Better to reupholster leather or buy new?

If your leather looks like this, you probably need some help.

Last time we talked about the formula on figuring out how many leather hides to buy if you are reupholstering. But here's a question - is it better to buy leather furniture or reupholster?  Well it depends on what it is and how meaningful the furniture is to you. If you are buying hides for a lounge suite, that's going to be pricey and then there is the labour involved of getting your upholsterer to complete the project. You can purchase a leather alternative which look very close to the real thing, but will also bring your costs down. But often you may find that even though leather lasts a very long time, it may be better to purchase new. However, if the the furniture is meaningful to you in some way (check out this post) then reupholstering it may be the best thing for your furniture. 

Restore or Buy New Furniture?

Are you debating about whether to restore a piece of furniture or buy something new? Well here's a little help in determining if it's worth the time and effort in restoring a piece

Have you 'Invested' in the piece?

When you originally acquired the piece in question did you just 'nip down to the shop' to buy it? Or is there more to it than that? Is it a family heirloom? Did you commission it to be made? Is their sentimental value involved? 

Success Vs Failure: It's in the details.

So you've had a piece upholstered - either you've done it yourself or you've had a professional do it. Well it's not quite right and you don't think it's been a screaming success. Do you know what the problem is?

It is likely the the problem lies in the details. The devil really is in the details when it come to upholstery.  Here's some areas that may have needed some more attention:

Wrong type of fabric for piece - Was the fabric the right choice? Did you decide to use a fairly lightweight fabric when what was needed was a durable fabric that would withstand a lot of wear and tear? Just because a fabric looks good, doesn't mean that it will automatically work on your piece of furniture. This is especially true in a business setting, because you know durability and maintenance are what should be your priorities.

Reupholster or a Slipcover?

Not a good slipcover candidate

I'm sure you've asked yourself which is the better option at some point. Each option has it's benefits, and it depends on what you are trying to achieve with your furniture.

When a piece of furniture is reupholstered it will be stripped back inspected and any parts will be replaced (such as springs). Then new fabric is sewn to create the cover and cushions. The end result is a tailored, professional 'new' piece of furniture. We can also even make a few changes to the style of cushions and padding on the arms to make it look like a new piece.

Buying Vintage Furniture

Choosing vintage furniture is a good move, it's usually solidly made, it reduces your impact on the environment and can give your home a point of difference, but how do you choose wisely?

A 1950's piece.

First of all vintage furniture is not antique furniture, it's between 30-100 years old so that would be anywhere from 1913-1983. Most people when buying vintage furniture tend to look at the 1950's-1960's but remember the scope is much larger than this. If you are looking at buying a piece because you want to reflect that era, then make sure that the piece (or pieces) are of a classic shape and design. It would be a bit pointless to buy furniture that although was made at the right time, looks like it was made 20 years earlier or later.

For example if you are looking at a piece made in the 1930's it should have an Art Deco look, and may have lacquered wood. 1950's Mid Century pieces often were made with brightly coloured fabric, and chrome tables were also very popular at this time.

An Art Deco seat.

So when you come across a great looking piece at your local garage sale, what do you look for? Make sure it is well made! Trying it out before you pay money for it is a smart move. Feel if the legs are sturdy, if the back is wobbly or if there is any sagging in the seat. Keep in mind that if the bones are good, you can always get it reupholstered to bring a tired piece back to life. Tired looking pieces are usually pried accordingly so it's often a great way to to not only get the right look but also have it fit with your surroundings.

When you purchase from a vintage dealer, you will be paying more, but this is because they often have restored the piece first and they have chosen furniture that is likely to be in better condition than you local op shop.

Here is a great video from a woman who runs a vintage furniture shop in Austin, Texas.

Have you purchased a good piece of vintage furniture? Did you leave it as is, or did you have it reupholstered?

How Big is it Really?

You're considering buying a piece of furniture, it's the perfect colour, it's the perfect shape, it would look great in the room, but will it fit? 

It happens to a lot of us; we we see a piece of furniture sitting in someone's house, or on a showroom floor and it doesn't seem so big, and then you bring it into your own house and what do you know, it's much bigger than you really thought. That plush upholstered couch takes up a 1/3 or your living space, and lets not talk about the fight it was to get it in the front door?

So where do you start?

Source

A few Upholstery Terms

If  you are not an upholsterer, there is a whole new language for you to learn. I thought I would choose 10 terms and educate you a little: