Oxford School of Upholstery

Our student Victoria wanted to learn traditional upholstery techniques and this was her project on a One Week Course.
Who knows, could be the start of a whole new career. 🙌
We think her choice of hot pink velvet absolutely pops… picks up the cosmos beautifully too. 🌸
If you’ve been yearning to give an old chair a new look or you’ve always wanted to learn about the layers and techniques of traditional upholstery, we have leisure courses running weekly Mon-Thu.
Sign up now but beware, it’s very addictive…

Fabric Boho Velvet

Our student Lujain has done an incredible job with this beautifully shaped headboard! She has chosen an embroidered fabric by which will add texture and depth to her room scheme and we think it’s stunning. We love how she’s paired contrasting patterns, using a geometric design for the base and her use of complementary colours, showcasing her keen eye for design and attention to detail. All her hard work on our Simply Modern Upholstery course has truly paid off.

For anyone inspired by Lujain’s work, we offer leisure courses throughout the year. Why not join us and you can learn valuable skills and create your own bespoke headboard or if you think you’d like to pursue upholstery and a career in creative industry, take a look at our professional training courses and contact us for more information.

This beautiful fauteuil crapaud style chair has been meticulously, traditionally upholstered by our student Nicky as a very special gift for a friend. Embracing a bold design decision, they left the back open to reveal the intricate internal upholstery. This unique choice not only hints at the rich history of upholstery craftsmanship but also showcases the layers beneath, celebrating Nicky’s hands on skills and the techniques she employed.

Students bring a range of creative projects and one-off pieces to our upholstery and soft furnishing courses

This camel seat held special sentimental value for Upholstery Diploma student Jasmine, and she wanted to give it her own unique touch. She meticulously stitched together pieces of leather to remake the walls of the saddle seat, filling it with wool. We love how the fabric she chose complements the intricate details in the leatherwork.

Join our courses to explore your creativity, work on personal projects, and learn from our talented instructors. Whether you're looking to refresh a cherished item or create something entirely new, our courses offer the perfect opportunity to develop your skills and bring your vision to life.
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This beautiful Victorian chair was completed during one of last year’s leisure courses. We love how Amanda used pieces of kilim with a rustic weave to give a textured, artisanal finish to a singular statement piece.

We are running one week leisure courses throughout the year and we offer flexible attendance to so everyone find time for themselves to be creative and learn upholstery skills.

If you’d like to create a special piece of your own why not email me or book online.

The days may be pretty gray at the moment, but things are looking VERY bright at , especially with this super cool and fun cushion and stool a student recently upholstered in Harlequin Shenlong/Pomegranate/Grounded/Incense 😍

Interested in upholstering your own stool or cushion? We have the perfect courses: A 2 day cylindrical stool course where you’ll have a great introduction to upholstery sewing, templating and modern upholstery techniques, and our popular introduction to soft furnishings course where you’ll find your way around a sewing machine, make scatter cushions with zips as well as cushions with piped and cuffed edges 🙌

Head to the link in the bio to see ALL our courses 👏

Weekends are for… relaxing on the sofa! And what a beautiful sofa this is 😍

A 1930’s traditional French leather club sofa currently for sale through 🙌

Interested? Get in touch today before it’s gone!

Keep your eyes peeled for more furniture we have coming up for sale 👀

Meet Jo, one of our talented students, proudly showcasing the beautiful prayer chair she recently created on one of our leisure courses. Her attention to detail and dedication to the craft truly shines through in this stunning piece 👏

From fabric to fabulous 🙌

Ready to unleash your inner designer too? Join us and start creating your own furniture magic! ✨

Fabric - Tango weaves 2 Wiggle

No blue Mondays here 💙

This is Ellie who recently joined us after deciding she wanted to learn upholstery 🙌

Here she is coordinating with her new wingback chair 🪑

Finally some sunshine ☀️

And what better to accompany this beautiful weather than a bespoke quilted picnic rug and carry bag for all your summer outings 🙌

Now for the exciting part… you can make your own bespoke quilted picnic rug and carry bag on our 2 day course! You can choose your size and of course your fabric - we really like the Small Prints collection, beautiful summery prints on 100% washable linen 😍

Upholstery… the modern hobby (although we’ve been living and breathing upholstery for many years now) 😜

If you’re wanting to dip your toes in the upholstery world, our popular‘Introduction to soft furnishings’ course is for you!

