Michigan DIYers Can Get Imaginative Restoring Discarded Home Furnishings to Benefit Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit in Second Annual “Furniture Flip Challenge” Winners Announced September 10, 2026!

Photo courtesy of the Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit

HGTV “Love It or List It” star Hilary Farr returning for the “Furniture Flip Bash” fundraiser Sept. 10 to select $5,000 Best in Show grand prize winner; $1,000 prizes to also be awarded in five other competition categories.

MADISON HEIGHTS, MI – It’s time to ‘flip out!’ The Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit is curating a diverse collection of used, landfill-bound home furnishings and inviting Michiganders, from seasoned pros to a passionate DIYers, to transform them into secondhand showstoppers in its second annual “Furniture Flip Challenge,” which started on June 1. Participants can choose up to three items at the nonprofit’s new headquarters (339 E. Whitcomb Ave., Madison Heights) Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and turn the forgotten pieces into unforgettable treasures. The creative competition will culminate at this year’s “Furniture Flip Bash” September 10 at The Village Club in Bloomfield Hills with returning celebrity guest Hilary Farr, international interior designer and popular star of HGTV’s “Love It or List It” for 19 seasons. Event guests will bid on the upcycled furniture pieces to raise money to support the 57-year-old organization, which provides essential furniture and mattresses to families in need throughout Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb counties.

“The imaginative makeovers last year were astounding,” said Diane Charles, President and CEO of the Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit. “A damaged dresser became a charming dollhouse, a broken grandfather clock was converted into a whimsical child’s bookcase, and old cabinets morphed into pet beds. The new life given to each piece of recycled furniture beautifies homes, supports sustainability, and most importantly, funds our mission to transform houses into homes for families that have experienced homelessness, domestic violence, fires, human trafficking and other hardships.”

Participants in the “Furniture Flip Challenge” must be at least 18 years old, Michigan residents,

pay an entry fee of $30 per furniture item, provide their own labor and materials, and return completed entries by Aug. 28. A panel of judges will select and award $1,000 for the Most Artistic, Best Restored, Most Transformative, and Best Children’s Piece entries, while attendees at the fundraiser will vote to determine the People’s Choice $1,000 winner. Farr will again choose the Best in Show $5,000 grand prize winner based on the artistry, functionality, creativity, craftsmanship, transformation, and overall design of the repurposed piece.

The Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit, the oldest furniture bank in North America, has provided furniture to more than 80,000 Michigan families. In 2025, used home furnishings valued at $900,000 were collected and 16,000 items were distributed.

For complete competition details, go to www.furnitue-bank.org/furniture-flip-challenge/. For more information about the Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit, visit www.furniture-bank.org.

About Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit

The Furniture Bank of Metro Detroit is a 501C-3 nonprofit based in Pontiac, Michigan, that provides essential furniture and mattresses to families in need living in Oakland, Wayne, and Macomb Counties. Founded in 1969, it is the oldest furniture bank in North America and has helped rebuild the lives of 80,000 families. Visit www.furniture-bank.org for more information.