Llanspyddid, Powys - Bus Stop Chair

Here's a chair I fished out of a skip, now available for travellers at a bus stop on the A40 half way between Llanspyddid and the Cwm Camlais turnoff.

I painted the chair and covered it in a nylon offcut from a 1970's curtain.

I added this grotesque character to offset the rather 'Auntie Norah' upholstery.

Organic Wool Wales Project

I was asked to contribute to the Organic Wool Wales Project and decided to re-upholster a 1960's mini-chair. Here's a daft little film of the chair from start to finish:

 

The woolen fabric is not strictly upholstery weight, but worked very well on this little chair.

The chair will be on show at the Wonder Wool Wales show in Builth Wells later this month.

1930's recliner chair

A 1930's recliner chair (or steamer chair as they're also called) re-upholstered in an Ercol fabric.

Well smart.

This was a commission.

Victorian Armchair

A Victorian armchair re-upholstered in silver velvet.

A traditional horse-hair and hessian restoration of a Victorian chair that a customer rescued from a skip. It was in a sorry state but not any more.

Traditional upholstery takes ages but I love doing it so I always price low to get these type of jobs - I could do one of these for you for under £400, can't be bad.

This was a commission.

Bird Hide Benches

A local bird hide with very rough-topped benches is now considerably more comfortable by these deep-buttoned pads covered in a 1970's floral linen.

So bird enthusiasts in Talyllychau won't get sore backsides when looking out over the lake for smew or whooper swans (you'd have to wait a long time to see either).

I made the pads up before installing.

And fixed them with screws.

I was accompanied by a photographer for Pretty Nostalgic magazine who were doing an article on my exploits that you can buy here. Thanks to Rae Edwards and Pretty Nostalgic for use of these photos.

Bus Stop Bench

When do two chairs become a bench? When you bolt them together of course.

This bench is now available to bus travellers on the A40 at Trecastell, Powys.

I extricated these two chairs from a skip and connected them with a couple of pieces from a broken easel. I re-upholstered the ruined seats with waste stuffings and covered them in a 1970's fabric offcut.

I added a plastic Cowboy and Indian in conflict because that's the sort of person I am.

Oh, and I've taken to dressing as a gorilla for my exploits because that's also the sort of person I am.

Bus Stop Chair

Here's another chair from the rubbish tip that's now available for weary travellers to take a seat.

It's now on the A476 near Carmel, Carmarthenshire.

The chair is now covered in a garish print and hosts a chubby plastic Churchill/Admiral thing on the leg.

And why not?

Mahogany Carver Chair

A mahogany dining chair covered in William Morris fabric by Liberty.

This chair is actually covered in one of the customer's old curtains. The fabric is far from upholstery weight but I really don't think it matters on an over-stuffed chair because after re-upholstery it's drum-tight and nothing's going to give. By the time the fabric wears out (10-15 years?) they'll be looking forward to something new anyway, and the upholstery should last 50 years so the next job will be cheap.

I 'm not sure how old the chair is, it's hard to identify (if anyone knows, please leave a comment), but it really suits this fabric don't you think?

This was a commission.

Edwardian Armchair

An Edwardian (or possibly late Victorian) open armchair covered in Stuart Renaissance Textiles ‘Rose & Pansy’ design wool, adapted from a Turkey-work chair cover, circa 1610.

 A couple came in with their own fabric which is an astonishing re-make of a 1600's design. I thought it might be too busy for this chair (that has been in the family over a hundred years) but it is such high quality I was keen to work with it. I was wrong, it sits extremely well.

It's not a geometric pattern so nothing lines up accurately, but I didn't realise this for ages. I got quite stressed with it until the penny dropped that it isn't supposed to line up. Now I'm very happy with it and so is the customer.

This was a full restoration with traditional horse-hair and hessian. It takes ages but I love doing it.

Gingham Check Chair

Here's a slender little chair in a proud gingham check.

A customer brought this in with two broken side stretchers and asked if I thought there was any chance to save it - some glue, some dowels and a few screws later and, although delicate, this family heirloom is in full working order. She determined not to let any 'big blokes' near it. I think this is for the best.

I did really enjoy how the upholstery nails fitted exactly into the white squares.

Stripes

Six dining chairs for a customer who certainly likes stripes.

I've now done ten chairs and two cushions for her in this fabric and we both agree that's probably enough.

1960's Tub Armchair

I've been waiting to get my hands on this 1960's tub armchair from a friend for some time. It was in a fairly sorry state sitting at the top of her stairs and I knew it would look terrific re-upholstered in Bute wool.

So I twisted her arm to let me at it.

Now covered in a superb orange tweed, handmade on the Isle of Bute. Even if I say so myself, it is an absolute peach.

This was a commission.

Hand Printed Dining Chairs

A set of four Danish dining chairs covered in hand-printed fabrics by Rhian McLaren

Rhian is a recent fashion/design graduate and this is her first range of hand-printed fabrics. I liked the prints enough to work for nothing on these and help her build a portfolio.

Although mainly for her portfolio, these chairs are for sale. Contact me for details or further info on Rhian's designs.

Armchair in Silk Damask

A very laid-back Edwardian armchair that came to me in very wobbly condition, now covered in a very expensive Sanderson silk damask. This was a commission.

Odds and Ends

I've been too busy to update the website recently, mainly because just like DFS, I have to deliver everything before Christmas. Here are a few of the small projects I managed to photograph during the Maelstrom. Funny how at Christmas everyone needs an extra dining chair.

Regency Dining Chairs

 

Three reproduction Regency over-stuffed mahogany dining chairs fully re-upholstered and covered in Sanderson Taormina Sage velvet.

 

 

These were originally fixed with upholstery nails but I thought it made them look heavy so I used a scroll braid, I think it looks far more elegant.

 

 

They say elegance never goes out of style, and all things considered, they're probably right, whoever they are.

 

These were a commission. As a guidline I can usually do over-stuffed chairs for around £100 each.

Lloyd Loom Ottoman

1950's Lloyd Loom Blanket Box re-painted and re-upholstered in 1970's M&S fabric.

Would look spectacular at the end of your bed, and look, there's loads of room in it.

It's an original LL too, so worth a bob or two.

£120 to you, can't be bad.

Pembrokeshire Bus Stop Chair (yes another one)

I passed this bus stop on the A40 at Wolf's Castle on my way to Fishguard recently and thought I'd better give these good people somewhere to sit.

I bet it feels like a long way down that path to the bus when it's raining.

My wife found this chair (along with two others) by the side of the road in Llan-non so I thought it appropriate to cover the seat in a damaged canvas from one of her paintings. As it's acryllic paint, it's a great covering, much like vinyl.

 

 

I added a great little spaceman too because I just couldn't resist it.

 



Train Station Cushion

The bench seat at Cynghordy Railway Station was looking a little rusty and sharp-edged so I thought I'd soften it a little with some cushions. The trains are often late and you wouldn't want to spend half an hour sitting on that. Now it'll be more comfortable.

I measured up first and marked where to add the cushion ties to secure to the bench.

There are three cushions made from offcuts from recent upholstery projects and stuffed with sliced-up foam from some old cushions I had to replace for another chair. Here are the cushions on my workbench.

 

 

I chose colours that I thought would complement the bench and shelter - these things matter don't you know?