The most complex tapestries begin with a single thread.
For the Setola family, that thread winds back through four generations who all worked their magic on a Singer sewing machine. It was Larry Setola Sr. who began weaving his thread of the family legacy in the Lowcountry when he opened Just Cushions Upholstery in 1994.
The newly renovated Hilton Head Furniture Showroom
Then his son, Larry Setola Jr., who had been working for the family business for about 10 years, envisioned a completely different spin on the generational family business. He noticed the clientele of Just Cushions valued the company’s workmanship enough to have their cushions and older furniture recovered, and reasoned that it simply made sense to also offer an option for new furniture of the same quality – all in one convenient place.
He started small, for the first two years out of a catalog, then adding a piece or two into the small Just Cushions showroom. A couple of years later, the showroom expanded another 1,200 square feet, which included furniture vignettes with different options along with fabric, window treatments, and rug samples.
It was just enough room to give customers a taste of the kind of elevated custom quality the Setola brand was looking to provide to the community.
Julie and Larry Setola Jr., owners of Hilton Head Furniture, pose in front of their showroom fabric gallery.
“In a smaller space, we had to really get creative as designers,” said Setola Jr. “We were forced to work more digitally as opposed to hands-on as we would put together digital look-books and go room-by-room to show customers what pieces we would recommend. For instance, for a guest bedroom, we would offer a bed, dresser, chest, and nightstand, in five or six different options for each.”
The first expansion helped cement Hilton Head Furniture as Larry Jr.’s new vision for the family business. But the digital look-books simply weren’t enough on their own. As they say, seeing is believing.
“Our entire emphasis is quality. I could show you images of dining room table options all day long, but you’re not able to see how well its built, and appreciate the custom wood finish unless you get to put see it in person and put your hands on it,” Setola Jr. said.
Sectionals, chairs and beds on display in the Hilton Head Furniture Showroom
Further expansion became the name of the game. Now that it is complete, the change is truly remarkable.
Throughout the gleaming expanse of this re-branded new showroom, Hilton Head Furniture’s line of offerings have finally been given their proper spotlight. With rows of bedroom suites along one wall, dining room tables along the other, a central bank of sofas, sectionals, chairs, recliners, and custom cabinetry, all beckon to be browsed. As plentiful as this inventory appears, it represents just a fraction of the entire portfolio, which can still be browsed on their website and in person via their large showroom touchscreen kiosks.
Dining room vignettes in the showroom inspire clients to envision their purchases in a home setting.
“The expansion has allowed people to get a better idea of what we can offer them as a one-stop shop, and more importantly it shows off the quality and workmanship of our products,” Setola said. “For instance, you can see the beds that we display in the showroom, then you can also see that we have a thousand more to choose from on our website.”
In addition, the expanded space lets Hilton Head Furniture show off some of the elements they can bring to a house beyond traditional home furnishings. A massive 10-by-30 ft. showroom display boasts dozens of different window treatments, blinds, and shades. Stunning area rugs hang from towering industrial supports, opposite shelving that holds thousands of hanging fabric samples.
In the freshly minted conference room, a built-in wall unit display and wet bar speak to the custom crafted cabinets they can offer to their clients.
Julie Setola, lead designer and owner, stands in the fabric gallery section of the Hilton Head Furniture Showroom
By providing just an inspiration image, the team can build their custom cabinetry right onsite for the client, who can choose every feature – from the size, style, hardware, paint or stain, and type of wood – and these talented professionals will bring it to life. This not only adds to the extra convenience of a one-stop shop for furnishing an entire home, but it also creates a level of customization that’s hard to match.
Larry Setola Jr. poses on a reclining sectional in the Hilton Head Furniture Showroom
“We just completed a project where we built a 14-by-14 ft. wall unit with adjustable shelving, drawers, and custom lighting that we quoted on a Tuesday and completed by the following Thursday,” Setola Jr. said. “You cannot store-buy what we just made, let alone choose every detail of it. It must be custom made.”
It’s a testament to Setola’s ambition to grow his family legacy and create a place where you can get everything of the highest quality for your home in one place. And it is all built on a family foundation that prizes the customer above all else.
The custom window treatment display helps clients find the right look for their home.
“Our relationship with our clients is paramount,” he said. “And the more people are able to discover what we can offer and understand the high standards we uphold ourselves and our products to, the deeper the trust we cultivate within the community as a reliable go-to option for all things home related.”
