apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

try foamorder.com or diyupholsterysupply.com I also learned alot from checking out the Matthew Haly Book of Upholstery (previsouly on AT) from the local library. He talks about the different fillings/foams/fabrics a bit. Another option is to buy a latex (or other foam) mattress on eBAY and cut it to the size you need. Apparently latex does not support dust mites/mold and is healthier. make sure you get foam that is thick enough! I think 5-6 inches is a good start

Go to Dixie Foam on W. 25th St., Manhattan. www.dixiefoam.com.

They have 2 grades of foam - one firm, one firmer - that make really nice beds. You can sit and lie on them there and find what's comfortable for you. (I found them really comfortable.) They will sew the fabric you bring them around it. (At least I think they do such custom work - I considered getting my own fabric and having them sew it around one of their neat folding foam beds for my guest room. If they do that, they'd likely sew it around whatever size pieces of foam you need for this couch.) Prices are quite reasonable.

As for fabric, you need to pick what appeals to you in color and pattern. For this piece, I'd do a tweedy material, in a solid-ish color - that seems to be what was often original on pieces like this. I'd go for something with a high cotton content - it will look and feel better than synthetic. I think the heft and quality of the fabric you choose will be the deciding factor in whether the final piece looks great or not. That will cost a bit more for the fabric, but I think the fabric is not the place to cut corners here. It will look great when it is done!

You can buy 30 x 75 mattresses intended for dorm use at: http://www.americanbeddingmfg.com/
If these mattresses are not too thick (hard to tell from the photo how much room there is between sofa bottom and trundle) I bet they'd hold up a lot longer than any pure foam product. You could make up the final 3-inches needed to keep them in place in your sofa's frame by making a foam strip for the edges.

If you google foam bolsters, you can find more reasonably priced replacements for the backs than you will find in Manhattan stores too - and get them delivered to your door. I also wonder if you might be able to recover them with a futon cover?

Hey thanks for all your suggestions folks. Please keep them coming!. I have been getting estimates at local upholsterers and foam places ( Economy Foam and Futon in Manhattan and Foam Center in Bay Ridge).

Homebody: Unfortunately I tried to source a mattress place that makes custom and was thinking of using futon covers or getting canvas slips. Turns out the mattresses are 7 inches thick- which would make them 14 inches altogether when place on top of each other.

Currently the foam mattresses on this piece are 3 inches and 3.5 inches thick. And when in the couch position this makes for 6.5 inches.

Another thought I had was to replace the foam now (which based on estimates will cost anywhere from $300- 600 for high density foam) and deal with the fabric issue later when I have more funds available. My only question about doing this is: will the foam fit once I dry clean the original upholstery (seems to be a cotton damask which I kind of like)? And will the upholsterer/seamstress be able to reuse the foam and make a new cushion covers a few months down the line?

I would also like to recommend Canal Rubber and Foam on Canal St.
http://www.canalrubber.com/

For fabric, for the future, well that's a whole 'nother story (I recommend the basement of Fabric Kingdom on 8th ave) but this seamstress could totally re-use the foam to make new cushions, so I assume any other competent sewer could do that also.

Dry cleaning should not cause shrinkage. And yes, any good seamstress should be able to make new cushion covers for you using either the old covers as a template or measuring the foam for reuse.
Katy
http://fengshuibyfishgirl.com

I suspect that probably the cheapest place is in Brooklyn , Wlliamsburg's South side on Havemeyer, just one and a half short blocks north of the BQE overpass, on the East side of the street. It's a a place called Jesse's Plastic Slip - they refurbish foam furniture items all the time and have been in biz for at least 15 years doing a good job. I' d go by and speak with them and bring pix. They have a cute cat too. (I'm a neighbor )

I used Economy Foam to make new cushions for my MCM daybed and was really happy with the results. They were very quick, inexpensive and professional.

I dont know what I would recover it with but I had to comment! I love it!

I used to have a roommate that sewed the casing for futons at a place (in NJ) that made futons from all-organic materials. I think it was called White Lotus, but this was 10 years ago. I bet a place like that would be willing to make custom, thin futons. Might be an option?

There is nothing more comfortable and longer lasting than talalay latex foam.
I recomend this above all -100% Talalay latex foam.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talalay_Process