French Provincial Upholstery Restoration

Pairs of antique chairs are so nice.
It's been at least 50 years in service since any attention has been brought to them. The chair frames are very sturdy, there is no tightening up needed at all except for the broken Crown on one.

After removing at least two layers of Staples and tax it is clear that firmer springs are needed and to totally restore the spring base units.

Note the dark oxidization of the wood on the inside frame.

That's a sure sign that these sure have a lot of age.

The wood cleaned up well with Howard's Restore a finish.

Tight bond hide is the best wood glue I know of. Generously Applied to the joints and clamped up well for a couple days should do the trick.

A set of new 7 inch coil springs Will make a big difference.

Keeping the studio neat and clean throughout the restoration process makes for a proper job.

The inside back is a challenge with a 1/2 inch staple area around the edges.

Fresh tailored Cotton sure helps for a clean look.

The arm tops originally had straw. These chairs are so old the straw Broke down and I rebuilt them with horsehair.

They tied up nice and tight.

With new edge roll all the way around with the front one hand stitched in.

I'd say these chairs are a couple hundred years old, Horse hair is amazing as it is in the exact same shape as it was originally installed on the bases so long ago.

Then a Full coat of cotton and White linings to set all the stuffings in place.

Many upholsterers would run the camp around the inside of all four of the frame posts.

All these cuts came out nice and clean.

Finding a good supplier of gimp trim has been hard over the years. I took the extra time to get the proper French gimp for this pair.

This pair is now ready to serve.
200 years in service and still going strong.
That probably won't be said with any box store furniture bought nowadays.

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Mayhew /Milwaukee settee

This American made settee was created in America quite a while ago.

Whomever designed this piece sure was a European upholsterer.

Any piece with European design is always an extra challenge.

Mayhew Milwaukee tag on upper back leg.

 Lots of springs in this base.

There is two coats of ties on this spring unit, I added another one.

 Fresh traditional burlap above the springs.

 All the horse hair retained & reset with care.

 Looking across the front nosing.

Arm tops tailored cotton stuffings.

 Important intersections.

 Crisp and strait as possible.

 The outsides backed and lined with natural cotton.

 I sure was off on the amount of labor needed to get this special piece ready for service.

88 buttons in the horsehair seat cushion.

 A thinnest coat possible in freshening up the stuffings in the cushion.

 Extra buttons just behind the zipper slide.

 Ready for service.

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Practical Upholstery

The #1 blog in all of blogdom

for North American Upholstery shops.

Traditional Flame Stitch Fabric

It's been a while since I have a upholstered a traditional overstuffed chair. This one was recently restored I'm guessing 25 years ago. There won't be much restoration work on this one.

The flame stitch design has been around for probably 150 years. Back 20 years ago I used to work up a lot of it. There is quite a bit of tailoring to get this put up correctly.

 This matching ottoman that goes with the chair has great design, with coil Springs and natural stuffings.

 With a 3 inch belting that wraps around the base sure helps to flare up the fabric design.

 And of course, mirror cut arm fronts left and right.

Below shows the top of the seat cushion, matching with the belting of the seat cushion, matching with the front of the nosing on the deck, matching the lower belting on the frame.

 Below shows the outside arms in the outside back tailor set together.

 The top of belting for the inside back matched and centered.

 Nice soft multi colored gimp that matches the colors of the flames stitch, topped off with antique decorative tacks.

 All the exposed wood was freshened up with Howard's restore a finish.

A  point was made not to remove all the nice patina that has been accumulated over the decades.

This piece probably close to 100 years old or more, now has some Great traditional fabric that has stood the test of time.

 This chair with the matching ottoman sure would make a great daily chair.

 Arm covers and a throw for the Ottoman, will double the Service life of the fabric.

(not shown)

Thanks for looking here!

Practical upholstery

The number one blog

In all of blogdom

for North American upholstery shops!