Violet Mae: Upholstery

Isn’t she pretty? Vintage chaise upholstered in a peacock corduroy from . The color really allows your eye to appreciate the wood detail. It’s a really comfy fit perfect for reading and napping.

I feel grateful to collaborate with some of the best craftsman in the four corners. Jessie of has a meticulous eye and a deep dedication to the design and ex*****on of each piece he makes. You’re getting an heirloom piece that will last centuries. We upholstered the seat in a matte black leather from . Stop in his showroom at 1259 Main Ave suite A, it’s full of his handmade furniture.

You know what makes a wood bench better? Upholstery! We have a 2” leather seat attached to the frame with Velcro. The back is a 1” cushion with and nailed to the frame for a tight fit.

One more post because she’s just so pretty!

My daughter is getting her very first house at college and she was begging for a fully upholstered bed. I scored this bed frame at Habitat for Humanity (for $32) and went to work upholstering it. She requested green velvet and I added some top stitch channels on the head and foot board to dress it up. It only took 1 1/2” of foam for the head and footboard, the side rails only have Dacron. A little danish oil in the wood legs and she is ready to go!

If you have a wood bed that would be improved with fabric and foam, please reach out for an estimate.

So much work put into these two chairs. Many haphazard repairs to the springs and webbing. It was time to start over. Striped the chairs down to the frames, new webbing, retied the springs, all new foam… all new chair really. I’ve only upholstered one other channel back in my career, so I purchased an online class from Workroom Channel taught by Cynthia Bleskacheck. She has clear and easy directions to upholster a channel back chair, I highly recommend. Client is happy, we are happy.

A fresh makeover for a pair of Monteverdi-Young arm chairs. The vinyl wasn’t elevating these outstanding chairs but the new fabric is! The homeowner refinished the wood frame which plays well with the blue fabric. These chairs have been in use for over 60 years! The design is still fresh and the chair is so well built it will easily be in use for another 60+ years and beyond. By vintage!!!!

We did hard things today and ended in success! I’ve never had to template a restaurant booth like this before, I’m so happy my skills pulled this off!
Pic #1 foam on and sections marked
Pic #2 made a black practice cover to make sure we were doing it right.
Pic #3 the real cover sewn and installed. Yea!

We knocked out some dining room chairs on Monday. They were crusty and dusty, the foam had disintegrated. New 1” foam along with fabric from updates this mid century chairs.

I altered this cushion yesterday thinking it was for a camper. Turns out it’s actually a custom dog window seat! I think my sweet little dog customer is happy.

What was old is new again!

A pair of chairs from the 90’s. In amazing condition, solid frame, springs and foam… all it needed was new fabric. B1264 Granite. Sometimes it looks blue, sometimes it’s grey. All the same pair of chairs.

Why is upholstery magic? Customization… we can improve upon the previous style. The left side is the before, the cushion was too small and didn’t fit the curve of the arm. The after picture on the right shows the new seat cover fitting the curves of the arm perfectly. That’s why upholstery is magic, subtle changes that make a big difference.

A total rebuild and restyling of this round ottoman. The webbing was failing and the client wanted a more streamline look with a solid top and sides. This is what makes upholstery such a beneficial choice, you make the exact ottoman you want. We removed some of the foam from the top so it it was a little bit flatter, easier to place trays and prop feet on. I replaced the foam on the sides from 1” down to 1/4”, which visually streamlined the look. An art deco styled fabric from on the sides topped with a buttery faux leather from

More leather work on a family heirloom. The chair was used by the clients father as a child, now it will be used by his grandchildren. Originally the chair was covered in a deer skin hide, resourcefulness and affordability. Now it got a fancy upgrade with webbing, foam and a leather seat. I also made a top for a bench to match.

Here is the pair of handmade walnut chairs in their final resting spot. covers with an added stitched rib detail on the backs. 4” foam firm on the seat, soft on the back. commissions custom work, credenzas, chairs, tables.. he’s talented.

