Looking to pick up a special new skill to impress your friends? Try your hand at upholstery! Okay, so maybe it won't become your next great party trick, but the ability to transform an old piece of furniture will come in handy for the rest of your life. From tips and techniques, to resources for finding the perfect fabrics, we've covered the topic of upholstery from top to bottom here on Apartment Therapy - check out this guide as a starting point for learning more. See the full list
after the jump.
1. Unconventional Upholstery
2. Upholstery Resources, Coast-to-Coast
3. A Plug for Patterned Upholstery
4. Unusual Upholstery: Inspiration & Ideas Elle Decor
5. Microfiber Upholstery Pros & Cons
6. How Much Fabric Should I Buy?
7. Aiveen Daly: Couture Upholstery
8. Five Fun and Quirky Upholstery Fabrics
9. New Options for Kid-Friendly Upholstery
10. How To: Use Upholstery Spray Paint
I really appreciate all the work that goes into using striped fabric. The way the stripes on the chair line up with the stripes on the cushion for photo #3! (I imagine you do the chair first and then cushion?) Stripes are much more challenging than the pattern in #8.
That first chair is absolutely stunning. It reminds me of West African Indigo cloth.
Love the first chair so much!
Learning how to fix my own upholstered items was one of the smartest things I ever did.
I was able to tighten the webbing and retie the springs on my circa 1953 couch, making it as comfy as it was when new... and I got the couch for only $100 since the old owner didn't know how to fix the sagging seat. Now I have an awesome, sturdy, HEAVY couch, in fantastic condition, that will probably outlast me... for far less than what I would have paid at even a Valu City or American Freight, much less Ikea.
I took upholstery classes at a community college after I was "downsized". I now have my own home-based business re-doing thrift store finds, and I'll never go back to Cubicle World again!