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.
How is Shea different?
Is it our complete integration of designing brands and spaces? That we create experiences using all touchpoints in a space, large and small? Yes and yes. But what sets us apart even more are the custom details and touches we’re able to produce that make every project its own. Shea Makes, our dedicated production/procurement group, creates magic for clients daily by finding and generating solutions that exceed every expectation—making it all happen in one smooth, real-life process.
Our team imagines, creates, and designs pieces and features that can’t be found anywhere else, and Shea Makes facilitates those ideas in real life—executing, assembling, and installing, and bringing a new level of value and efficiency to the work we can do for our partners. When it comes to creativity, there are no limits: We have artisans, resources, and the most talented team working to realize design dreams. Shea Makes allows our firm to do just what we promise: Deliver on the most innovative designs in the most complete way.
We’re sharing that magic with you—watch here for an ever-changing highlight reel of some of the custom features we’ve been most proud to deliver.
Petite Leon
Blade Sign
- Designed a logo and brand identity to be incorporated into corner blade sign
- Sourced a cool antique weathervane lion, painted, crafted metal brackets and a carved wood insert, and installed.
701 Broadway Building
Ice Boat Suspension
- Rigged the suspension and installation of a restored vintage International DN ice boat in the 701 Broadway Building’s lightwell atrium, formerly used for sailing in a competitive fleet
- Wall-mounted the boat’s blades along with photos and information about the history of ice-boat racing on Lake Minnetonka
Sidebar at Surdyk’s
Custom Entry Area
- Designed a custom “entryway” for the exterior of Sidebar at Surdyk’s
- Features a custom door handle emulating the Shea-designed Sidebar graphic, as well as a mosaic-tile entry mat to welcome guests into the family’s space
Fifth Street Towers
Paneled LED Wall
- Created a segmented wall of LED panels laid into wood, able to display images, building announcements, and more to bring vibrancy to a downtown office-building lobby
Moxy Hotel
Custom Axe Tables
- Designed Northwoods-inspired community tables with axe-style legs
- Coordinated with artisan maker to produce one-of-a-kind pieces for a cabin-in-the-city hotel common area
Bat & Barrel
Baseball-Bat Table
- Designed communal table featuring epoxy poured over authentic baseball bats, a conversation piece and visual highlight for Target Field’s premier dining destination
- Collaborated with artisan furniture-maker on production
Capella Tower
Basket Light Installation
- Collaborated with a Brooklyn light artist to create a 22 x 22 x 16-foot light sculpture for the atrium at Capella Tower in downtown Minneapolis
- Created a floating, 70-foot-high installation for 270-degree views, from all sides of the mezzanine and straight up from the ground
Chocolatetown at Hersheypark
Roller-Coaster Lighting
- Designed fiber-optic light installation to emulate three of Hersheypark’s most iconic roller coasters: Wildcat, Farenheit, and Candymonium, to give a glow to the space and serve as a focal centerpiece over the main banquette
St. James Hotel
Archive Room
- Sifted through a century of historic artifacts, papers, and more from Red Wing’s St. James Hotel
- Created storytelling vignettes and nooks in the hotel’s Archive Room to depict the long past of the St. James and its owners in town
Demi
Historic Custom Artwork
- Leafed through decades’ worth of bills, papers, and receipts from the centuries-old former coffee roastery now home to a tasting-menu-only restaurant from a top-tier chef
- Worked with local artist to incorporate the reclaimed fragments into a custom art piece, along with leather, glass, and metal
Colle McVoy
Neon Fireplace
- Designed and installed a custom neon-tube “fireplace” for Colle McVoy headquarters lobby to bring a new kind of warm welcome to the office
The Grocer’s Table
Ice-Cream Cart
- Custom-designed and branded bicycle ice-cream cart to sit on The Grocer’s Table patio in the warm months, with options for mobility and catering
Vivir
Basket Light Fixture
- Designed, created, and installed a custom light fixture made from baskets to serve as a focal point in the Mexican-inspired retail market
Khaluna
Custom Light Fixtures
- Custom-designed light fixtures with wooden domes suspended from rope
- Collaborated with local artisan to create and execute with an interior wooden piece for an ambient, glowing effect
Camp Smile
Platform Playground
- Designed and built a platform-style play area for impatient patients to climb and explore in a kids’ dental-office waiting room
- Installed waterskis and paddleboards to continue the lakeside vibe throughout the space