Community Highlights: Meet Alyssa Cairns of Alcove Interiors

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Cairns

Hi Alyssa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always had a passion for creating beautiful, functional spaces that feel like home. My career in design started with helping friends and family pull together their homes and renovations, and over time, that passion turned into a business. For 8 years, I worked one-on-one with clients to plan renovations, select finishes, and furnish their homes, ensuring their spaces felt both stylish and livable.

In March 2023, my husband Mark and I took a big leap—we opened Alcove Interiors, a designer-curated furniture and home decor studio in Grand Rapids. Instead of a traditional storefront, we created a 3,000 sq. ft. warehouse-style showroom where clients can shop a rotating selection of in-stock, designer-grade furniture at approachable prices.

Our goal was to offer a boutique shopping experience with the flexibility of drop-in shopping (once a week on Thursdays) or private appointments anytime. We stock hand-picked furniture and decor that’s ready to take home—no long wait times or overwhelming big-box store searches.

Today, Alcove Interiors is more than just a furniture store—it’s a destination for busy families, homeowners, and vacation rental owners who want beautiful, durable pieces without the overwhelm of big-box shopping. We carefully curate our inventory, offering designer-grade furniture at approachable pricing, and we love helping our clients bring their home design dreams to life!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely been an adventure! Starting Alcove Interiors has been so rewarding, but like any small business, we’ve hit a few bumps along the way.

One of the biggest challenges has been helping people understand what makes us different. We’re not a big-box furniture store, and we’re not just an interior design firm—we’re this in-between resource where you can shop high-quality, in-stock furniture while getting a little expert guidance along the way. Once people experience it, they love it—but getting the word out has taken time!

Another challenge? Managing inventory. We’re committed to offering beautiful, well-made furniture that’s ready to go—no long waits. That means constantly sourcing the right pieces and staying ahead of supply chain issues. Since we don’t stock mass-produced furniture, we’re always on the hunt for the best finds at the best prices, which takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work. We’re always watching the stock levels, and rely heavily on our US-made and warehoused vendor collections.

And of course, there’s the family-business juggle. With three kids, life is busy! But honestly, that’s what makes Alcove what it is—we get how real families live, which is why we focus on furniture that’s not just stylish, but durable and functional for everyday life.

At the end of the day, all the challenges have been worth it. Seeing our clients light up when they find the perfect piece (without the stress of endless searching or long wait times) is what keeps us going!

As you know, we’re big fans of Alcove Interiors . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Alcove Interiors, we make it easy to create a home you love. We’re a family-owned, designer-curated furniture and home decor studio in Grand Rapids, specializing in high-quality, in-stock furniture at approachable prices—so you don’t have to deal with long wait times or overwhelming big-box stores. We also offer interior design services, complete home design, and white glove installation services for all of our projects.

What makes us different? We combine the best of interior design with the ease of in-stock shopping. We personally select designer-grade furniture that’s stylish, durable, and made for real life—because as parents of three kids (and a dog!), we know how important it is to have furniture that actually holds up.

What We Offer:
✨ In-stock, designer-quality furniture & home decor (ready to take home!)
✨ Custom upholstery options for those one-of-a-kind pieces
✨ Full-room and whole-home furnishing services for busy homeowners & vacation rental owners
✨ A relaxed, boutique shopping experience—drop in on Thursdays (12-6 PM) or book a private appointment anytime

What We’re Most Proud Of:

We’ve created a space where people feel welcome, inspired, and supported in making their homes beautiful. Shopping for furniture can be stressful, but we take the guesswork out of it—helping our clients find pieces they’ll love for years to come.

Alcove isn’t just about selling furniture—it’s about creating elegant, everyday spaces that actually work for real life. Whether you’re furnishing an entire home or just looking for that perfect finishing touch, we’re here to help.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
First and foremost, our clients have been our biggest advocates. From day one, they’ve trusted us with their homes, shared our name with friends, and supported our vision for a better way to shop for furniture. Every time someone refers us or walks through our doors excited to find the perfect piece, it reminds us why we do this.

Our family and friends have also been behind us every step of the way. Opening a business is no small task, and we’ve leaned on their encouragement more times than we can count. Whether it’s helping with projects behind the scenes, cheering us on, or just being there through the ups and downs, we’re endlessly grateful.

My husband, Mark! He bought in to this business idea, pushed me to grow and believe in myself, and is constantly encouraging and guiding me to think bigger and acknowledge our success. This crazy warehouse idea would never have happened if he hadn’t jumped in and said, let’s do it!

Lastly, mentors in the design and business world have played a huge role in shaping our journey. We’ve learned so much from other designers, small business owners, and industry pros who have shared their knowledge and helped us navigate the challenges of running a business. We love our reps who support our growth and advocate for our “little business” in the sea of huge furniture giants.

Alcove Interiors is about more than just furniture—it’s about building relationships, creating beautiful spaces, and making home design feel effortless for our clients. And we couldn’t do it without the incredible people who have supported us along the way!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alcoveinteriors.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alcoveinteriors.co
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alcoveinteriors.co