One of our favourite aspects of Interior Design is the magic created by bringing back to life an old piece of furniture. In many of our projects our clients have pieces of antique furniture that have been well loved and are in need of some help in getting them back to their best. Here at WOOLF Interior Architecture & Design we have many contacts in the Upholstery and French Polishing business that can work an absolute wonder with a piece of furniture in need of restoration expertise. Explore bespoke design & upholstery by WOOLF

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Sometimes a piece of furniture no longer matches the room décor or has been worn out and a new cover can breathe new life into the original piece of furniture. Other pieces of furniture may need a new cushion or seat pad, this can also be replaced allowing the original piece of furniture to remain in the family or physical space. As subject matter experts in the field of Interior Design, we consider upholstery across the following areas :

Curtains and blinds to fit with new décor
Bespoke furniture to fit such as a banquette or fitted head board
Reupholstering furniture to fit new décor plan
Reviving a vintage piece or design classic
Reviving an antique or vintage piece
New seat pads / cushions to fit new décor plan
Fixing the structure of a special piece of furniture
Polishing out cracks / damage to antique furniture
A plethora of lampshade designs and shapes

Headboard & Soft Furnshings by WOOLF — Headboard & Soft Furnishings by WOOLF

Heritage & Investment Pieces - A Narrative

There is something so inspiring about reviving a piece of furniture with either a new fabric or by bring life back into furniture with modern textiles and materials and giving it an extended lease of life. Certainly re-upholstery chimes with the notion of upcycling and recycling of the old into the new. As Interior Designers in Bath and London, we advocate the movement towards a more conscious culture of lifestyle and strongly believe in the provenance of materials. We like to ensure that every component is a sustainable and natural resource, always aiming to create heritage or investment pieces with a narrative. Pieces that can be recovered and loved by generations of unparalleled quality with a legacy that stands the test of time.

Craftsmanship and sustainable design are the corner stones of our Interior Design practice and we look for design partners who share our ethos. We always aim to support traditional artisans and skill sets that are ever increasingly being sidelined for cheaper methods of production. We are passionate in the belief that the internal materials and construction of pieces are as integral and beautiful in fabrication as the outside of the finished product. We love to source, design and rework pieces from 18th century and later furniture movements; based upon classical constructions, theories and proportions to create timeless heritage pieces built with love, to last. Explore bespoke design & upholstery by WOOLF

The History of Vintage / Antique Furniture

Vintage / antique furniture is worth preserving from a holistic perspective. When you review all the resources that come together to allow a furniture maker / upholsterer to make a great piece it is clear it is a complex and skilled process; the trees that the timbers have originated from, the mills that the fabrics have been woven in, the dyes that have been mixed to provide colour and texture, the silk worms who produced the silks, the textiles that have grown in the cotton fields and the livestock that leathers and trims have been derived from. At WOOLF Interior Architecture & Design we have always looked at alternatives to livestock based products; there are so many fantastic faux leathers and sustainably made products that we can work with that the whole process can inspire our design process and look amazing.

Specialist French Polishing & Surface Restoration Techniques

An upholsterer has often undertaken rigorous training and has gained experience and skill in the studio. The Traditional Upholstery School based near Bath, for example, is one of only a handful of centers approved by the Association of Master Upholsterers and Soft Furnishers. The AMUSF has been responsible for promoting and maintaining the skills and heritage of the British Upholstery Industry for more than 70 years. Some specialist French polishing and surface restoration techniques we have worked with over the years include :

Headboard Design & Upholstery by Ensemblier London

Traditional French Polishing
Staining and colour matching
Cleaning and reviving of existing finishes
Stripping and polishing to match original finishes
Traditional liming
Touching in / removing scratches by hand
Lacquering by hand
Distressing
Grain Filling
Contemporary Spray Finishes
Building maintenance on all wood items
Specialist Surface Repair
Bar top stripping and re-finishing
Fire retardant finishes
Specialist one off colours
Specialist Waxing and Oiling
Alcohol resistant finishes
Water resistant finishes

Craftsmanship & Sustainable Design Ethos

We strongly feel that furniture should be built to last, be recovered, mended and altered for a new generation rather than discarded and thrown away. We therefore always try to work with the very best materials and master craftsmen. Every piece should tell a story from conception, to installation. In our own bespoke design work we create unique pieces made to order, not only do these items then fit the space perfectly but they leave a legacy for future generations. Our Interiors are all individually designed schemes. We work with the very best suppliers and the most skilled crafts people ensuring as a team we provide the exacting standards of execution and delivery in producing our unique finishes, bespoke joinery and furniture designs. Explore bespoke design & upholstery by WOOLF

An intriguing aspect of Upholstery is the notion of period upgrades or modern interpretation of a historic piece. When you watch a skilled Upholsterer in action you realise that the skilled craft has barely changed throughout the centuries, even though many of the fabrics and materials have modernised. If not executed with experience and precision the outcome can be disappointing. A great Upholsterer or Furniture Restorer will understand the feel and nuances of a piece and will make a piece look fabulous. Explore bespoke design & upholstery by WOOLF

It can be an amazingly satisfying skill to try out Upholstery and Furniture Restoration yourself…… We love the magic so much, one our team had a go herself and reupholstered a foot stool. We were very proud of the results….