Business Details
50 Years
experience
Custom Handcrafted Furniture Since 1976
Center of the World Woodshop has been crafting heirloom-quality furniture and cabinetry since 1976, combining traditional woodworking techniques with modern innovation. Founded by Terry Hanover in New Troy, Michigan, our shop specializes in custom hardwood furniture, cabinetry, and artisan home accessories, all made using sustainably sourced domestic woods. Our team of skilled craftsmen, including Terry, Phil Mielke, and Don Harvey, ensures every piece reflects meticulous attention to detail and enduring quality. We prioritize eco-conscious practices, utilizing locally harvested hardwoods to minimize environmental impact. Our showroom showcases both custom creations and curated locally made products, offering clients a unique blend of functionality and artistry.With decades of experience, we provide personalized service for custom projects, from initial design to final installation. Our commitment to excellence extends to customer education, including detailed care guides for furniture longevity. Recognized for our craftsmanship, we serve clients seeking timeless, handcrafted solutions for residential and commercial spaces. Our work has been featured in testimonials praising our reliability, artistry, and dedication to client satisfaction. We remain rooted in New Troy, where our workshop and showroom continue to celebrate the intersection of tradition and innovation in woodworking.
Services
Custom Furniture Design
Cabinetry Installation
Wood Inlays
Handcrafted Home Accessories
Artisan Woodcarving
Details
- Year established: 1976
Highlights and features
- We offer 45+ years of expertise in custom hardwood furniture design.
- Our team uses sustainably sourced domestic woods for eco-conscious craftsmanship.
- Each piece receives Terry Hanover's personal design oversight for quality assurance.
- We provide nationwide shipping with detailed furniture care guidance.
- Our showroom displays both custom creations and curated local artisan products.
What people say
Heirloom quality
Exceptional craftsmanship
Prompt and responsive
Beautifully crafted
Unique and wonderful
Services
Custom Furniture Design
We create one-of-a-kind furniture pieces tailored to client specifications using traditional joinery techniques. Our designers collaborate closely with clients to develop functional art pieces that reflect personal style and space requirements. Each creation combines heirloom durability with aesthetic innovation, utilizing sustainably sourced domestic hardwoods like cherry, walnut, and quarter-sawn oak.
Cabinetry Installation
Our custom cabinetry solutions blend practical organization with architectural beauty for kitchens, home offices, and living spaces. Crafted from solid hardwoods with dovetail joints and soft-close hardware options, these units offer both durability and timeless design. Installation includes precise measurements and adjustments for perfect fit in existing spaces.
Wood Inlays
We incorporate intricate inlay designs using contrasting wood species and materials like stained glass to add visual interest to furniture surfaces. This technique allows for personalized patterns ranging from geometric motifs to nature-inspired designs, enhancing the natural beauty of the base wood while creating unique focal points.
Handcrafted Home Accessories
Our collection includes artisan-crafted items such as handwoven wool rugs, wood carvings, and pottery that complement custom furniture pieces. These accessories showcase regional craftsmanship while maintaining the same quality standards as our larger furniture works, offering complete room styling solutions.
Artisan Woodcarving
We produce detailed three-dimensional wood carvings for furniture embellishments and standalone art pieces. Using both hand tools and CNC-assisted techniques, our carvers create textures and patterns that add depth and character to surfaces, from subtle decorative elements to bold statement features.
People
Terry Hanover
Master Woodworker & Designer
Founder of Center of the World Woodshop, Terry has specialized in custom furniture design since 1976. He oversees all creative aspects while maintaining hands-on involvement in key projects. His work combines traditional craftsmanship with innovative techniques.
Phil Mielke
Master Woodworker
Joining in 1983, Phil contributes decades of expertise to complex furniture builds and specialty projects. He leads construction of intricate pieces while mentoring apprentices in traditional woodworking methods and modern fabrication techniques.
Don Harvey
Craftsman
A dedicated craftsman since the 1980s, Don specializes in precision joinery and finishing processes. He plays critical roles in both production and quality control, ensuring each piece meets the shop's exacting standards.
Questions
What types of custom furniture do you create?
We specialize in tables, cabinetry, bedroom sets, and media centers using solid hardwoods. Our work includes both traditional and contemporary designs with optional decorative elements like inlays and carvings.
Do you use sustainable materials?
Yes, we exclusively use sustainably harvested domestic hardwoods from local sources to minimize environmental impact while supporting regional forestry practices.
Can I visit your workshop?
Our New Troy showroom is open by appointment Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Visitors can observe our woodworkers through viewing windows during active production hours.
How long does custom furniture take?
Production timelines vary by complexity but typically range from 8-16 weeks. We provide detailed schedules during the design phase and maintain regular client communication throughout the process.
Do you ship outside Michigan?
Yes, we offer nationwide shipping with specialized packaging to ensure safe delivery. Clients receive detailed care instructions and assembly support as needed.
Videos
Reviews (7)
John Steed
May 23, 2020
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Only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars is because the pyramid was closed; however, the rest of the place was amazing.
Stacey
Dec 28, 2019
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No, some cult didn't start their own religion here. The history of man carved into granite to last thousands of years. This place was awesome! Based on a children's book, the center of the world is fascinating! The people running it are funny and informative. You watch an 8 minute video before going into the grounds. Once freed, you can wander freely. Great when you have a 7 year old that is not going to enjoy a conventional museum.
Samantha Keene
May 10, 2019
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The place itself was wonderful and a great site to see, but the workers there were agreesive and made the overall experience a bad one. I would recommend going if the workers were given lessons on hospitality and manners.
Steven Swinburne
Apr 18, 2019
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Very cool place. Left my money out in the box only to find out everything was closed. Wish we could have got in the pyramid to see the center. All of the stone with the history is really cool.
Joan Bennett
Dec 31, 2018
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We were so impressed by this place. We told everyone about it. So very happy that fate led us there. We were lucky enough to be camped right across the freeway from it. May not be the actual center of the world, but close enough for me!
Glen Lord
Nov 29, 2018
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This is truly a unique experience one of the neatest places I've ever been we were lucky to arrive early at the lady Who helped found everything gave us a tour she was nice and friendly and really gave us a good feel for everything. The carvings are phenomenal this is a very peaceful place I recommend giving yourself at least an hour to have an opportunity to walk around and not feel rushed it's worth walking up to the church on the top of the Hill
Nancy Vance
Nov 22, 2018
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Highly recommend you pull off the highway before you enter/exit CA and see this site. I never knew it was there and have driven by many times. I am glad I stopped. Very interesting.
