Inside Our Edmore, MI Workshop: Where Handcrafted Log Furniture Comes to Life

There's something special about walking through the doors of our Edmore, Michigan workshop. The air smells like freshly milled Northern White Cedar. Sawdust drifts through slants of morning light. And everywhere you look, skilled hands are shaping handcrafted log furniture made in the USA — the same way we've been doing it for over a hundred years. This isn't a factory floor churning out flat-pack pieces. It's a workshop with a heartbeat, and we'd love to show you around.

Our Michigan Roots Run Deep

The Lakeland Mills story started in 1923, in a small mill town called Holly, Michigan. Back then, our founders set out with a simple idea: build real furniture from real wood, and build it to last. For decades, that mill supported families, trained craftsmen, and earned a reputation for quality that traveled far beyond our county lines.

In 1991, three long-time employees who'd spent their careers learning every grain and joint of the trade purchased the company. They relocated operations to a larger, more modern facility in Edmore — a tight-knit community that shares our values of hard work, honesty, and pride in what you make with your own two hands.

That move wasn't just about more square footage. It was about planting roots where they'd grow strongest. Today, Edmore is home base for everything we create — from our bestselling 4-foot American Garden Yard Swing to our full line of indoor and outdoor cedar furniture. Every piece ships from right here in Michigan.

Handcrafted Log Furniture Made in the USA — And Why That Matters

We know "Made in the USA" gets thrown around a lot. For us, it's not a marketing badge. It's a daily reality. Our team members are our neighbors. The wood we work with comes from Michigan forests. The finish on your furniture? Applied by someone who genuinely cares whether it's perfect.

When you choose Lakeland Mills, here's what you're really getting:

• Authentic craftsmanship. Every mortise, every tenon, every sanded edge is shaped by experienced woodworkers — not programmed by a machine overseas.
• Steady American jobs. We're proud to create meaningful employment in a small Michigan community. Our success is their success.
• A story worth telling. Your furniture isn't anonymous. It was built by real people, from responsibly sourced wood, in a workshop you can actually visit.

Why Northern White Cedar?

We're picky about our wood — and for good reason. Northern White Cedar is naturally resistant to insects and decay, which makes it ideal for outdoor log furniture that needs to stand up to rain, snow, and years of use. It's lightweight yet remarkably strong, and it ages into a beautiful silvery patina if left unfinished. Whether it's a cedar dining table for your deck or a swing for lazy Sunday mornings, this wood earns its place in your home.

Our Commitment to Sustainable, Local Sourcing

Here's something most people don't know about us: we build our furniture from what others leave behind. Seriously. We purchase the tree tops that the log home industry discards — the sections too small for walls and beams but absolutely perfect for chairs, tables, and swings.

That philosophy of using every available resource runs through everything we do:

• Reduced carbon footprint. Because we source the bulk of our materials right here in Michigan, we're not trucking raw lumber across the country. Fewer miles, less fuel, smaller impact.
• Zero-waste mindset. Even the log pieces that don't make it into a finished product serve a purpose. We use them to fire our kiln and supplement heat in the workshop during Michigan's long winters. Nothing goes to waste.
• Support for local industry. Every board foot we purchase strengthens Michigan's logging and timber supply chain. Our success feeds directly back into the community.

It's the kind of approach our pioneer forefathers would recognize — resourceful, respectful of the land, and driven by common sense rather than corporate spreadsheets.

What You'll Find When You Visit Our Workshop

If you ever find yourself driving through central Michigan, we'd genuinely love to have you stop by. You'll see stacks of cedar logs waiting to be milled. You'll watch craftsmen hand-selecting pieces for their grain pattern and character. You'll notice the care that goes into every joint — because rushed work and Lakeland Mills have never been on speaking terms.

You'll also see why our customers keep coming back. A family who bought a bed frame fifteen years ago now orders a 5-foot garden swing for their porch. Cabin owners who started with a dining set end up furnishing every room. That kind of loyalty isn't bought — it's built, one honest piece of furniture at a time.

More Than Furniture — It's a Way of Life

We understand that buying furniture is personal. You're choosing what your family gathers around, what your kids climb on, what greets your guests when they walk onto your porch. We don't take that lightly. Every piece that leaves our Edmore workshop carries a century of know-how and a genuine desire to make something your family will love for years.

That's the Lakeland Mills difference. Not mass-produced. Not imported. Not disposable. Just solid, beautiful, handcrafted log furniture made in the USA by people who still believe that how you build something matters as much as what you build.

Ready to Bring Lakeland Mills Home?

Whether you're furnishing a lakeside cabin, outfitting a backyard, or looking for a statement piece that tells a real story, we've got you covered. Browse our full collection of handcrafted cedar furniture and find the piece your family deserves. Built in Michigan. Built to last. Built for you.