written by Rachel Smith, B.A. in Design Studies
While meandering the aisles of your local thrift store, you spotted it—the chair you’ve been looking for.
It was built beautifully, a great fit for that empty corner you'd been wanting to style, and the price was perfect. It had everything you could ask for from a chair...besides a few stains, frays, smells, and an outdated color.
Quirks aside, this was the perfect chair and a great bargain, so you snagged it. Now what? With a little TLC from an upholsterer and some new fabric, just about any find can be spared.
By definition, upholstery is the process of applying padding, springs, webbing, and fabric coverings to a piece of furniture. First appearing during the Middle Ages, those in wealthy households used upholstered items to decorate their homes and soften their seats. Nowadays, while often taken for granted, upholstery continues to be an essential aspect of daily life and an influential part of interior decoration.
But, the real art of upholstery lies in its ability to transform the story of a piece.
Whether you are revamping the look of an existing living room set or you want to give that chair from the thrift store a second life, a bit of fresh upholstery fabric can offer a number of perks. Not only does fitting a new or reclaimed frame with upholstery provide comfort and functionality, but rich and playful upholstery fabrics can bring color and personality to your pieces.
Are you an upholsterer or interior designer? Greenhouse Fabrics is the go-to upholstery resource to the trade and is here to help you with your next project! Visit greenhousefabrics.com or call 866.755.5000 to speak with a fabric specialist about any of the 10,000+ fabrics in stock.
Subscribe to our blog to get fresh ideas delivered straight to your inbox each week!