to life with the level of highest level of quality, detail, budget, and timing.
How do we do it? The team at Shea imagines and develops custom, one-of-a-kind pieces, furniture, lighting, and materials, dreaming up and seeking out the best solutions for our clients. And through an extensive network of artists and artisans, and manufacturers and sources exclusive to Shea (including some of our own employees), Shea Makes can produce exactly what we create.
Our Shea Makes team manages procurement schedules, deliveries, inspections, and assembly. The talented experts in all things production and procurement are in the field every day, across the country, installing, assembling, and inspecting, and our team is constantly expanding its network of sources to deliver the best in the business.
Our entire team is striving to do something no other firm has done: Create the business and brand foundation, design an every-point-of-contact experience (in hospitality, retail, and workplace) that is unique to that brand, and fully execute every detail through architecture documentation and implementation—including every last feature, from furniture to signage. All with the highest quality of detail, and our complete oversight.
Why? Because we refuse to accept less than the best in our work, and that includes every big and small aspect of implementation.

How It Started

We’ve never been big on “rules” at Shea, and that includes not limiting ourselves and our imaginations to what’s available in a catalog or readily available on a website. Our Production business started with procuring and inspecting items for clients, born from a need to take quality standards into our own hands. The business quickly developed into what we could create specifically for clients to best realize their—and our—visions.
Shea Makes stays in control of the full design and construction process of custom elements and installations, no matter the source or artist. Shea is able to maintain the design intent, rather than farming important pieces of the design out to subcontractors who may not understand the full vision for the space.
We’re a business-minded team at Shea, and we like to set our clients up for success. Part of that is convenience, to make this process easier for our clients. And part of that is value. Shea Makes means that clients can get the most output from their investment in time and money, and it’s truly the most cost and design-effective solution.

How It’s Going

So what’s Shea Makes up to now?
A better question—what isn’t the group doing? They’re digging through 80 years of family history to create custom wallcoverings from press clippings and advertisements. They’re working to create and install custom art pieces. They’re coordinating and installing custom furniture made from heritage leather. They’re creating neon art installations that emulate Victorian fireplaces. They’re embracing Italy with wood-cut maps. They’re creating waiting rooms that inspire smiles, installing signage, creating custom furniture and light fixtures, and bringing brands to life through all of those custom pieces and details.
We’ve been doing this for a long time—but Shea Makes is just getting started.
Shea Makes…
… design ideas become reality.
… custom pieces come to life.
… project details transform into a total experience.
… branded elements into impactful environments.
… inspirational dreams come true.