A big comfortable cushion for this window seat. It’s longer then a twin mattress… no wonder I was sweating getting it in the cover. These shades of green and blue are my absolute favorite, they play well with the rusty red of the stuffed animal and pillow. Fabric from with an added permanent stain guard for ease of use.

This was my last project of 2022, eight dining chairs. The webbing was sagging so I replaced all of the elastic webbing with firm synthetic webbing. All the pieces of these chairs are sewn into one solid cover that tightly slips on. Normally I would plow right into making new covers but I’m trying to evolve as a professional. I took an extra 3 hours to template the old covers and make a test cover to confirm fit. The test was a success so I moved forward with cutting the real fabric and assembling all 8 covers. There is a top stitch detail on all the seams. I was really pleased with how the turned out, the fit was snug and they looked fantastic. I was happy to end the year on a high note.

I have great gifts available for someone special. Functional and beautiful, that’s a good gift. I’m in the Smiley Building in the Art Room right off the cafe, space #1.

This heirloom is the comfiest rocking love seat I’ve ever sat in. It was stripped to the frame and rebuilt with all new internal webbing to support the back and arms. New foam and fabric from so this can live in the solarium without any fading.

The softest and most supple leather from . Brass nailhead details, caned back, floral accents.

Available for purchase in the Smiley Building.

Did you know I make custom cushions? Banquettes, window seats, read nooks… anywhere you have a long hard bench I can make a soft cushion to fit.

I have another Indonesian piece for you! A black textile from the clients stash with embroidered white pattern. This petite piece has really unique built in table arms. It reads Art Deco to me. What do you think?

These Indonesian chairs got a patchwork kantha upgrade. Faux leather piping accents the cushion shape while patterns clash in the best possible way. Happy Monday!

Something fun is almost done!

I’m eternally grateful for all the wonderful client friends I make throughout the years. The pieces I create are a gateway to meeting my special furniture people that see value in vintage. To me a comfortable, nurturing environment needs to have old mixed with new. masterfully mixes old with new, giving a new home soul and character. This mural from perfectly mixes with the vintage canned loveseat. She’s mixed some of her pillows with some of the pillows that came with the couch, putting her own spin on the piece. I just love it!

A couple weeks ago I spent 3 days training with . Trying to gleam every last bit of Rhonda’s knowledge on leather. offers many upholstery classes throughout the year from beginners to professionals and she has students coming from all over the country. Check out her website for upcoming dates in the new year.
This little beauty of a chair was a manageable challenge for our three days of training. I showed up with all the old fabric and stuffing removed, the rubber webbing base replaced and the wood refreshed. I had a bag of fabric to complement the leather hide that was provided by . The complicated twists and turns the cushion makes around the arm posts and back supports created a nice opportunity to gain the technical finesse needed when working with leather. Rhonda is a natural teacher, she’s warm and accommodating, patient and very generous with her knowledge. Having three days to ask every last question, gleam professional resources, check out how she organizes her space and have fun! I also got to use her decorative nail gun (I have one on the way now). This chair is back to new and for sale . It’s in the smiley building in the artist co-op right off the cafe, I’m space #1.

My client home is my happy spot. Teeming with color, filled with texture, meaning, memories and stories. She’s has an impressive collection of textiles ripe for the using. Her barstools are the right height with a beautiful shape and finish but they aren’t comfortable. I added a 1” firm piece of foam and selected different sections from the textile to create an eclectic mix of stools. Comfortable, creative, custom just the way I like furniture ❤️.

Custom cushions for a kitchen seating nook in a gorgeous new custom home. We worked with the client to make sure the wood benches were built to the correct height to accommodate a 4” cushion. When I sit on the bench my feet sit perfectly flat on the ground (win!). performance fabric from mixes an incredibly luxurious hand with the permanent stain guard, making the fabric very user friendly.

Scroll through the pictures to see the fabric pattern up close… it’s really fabulous. Black piping accenting the curves with the black and white diamond pattern fabric. A modern update to this pair.