The upholstery on this chair has some sun fading and a lot of ground-in short dog hair along with a not very pleasant doggy odor.
I took the covers off and sent them to the cleaners but there wasn't much improvement with the hair and scent. I'm now thinking that I should get the cushions replaced or recovered.
Does anyone have an idea of how much this would cost using mid-range fabric? Any suggested businesses in the Bay Area?
This is very basic upholstery...
This is very basic upholstery. I've always done this kind of thing myself so I can't help you on pricing, but it's a very easy job so shouldn't cost a lot.
It also will not take more than four yards of fabric including for the welt. If you want a wider choice of fabrics than you'll find at most upholstery shops, check Ebay. I've gotten very high end fabrics from Maharam, Unika Vaev, Kravet, etc., for less than what low-end fabrics cost in shops.
You can also get latex foam cut to order from foamorder.com. Latex is better than polyfoam and is what was used in these chairs originally.
If you want to spend the time, you could get the foam and fabric on your own and just get a seamstress to make the cushion covers.
bit of advice
Guard the fact that the cushions are for a Mid Century chair. If you take the whole chair into an upholstery shop they will charge you a lot. If you take the cushions to a seamstress and tell her they're for your old aunts favorite barcalounger it won't be as much 🙂
I also have a Selig chair...
I also have a Selig chair and ottoman whose cushions need to be reupholstered--but I live in Mississippi, so I want to mail them somewhere to be reupholstered. Any suggestions for that kind of service?
Or maybe this job is so simple I don't need to have the cushions reupholstered by a mid-century specialist? Just buy the Maharam fabric...?
The cushions are currently covered in a kind of salmon velour, btw. 🙁
Brent you do not need to send...
Brent you do not need to send them out at all. I used a guy who lives near Crystal Springs. He's a weird old fart with a long gray beard. Up until recently he didn't even have a phone. I would just drive out there and drop stuff off in his barn. No I am not kidding.
But he lives there with his 90 something father who was also a master upholsterer who taught him everything he knows. This guy is a badass, I'm telling you. He has reupholstered midcentury pieces for me for years, and for insanely cheap. Almost to the point where I feel bad, but he has never accepted a tip, even with me begging him. He reupholstered my Eames sofa for only $250!!!! With my fabric of course. This included a perfect refoam. It looks factory. He is something else.
His name is Steve Welch. 601.892.4113
Please don't be put off by his demeanor. He is really timid and quiet. He lives with his father (actually he might have passed) and his daughter and grand kids. They are very simple, but very kind people. He could do your project with his eyes closed and with one hand. I can't brag on him enough! I've had three sofas and one chair done by him, all midcentury and extremely clean lined. The Eames 3473 sofa, which was the reupholster and refoam for $250, was in his words the "hardest piece he'd done in his 28 years of reupholstery." Said he'd never do it again if I decided I wanted a different color! But he nailed it.
No problem Brent, you will no...
No problem Brent, you will not be disappointed. Please post the results when he's done!!!
And please tell him Jakob Clark says hello. I think he'll remember my name.... I've used him for a long time. I think very highly of the fellow on a personal level. You can tell he is a troubled soul and a deep thinker. I've always wished he's open up a shop in town and charge what he's worth, but I think he just likes to keep it simple.
All MCM specialists charge a...
All MCM specialists charge a lot. But, a true master upholsterer should be able to handle most anything you throw at them. Unfortunately the years of overstuffed crap have become made the craft lax. When you think about it, much of the good antique stuff was tightly seamed, and sometimes with more detail.
Refinishing in Bay Area
Yes, we just stumbled upon one of the best secrets in Emeryville. Klassiks By Lynne on 67th specializes in Danish Modern, AND they do refinishing and upholstery. They have an enourmous selection of new old stock fabrics, or can do any number of modern fabrics from various sources like Knoll.
http://www.klassikbylynne.com/
Good luck!
-Mark F.
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