What is Upholstery?
The upholstery process requires great skill and attention to detail. When your furniture is in good quality but needs some TLC, reupholstery is a fantastic option. Upholstery is the process of attaching a furniture frame with padding, cushioning and fabric textile covers. The material makes a huge difference to the visual identity of the chair. While the interior elements aren’t visible, they make a massive difference to the comfort of the furniture. Your furniture is the first thing people see when entering your home so it’s essential to create a good first and last impression! Furniture fabrics come in so many different styles and varieties, there is an option for everyone!
Step 1: First Upholstery Consultation
Before the magic begins, we will speak with you about your different options. Upholstery repair, using the original fabric is very different to bespoke. We also offer full reupholstery transformations where you can choose a completely different fabric than the original. During your initial consultation, we will explain the upholstery process. We will never recommend services which we know you won’t require. We are completely transparent during the whole process.
Step 2: Polishing and Inspection
We start by carefully removing the original cloth to expose the structure. From here, we will make any necessary repairs to the frame. At this point, we will assess the condition of the stuffing, springs, padding and webbing. Before we move onto the next stage, we will carry out standard or French button polishing if requested.
Step 3: Springs and Webbing
The webbing needs to be in top quality condition as that is the layer where upholstery sits. Until we have thoroughly inspected the springs and webbing, it is impossible to know what condition they are in. Sometimes we find they are failing and need replacing. Before we go ahead and replace them, we will contact you with a quote and wait until you say it’s okay to continue. More often than not, we will be able to realign and reattach the original springs and restore the comfort into your furniture.
Step 4: Stuffing and Padding
Unless you have requested new materials, our upholsterers will decide whether the original padding materials are reusable. If they are not reusable, they will be replaced. The first layer of padding will be attached to the base layer of hessian and secured in place. On request, we will add any new padding or replace feather stuffing with high quality foam. Our upholsterers take great care and attention to match or improve your chair’s original dimensions and restore top quality level of comfort.
Step 5: Top Cover of Upholstery
After the frame has been rebuilt and padded, we can begin adding the top cover. Whether you have chosen faux leather or woven fabric, this is the stage where it is secured in place. We take equal care when adding finishing touches including braid, piping and decorative studs. We can also change the appearance by adding new legs and castors. This is the stage where your upholstery vision finally comes to life!
Step 6: Upholstery Quality Checked and Delivered/Collected
At the final stage, we quality assess every piece of newly upholstered furniture. This makes sure it lives up to our extremely high craftsmanship standards. We will then send you pictures so you can have a final inspection before being collected/delivered.
If you would like more information on our upholstery services, check out what we offer for marine upholstery, domestic upholstery, commercial and contract upholstery and vehicle upholstery. If you would like a quote or to book in for your upholstery transformation, visit the contact us page.