On this course you’ll learn lots of new skills such as how to find your way around a sewing machine and will learn how make projects such as scatter cushions with zips and cushions with piped and cuffed edges 👏

You’ll get top tips from our expert sewer and will learn techniques for pattern cutting, templating and of course making.

Interested? We’d love to hear from you 🙌

If you have a passion or hobbie you can’t get enough of, why not upholster your favourite furniture pieces and have it… everywhere! 😂

That’s the beauty of upholstery!

This is a stunning traditionally upholstered armchair our student Sam upholstered last year! At the time Sam was running a livery stable but was relocating and wanted to create something she could dedicate to her love of horses 🐎

How stunning is it? 🙌

A 🌈 stack of chairs for Pride Month!

At we believe in celebrating diversity, fostering inclusion, and creating a welcoming environment for everyone. This Pride Month, we’re proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community and honour the contributions and creativity that diversity brings to our craft 👏

Together. we can build a future where everyone can create, learn and thrive!

It’s all in the details 😍

At , we pride ourselves on offering a truly hands-on learning experience. Our workshops are meticulously designed to immerse you in the practical, real-world applications of upholstery, ensuring that you gain not just theoretical knowledge, but also the essential skills and confidence needed to excel in this craft.

From the moment you step into our workshop, you’ll notice our commitment to hands-on learning. Our workshops are equipped with industry-standard tools and materials, providing you with a professional environment where you can hone your skills and eye for design. Our experienced teachers bring years of expertise and passion and are dedicated to providing you with personalised guidance, ensuring that you understand each step of the process and can apply it with confidence.

We believe that effective teaching starts with listening. We take the time to understand your individual goals, challenges, and aspirations. Whether you are a complete beginner or looking to refine your advanced techniques, we tailor our instruction to meet your specific needs 👏

Interested in any of our courses? Lets have a chat 💬

Interested in pursuing a career in the upholstery or furniture trade? We can help, in fact we have the perfect course for you 😉

Equally, if you simply wish to restore a piece of old furniture in the latest stylish fabric and design, we also have the perfect course for you!

This is because we have a course for everyone, no matter what you’re trying to achieve, and always welcome everyone here at

Our inclusive environment proudly fosters creativity and skill development to enhance the inner creative in everyone 👏

Want to know more about our courses? Get in touch today 🙌

📸 Jasmine cutting out the fabric for her cylindrical stool in genie/blue

How’s your Bank Holiday weekend been?

We took some time to slow down, step away from the sewing machines and enjoy the weather and our surroundings 👏

For those that don’t know, we live on a boat, so these images are:

1. Our daily view on our walk to work
2. Beautiful Forget-Me-Nots
3. Our wild riverbank garden 🪴

What are your plans for the long weekend? Is a cinema trip on the cards? For these lucky customers, they’ve bought the cinema to their home 🙌

These beautiful seats used to belong to the Penultimate Picture Palace cinema just off Cowley Road. They’ve been reupholstered in charcoal coloured Pampus, don’t they look amazing?

No kissing on the back seats though 😘

4 days, 4 days!!!

