Saving Sofas and Creating Joy

Sustainability and the impact of waste are topics on the tips of everyone’s tongues nowadays, and that ties in with my mission as an upholsterer. 

That’s why I find it so satisfying when I get the opportunity to save a quality piece of furniture from becoming landfill fodder, and instead highlight its beauty through reupholstery.

And that’s exactly what I got to do with one of my recent projects. 

I was contacted by one of my Instagram followers who had a Wesley Barrell sofa, which are incredibly well-made.

They didn’t want it to be condemned to landfill, but at the same time they couldn’t find a buyer on Facebook marketplace.

So, they messaged me to ask whether I could find anyone who might be interested in having it reupholstered.

It was about fifteen years old and covered in a yellow fabric, but I decided to take on the challenge because of the expert craftsmanship of the sofa, as well as the fact it had huge potential for reupholstery.

 

 

I posted it on my social media and within an hour a client of mine messaged.

Nicky and I had previously worked together to reupholster an antique chair that she had inherited from her Mum, and for this she chose a stunning floral fabric.

Nicky was moving house and looking for a small, petite sofa and this Wesley Barrell sofa fitted the bill perfectly.

“I find it so satisfying when I get the opportunity to save a quality piece of furniture from becoming landfill fodder”

She had some concerns about the condition and comfort of the sofa, but I put her mind at ease as I knew this was a good sofa, you could call it upholsterer’s intuition. Good upholsterers can spot a good egg a mile off. 

Nothing had to be repaired, the only slight issue was that the legs were quite orange, as they had been sprayed with varnish in the factory.

To solve this, the legs were sanded down and stained a dark oak and they now match the legs of the antique chair that I reupholstered for her. 

 

 

For the fabric, my client chose a plain Ashley Wilde Saluzzo velvet, which is extremely popular at the moment, in an emerald green colour. 

This particular fabric has a really rich colour and it’s got a very high rub count, so it’s suitable for a lot of use, which is perfect for the client as she has a beautiful Labrador dog. 

The marl going through it also gives the fabric the appearance of texture and adds to the colour. A centre piping to the inside back was added, which I feel injected elegance to the shape. 

The result is a sofa that Nicky absolutely loves, it’s not one of your run-of-the-mill modern sofas, it has a really elegant curve on it and a refined shape.

 

 

I genuinely love projects like this; it’s almost as if I’m on a rescue mission when someone reaches out for help in finding a new home for their furniture. 

Then, seeing it transform into a beloved piece for someone else feels incredibly rewarding. I’m solving two problems at once – preventing waste and bringing joy simultaneously.

Do you have a sofa or chair that needs a little love to fulfil its potential, no matter what age or condition? Or do you have the perfect one, but it needs a little revamp, maybe the cushions have seen better days? Drop me a line for an initial, no-obligation quote by filling in the online contact form. Alternatively, you can email me directly at hello@test.vintiqueupholstery.com or call me on 07764 182 783.