It’s all about the transformation…
My childhood memories are of growing up surrounded by old family furniture that had been passed down the generations - some of it had travelled as far afield as Australia before returning home to England. These treasured pieces continue to be as valued now as they were then.
My upholstery journey started with a well-loved chair that had been passed through my Grandmother’s family. As a child I had always loved the chair with its faded needlepoint and glass beads. By the time it found its way into my home, it was in dire need of a complete overhaul - the seat had fallen through and the back was disintegrating. So I took it with me to an upholstery training centre and things grew from there. The learning curve was massive and some of the delights were unexpected - finding the beautiful handwriting of my great aunt on the frame - the last one to have stitched the cover and upholstered the piece was a real thrill!
It would seem that this is in the blood!
Antiques were built to last - the old frames will happily take re-covering and re-upholstery, whereas some of the mass produced furniture of today is harder to restore - it is seldom designed with repairs or updates in mind.
Traditional upholstery materials and techniques fit very well with today’s emphasis on slowing down the fast pace of changing tastes. Good quality horse hair stuffing is washed and re-used, springs that have not been bent out of shape are good to be re-used for the next few decades at least. Reusing and recycling is nothing new to the traditional upholsterer!
Sometimes one can have a fairly clear vision of what one has in mind, and other times the choice of fabrics out there can seem overwhelming. There is never any hurry or pressure to make a decision - we can talk through your ideas or give you some to ponder. We can certainly take our time to make sure that we have tracked down the right fit for you and your home. Reupholstery isn’t generally an impulse buy - it’s important that you are happy with the end result - it should be with you for quite a while!
My upholstery journey now sees me qualified with the AMUSF and I find myself happily creating bespoke pieces and re-invigorating old family favourites. My sleeping partner cum sidekick is Pippi - a working cocker spaniel who pops up in various pics when she’s not obsessively watching our chickens!
Do please message me if you have a project in mind that you would like to discuss, I am always happy to work with you on special items - whether it’s creating a funky new statement piece or restoring a family heirloom ready for the next generation. The most important thing is that you enjoy the process and are happy with the end result.
PS: Photoshoots are always more fun if your daughter is cracking jokes behind the camera!