Just look how beautiful this armchair is that upholstered last year 👏

Here’s what she had to say

“4 days well spent at OSU School of Upholstery learning all the skills from their amazing team! Stripping the chair took a day itself, adding new padding, cutting and sewing material, making your own buttons and piping, and then pulling it all together - it’s time consuming, fiddly and frustrating at times, but highly addictive”

This is Kate’s first upholstery project and we think she’s done a fantastic job, don’t you? 👏

If you have a piece of furniture you’d like to bring to life, get in touch! We can advise the best course for you 🙌

Are you looking to add a splash of creativity to your Fridays? We’ve got exactly what you need! Join us for our ‘Friday Upholstery Club’, where you’ll embark on a journey of upholstery, learning skills in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere 👏

During this 5 week workshop you’ll have the opportunity to delve into the art of upholstery, discovering techniques that will enable you to transform ordinary pieces into a beautiful statement piece. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or new to the world of upholstery, our classes cater to all skill levels, providing a supportive environment for growth and exploration.

Through hands-on instruction and personalised guidance, you’ll unleash your creativity, discovering newfound talents and abilities along the way (as well as a lot of laughs) 😉

Dates: 5 Weeks from 7th June 2024 until 5th July 2024
Time: 9:30am-1:00pm on Fridays
Cost: £275 plus materials for 5 weeks (£55 per session)

Interesting fact about our Founders Rachel and Stuart…

They live on a boat here in Oxfordshire! How cool is that? As if running Oxfordshires most popular upholstery school wasn’t cool enough, they actually live on a boat 🚤

They also have the best neighbours EVER and get to see these beautiful faces every morning 🌅 🐄

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself below ⬇️

At OSU, Oxford’s School of Upholstery, people travel from far and wide to attend our courses 🌍

This is Amanda who has come from USA to do her level 3 AMUSF Diploma certificate with us 🙌

The Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers qualifications are based on acquiring good practical and relevant skills. These qualifications may lead to employment within the industry or with additional practice could even lead to starting your own business 👏

Interested in the AMUSF qualification? Let’s have a chat 💬

Meet Charlie 👋

Last week she started the process of traditionally upholstering a buttoned back chair with us 👏

So far she’s applied the webbing to the back and begun bending wire to create an independent sprung edge 👏

No matter what stage of your upholstery journey, whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned enthusiast, we’re here to help and share our knowledge with you, so you leave with a product that you not only made yourself, but you’ll love forever 👏

Stay tuned to see what else Charlie’s up to with OSU 👀

Monday morning, a hive of activity

Ever wondered how professional upholsterers work their magic on a piece of furniture to make it cool, stylish and most importantly… functional?

Have you often thought you would love to have a go at upholstery but have no idea where to start or the projects required? Start with us!

We’d be delighted to welcome you to any of our friendly and welcoming courses that are suitable for passionate beginners, right the way through to seasoned enthusiasts 👏

We have over 20 years of experience in delivering upholstery workshops and courses, as well as providing a full upholstery and soft furnishing service throughout the UK 👏

So stop wondering how? And take those first steps today 😉

Meet Sam 👋

Sam is currently working on her final project with us, a traditional armchair. In this photo she’s applying the first stuffing of hair to the back of her armchair. Hair is one of the best materials to be found in antique upholstery, and is usually a sign of a quality piece 👌🏼

This particular type of stuffing has a very springy feel, making it super comfortable and perfect for an armchair 🙌

Ok, it doesn’t feel much like Spring at the moment with all this rain, but this beautiful season is all about growth and renewal 🙌

And what better way to embrace the season than by embarking on a journey of learning and discovery? Our Friday upholstery club provides hands-on instruction, expert guidance and a supportive learning environment where you can expand your skills and unleash your creativity 👏

So, whether you’re a complete beginner or keeping your upholsterer’s hand in, bring a project, be creative and learn valuable skills with

Dates: 19th April-24th May, 9:30am-1:00pm 📔

Our new mailing has just been sent out today, click here to see what’s coming up and if you’d like to join our mailing list you can sign up on our website https://oxfordschoolofupholstery.com/

Friday Upholstery Club in Oxford, Book Now Come and transform your furniture and learn upholstery skills as you go along.

We hope you all had a lovely long Easter weekend, eating ALL the chocolate 🍫🐣

We’re excited for a busy week ahead in the workshop and can’t wait to see the progress being made on so many of our students designs 🙌