Upholstery Heaven
Top Tips for glamming up old furniture in time for Christmas from the designer behind Britain’s Best Home.
A word used frequently across all walks of life is ‘recycle’ and this doesn’t have to stop at plastic bags, re-vamping furniture is one way to live a greener life, glam up your house, and get ready for Christmas.
You can transform the atmosphere of the whole room by simply applying a few top re-upholstering tips, and it can be as easy as 1,2,3 if you follow interior expert Ben Huckerby’s essential advice to turn that scuffed armchair into a chic centrepiece:
Be creative. Explore new designs and materials such as studding, piping and fringing that will give your furniture a fresh look. Some of my favourite looks at the moment are striking architectural patterns, beautiful floral motifs as well as dramatic geometric elements. For ideas on upholstering furniture go to www.aiveendaly.com.
Make sure you choose the right fabric. Consider the function of the piece when choosing the fabric. A side chair won’t receive as much use as a sofa, so a more delicate material would be needed. For this I would recommend a variety of cloths including luxurious silks, soft linen and cottons.
Consider the amount of fabric you will need. An arm chair would require a small amount of metreage, so you could afford to splurge on a more expensive fabric that makes a big statement. When estimating fabric metreage, remember to take the repeat into consideration. If a repeated pattern is centred, add half a metre to your estimate. Take a peak at www.osborneandlittle.com for ideas and inspiration on fabric choices.
Be careful with the fabric. Smooth out and centre the material, iron out wrinkles, and then measure it again to avoid costly mistakes. Take your measurements before removing the old fabric. If you rely on the frame dimensions, you risk coming up short.
Use antique or key signature pieces. These tend to last longer and look more dramatic. Mixing wacky, vibrant colours with an antique feature is a great way to combine two different eras and modernise your furniture. The mid-century modern look (think cool 1950’s furniture) is popular for 2009.
Treat your piece of furniture as a work of art or piece of culture. Make it the centre piece of your room by using a neutral scheme elsewhere to creative a wow effect.
Salvaging furniture with sentimental value will leave you feeling like you’ve done your good deed for the day. Like sanding and refinishing, re-upholstering an old chair, couch, or cushion can reinvigorate some of your older pieces and give you a chance to unravel your creative flair.
What better way to treat yourself at Christmas, sit back, relax and enjoy a glass of mulled wine on your beautifully re-upholstered furniture.
Merry Christmas,
Ben Huckerby x
Tags: antique, Ben Huckerby, Britain's Best Home, designs, fabric, furniture, re-upholstering, re-uphoslered, upholstery