Custom Footstool Commission

Having seen an example of one of my Traditional Plaid footstools this client asked if we could make something similar, but taller.

After discussing their requirements they selected 6.5" legs in a natural gloss finish and we added additional padding to the top to keep everything in proportion.

The blue tones and the hint of yellow in the 100% wool plaid they chose was a joy to work with and fitted beautifully into their room's colour palette.

Family Favourite

This family favourite 2-seater had been passed down through the family. This little beauty is a traditionally upholstered seat complete with springs, hair, felt and hessian. Unfortunately, over the years, the seat had become less comfortable - it was a little lumpy and creaked when you sat on it.

On inspection the ties holding the springs in place had failed and they were no longer acting as a single unit. This had also led to the inner hessian and hair layers becoming damaged through this excessive movement. A complete re-build was required to get this 2-seater comfy again. Total freedom is a wonderful thing but not when it comes to sofa springs!

The client chose a soft but hardwearing mottled grey velvet with a toning sliver grey braid to finish things off nicely.

Check out the photos to see some of the processes involved in rebuilding a traditionally upholstered seat and how it looks back in the client's home.

Parker Knoll Froxfields

Parker Knoll has been hand making high quality furniture for over 150 years and is a name synonymous with quality. The Froxfields were introduced in 1955 and have been manufactured continuously ever since.

Here we have the Froxfield wingback and side chair with their stylish curved arms.

These beautifully made chairs had already been reupholstered once before to make them a matched pair for the client's living room. Following redecoration, though, it was decided that the chairs would be split up and live in different rooms.

Each chair was covered in a new fabric to complement their new location and, at the client's request, the original dark varnish was removed to reveal the natural wood.

Cintique Armchair

Cintique, founded in 1908, are another classic British furniture company known for their craftsmanship and comfortable seating.

This particular vintage chair had been well-used over the years and now, in a new home, it was ready for a make over.

The solid wood frame and unique Cintique seat spring system were in very good order but all the fillings needed to be replaced with new. The revamp included stripping back the old varnish on the frame and clear waxing it. The look was completed with a bold patterned fabric.

Calligaris Dining Chairs

Dining chairs come in various styles and these Italian designed Calligaris chairs have both an upholstered seat and back. Although, they had been well looked after the surface had started to break down and was beginning to peel off. After 10 years service they were ready for a change.

The client chose a hardwearing, stain resistant grey weave, ideal for dining chairs, which goes beautifully with their original dining table.

Dining Chairs

Next up is a different style of dining chair with what is known as a "drop-in seat".

All the frames were in perfect condition but the fabric and foam were worn out. The brief was to reupholster the chairs in a durable, cleanable fabric that would withstand the rigours of kids, grandkids, dinner parties etc. and look nice to boot!

The client chose a hardwearing, Aquaclean fabric which is just perfect for their needs. The foam was replaced with Ultraflex, a new alternative to traditional foam. It is as durable and comfortable as foam and meets UK fire safety standards without the need for any of the chemicals normally added to foam to induce fire retardancy. It is made with 80% recycled polyester so is kinder to the environment as well.

Conservatory Set

A conservatory set comprising a 2-seater sofa, 2 armchairs and a rocking chair were ready for a new, fresh look.

The back cushions seemed in good condition until we opened up the zip to reveal the inner cover holding the polyester wadding filler together had started to fail. The material was friable and was disintegrating even as we tried to remove it.

We kept the original foam in all the seats as it was in good nick New liners were made for all the back cushions and we filled these with the original wadding as it was still in good condition.

There was no fixed upholstery here, every seat or back was a piped cushion so there was a LOT of sewing involved. I was delighted with the outcome and so was my client.

Vintage Music Room Chair

This was a lovely project to work on. As you'll see in the gallery photos below when this chair arrived it was ready for some TLC. The varnish was peeling, the fabric had ripped and the foam inside was crumbling away to dust. Hardly surprising considering the chair, manufactured in 1975, was nearly 50 years old!

We started by stripping off the old varnish and refinishing the frame with a new coat of walnut varnish. This perfectly complemented the fabulous patterned fabric my creative client chose. The final change was to increase the depth of the seat to 2" to provide increased comfort for her students.