Our Team

  • Meet Kelly Wohlgenant - owner of Retro Modern Furnishings in Raleigh

    Kelly Wohlgenant

    I started this business back in 2014 with a mission to help support other makers, artists designers and independent small businesses!

  • Meet Steven Nohren of Retro Modern Furnishings in Raleigh

    Steven Nohren

    the OG!

  • Meet Kate Hartsell of Retro Modern Furnishings in Raleigh

    Kate Hartsell

    is a student at NC State majoring in Fashion and Textile Management. She loves all things fabric and colors! She also enjoys dancing in her free time!

  • Meet Christopher McGee of Retro Modern Furnishings in Raleigh

    Christopher McGee

    is majoring in Fashion and Textile Management at NCSU. He is a true vintage lover at heart and enjoys thrifting and antiquing in his spare time!

Our Story

In 2014, I left the corporate world and put a handful of vintage furnishings on etsy.com in an attempt to turn my hobby of interior design and furniture restoration into a business. I was ready to reconnect with my industrial design roots, having graduated from the N.C. State College of Design.

Success did not come immediately, but I kept trying.

I started selling furniture at local pop-up markets and then found a tiny space off of St. Mary's St. to lease in the back of a record store. Eventually sales picked up and I decided to take the giant leap and open up my own storefront! 

Although I began my business refurbishing and sometimes repurposing neglected vintage furniture, my new store features much more than this! Going to local art, craft, and vintage markets and doing online research for my business made me realize that it is possible to furnish your home in a socially responsible, yet stylish and still affordable way. 

I started thinking bigger than vintage! 

Vintage celebrates the designers of the past. What if I also carried handmade products that support up-in-coming designers and local makers?

My new concept was born!

In the store you will see a mix of vintage and handmade furnishings. Although my staff and I still restore vintage furnishings, some mid century modern pieces have been left untouched. 

All of our new products have been selected with the utmost scrutiny. We have many items that are made in North Carolina, but also elsewhere in the United States by small producers and artisans. We have even included a handful of products in our store that were produced overseas because we were so impressed with the practices employed by these businesses and their visions.

Our merchandise is ever changing. Come visit our showroom!

- Kelly Wohlgenant

Meet Kelly

YouTube - Your Backyard Raleigh, Reporter: Robert Courts

This interview with Kelly Wohlgenant, owner of Retro Modern Furnishings, explores her journey from a corporate research job to launching a thriving furniture business. Kelly shares how she turned her passion for refinishing vintage furniture into a full-time venture, starting with pop-up sales and eventually opening a dedicated storefront. She discusses her love for mid-century design, sustainability, and supporting local artisans. Now, at her Five Points location in Raleigh, her business combines a showroom, workshop, and custom furniture offerings, all while prioritizing craftsmanship and eco-friendly practices.

Recent Press

Caption

Ultimate Vintage Style Furniture Shopping List:

6 Pieces to Look Out For

There’s something undeniably magical about
vintage style furniture. Each piece tells a
story—of craftsmanship, design eras, and liveswell-lived. While you’re strolling through abustling flea market or browsing a quaint
consignment shop, the thrill of discovering a
hidden gem never gets old. But with so many
options, how do you know which pieces are
worth the purchase?


To help you curate a home that’s both stylish
and steeped in history, we turned to design
experts and vintage connoisseurs for their
must-have picks. Consider this your ultimate guide to navigating the world of secondhand treasures.

...Let’s dive in.

Read the full article

Bold Journey Magazine

Meet Kelly Wohlgenant

In this interview, Kelly Wohlgenant, owner of Retro Modern, shares her journey from an Industrial Design graduate to a successful entrepreneur in the furniture industry. She reflects on the challenges she faced after graduating during an economic downturn, how she pivoted her career, and ultimately found her passion in creating customizable, mid-century modern furniture. Kelly emphasizes the importance of stamina, flexibility, and creativity in business, detailing how she adapted to industry shifts and unexpected challenges, like the pandemic. She also highlights the value of playing to one's strengths and maintaining a business model that aligns with personal skills and goals.

Learn about Kelly's journey
Retro Modern team smiles outside of the NC Museum of Art with display tables.

NCMA Museum Store

NC Museum of Art Collaboration

Retro Modern collaborated with the North Carolina Museum of Art to design and build custom, bespoke display furniture and fixtures for the museum shop. These handcrafted pieces were thoughtfully created to complement the shop’s aesthetic while providing functional and visually striking displays for art-inspired merchandise. Known for their expertise in mid-century modern design and high-quality craftsmanship, Retro Modern brought a tailored approach to the project, ensuring that each fixture enhances the shopping experience while maintaining a seamless blend with the museum’s artistic environment.

Read about the collaboration

Walter Magazine

Retro Modern Furnishings

Retro Meets Modern: A Design Revival

What started as a personal love for mid-century furniture quickly grew into a full-scale business celebrating timeless design and craftsmanship. Kelly Wohlgenant has curated a collection where vintage charm meets modern living, offering thoughtfully restored pieces that bring history and character into contemporary homes. With a keen eye for quality and a passion for sustainability, she’s built more than just a showroom—it’s a space where every piece has a story waiting to be told.

Explore the full article

Shop Local Raleigh

Vintage Mid-Century Modern, Upcycled, and Handmade Furnishings

Retro Modern Furnishings is proud to be a member of Shop Local Raleigh, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting locally-owned, independent businesses. By collaborating with fellow local enterprises, we contribute to a vibrant and diverse community, ensuring that Raleigh retains its unique character and charm. Our commitment to sustainability and quality craftsmanship aligns with Shop Local Raleigh's mission to strengthen and enrich our local economy. We invite you to visit our showroom and experience firsthand the exceptional designs that reflect the heart and soul of our community.

Learn about Shop Local Raleigh