Classic Sofa Reupholstery

We reupholstered this sofa recently in this lovely dusk blue fine chenille by Fabricut. The client has an active, young family and the piece had gotten quite a bit of use in the last few years. We brought it back to life with new cushions and nail head detail, besides the general reupholstery.

Another thoughtful detail was securing the seat cushions to the base, thereby [hopefully] alleviating the annoyance of cushions moving forward and constantly needing to be pushed back in (don't you hate that?)

It really is a comfortable and beautiful sofa that the family is sure to enjoy for many more years!

Coconut Chair

We finished this chair some time ago, but I just noticed it again going through our photo archives and wanted to share. The Coconut Chair by George Nelson is a very fun play on creativity and design - it really does look like a section of a coconut! Initially introduced in 1955, it is still in production, being sold through Herman Miller. The Coconut Chair is padded with a one-piece foam cushion that sits nestled in a simple plastic shell, which is very lightweight and sturdy. The base is steel - offering stability and durability. A great classic chair to curl up in!

Vladimir Kagan Swanback Sofa

We just reupholstered a Vladimir Kagan sofa for a good client and friend of Classic Design. This is the Swanback Sofa, which is part of the Vladimir Kagan Couture collection. Couture pieces are a selection of Vladimir Kagan’s timeless popular designs from the past 60 years, and were first introduced in Milan in 1999.

Kagan sofas are recognized for their ‘flowing lines and sweeping curves’, both of which are evident in the Swanback Sofa. We reupholstered it in a chenille by Pollack, in a Sandstone color. The stainless blackened steel base is gorgeous. One can easily see that these sofas become prized possessions, and we were honored to reupholster this beautiful classic piece.

Custom Bridgewater Club Chairs

We recently finished these two custom Bridgewater style club chairs. Club chairs became popular in the 19th century and were a popular seating option. Designed with a low back and ample seat, they were mainly seen in gentlemen's clubs in England and considered to combine elements of both comfort and style.

Initially created to accommodate the male frame, they were simple and comfortable. Club chairs are still very popular and are often made with a Bridgewater arm, as seen here, which is an English rolled arm.

The arms are balanced with the skirt, and pleats, which slightly soften the look of the piece. These are substantial pieces, and quite comfortable with their down seats and tight back.

A matching ottoman ties both chairs together. They were upholstered in a black & white dot chenille by Kravet.

Before & After: Chaise de Malade

This Chaise de Malade, also known as Fauteuil Malade, was made in the 17th century and used mainly as a 'sick chair'. Almost like a barcalounger, or Laz-e-boy, it reclined to allow physicians of that period to thoroughly examine their patients. This particular chair is made of walnut, and while the back feet have been restored and the wood replaced prior to our receiving and reupholstering the piece, it is an amazing example of a Louis XIV period chair. Here are some photos of its' restoration & subsequent reupholstery:

It was ultimately upholstered in a simple natural linen, with nail heads, because a piece like this needs nothing to take the eye away from the amazing lines and history that it will bring to the room.

The reclining mechanism, although slightly archaic, is still usable.

We also reupholstered a second Fauteuil Malade for the same client. This chair was not as old, from the 19th century, but still a beautiful chair with wonderful age.

We covered this chair in Hunter Coal by De la Cuona, and the subtle stripes of the fabric seem perfect with the exposed wood of this old piece.

There's going to be a big website update with a lot of new restoration and reupholstery pieces - be sure to check it out!

Before & After: La Fonda chair

A couple of months ago, I shared a Alexander Girard office chair that we reupholstered in cashmere, leather and cowhide hair. The same client had us restore & reupholster a set of 12 La Fonda chairs, to be used as dining room seating, in the same upholstery. The client has been collecting La Fonda chairs from every known source to acquire enough for his dining room and as they are difficult to find, this process has taken a while!

The La Fonda chair was designed by the Eames office as a special commission for the La Fonda del Sol restaurant in New York City in 1961. Alexander Girard designed the restaurant, as well as a good deal of the interior decor, and requested that the backs of the dining chairs not protrude above the table tops.

Before

This is a classic chair, but not without its' challenges. The foam is completely molded in soft curves and the fabric is tightly upholstered, like a second skin, to the piece.

The exterior fabric (cowhide hair) has to be upholstered around the shock mounts with care so the hair direction stays consistent.

The bases, originally cast aluminum, were all updated with a bronze finish.

after

These are spectacular chairs, and will look outstanding in our clients' modern dining room.

MR Chaise Lounge by Mies van der Rohe

We just finished reupholstering this fantastic chaise this morning. The MR Chaise Lounge was designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1927 and was inspired by Marcel Breuer's use of tubular steel and the lines of tubular iron rockers designed in Europe in mid-19th century. van der Rohe incorporated this new material and technology in the use of the cantilever principle.

When it came to our workshop, it was covered with an old, faded canvas cover (seen to the left of the Eames chair in this recent photo) that did not do the piece justice at all. (frame alone shown below)

We recovered it in a beautiful gray leather made to the exact specifications of the designers' original. This chaise was awarded the Museum of Modern Art Award in 1977 and the Design Center Stuttgart Award in 1978, and is still in production through Knoll.

Eames Chair restorations and repairs

The Eames Lounge chair & ottoman was designed by Charles & Ray Eames in 1956 for the Herman Miller furniture company. The first chair that Eames designed for the high-end market, it is made of molded plywood and leather and is part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.

These pieces are often prized possessions and if taken care of properly, will last decades. However, even with care, these beautiful chairs & ottomans require a tune-up. The restoration, repair & reupholstery of Eames chairs & ottoman is one of our specialties, and something our workshop is constantly involved in.

After posting some of our Womb Chair restorations and repairs, I thought I'd share some of the amazing transformations we've done for our clients with Eames chair restorations & repairs.

Here are some photos of Eames chairs when they come into our workshop, in desperate need of TLC!

A complete restoration of a Herman Miller Lounge Chair & Ottoman usually involves replacing the rubber shock mounts, refinishing the wood panels and refinishing & polishing the chrome metal bases. Depending on the condition of the leather, we reupholster the piece using leather that is exactly like the leather used in the original Eames lounge chairs, as well as replacing the interior cushions and outside zippers. It's a lot of work, it takes a while to do (good thing we love what we do!), but the results are spectacular.

Are you wondering if your Eames chair is real or fake? If so, take a look at this post to determine the authenticity of your chair. If your chair is in need of restoration or repair, Classic Design is here to help! Give us a call at 310-324-1600.

Beautiful Womb Chair restorations & reupholstery

We love getting chairs delivered to our workshop in complete disrepair. Usually by the time we are called, a piece has been used, loved, and sometimes abused for a while before the owner decides to restore it. Sometimes the piece has been inherited, sometimes acquired at auction and even sometimes (although rare) scored at a thrift store or garage sale. It is always worth having a chair restored, because these pieces are made to span the years and are always in style. This is what they usually look like when we receive them:

And after...

We typically recommend using Kvadrat Hallingdal on the Womb Chair, which is what the above chair has been reupholstered in. It comes in a variety of colors, many of which are period perfect for these mid-century modern chairs, and doesn't compete with the chrome. Here is another recent Womb Chair reupholstery:

Beautiful, isn't it? Inviting, no? All in a days' work here at Classic Design!

Classic Design makes accessories too!

One of the nice things about having a full service workshop, woodshop, upholstery and drapery department at our facility is that we can make almost anything our clients ask for! No request is ever too small! We recently finished 40 of these small key chains, 10 in each of the different styles. The one on the left is stitched, while the other three are thicker belt leather. The second from the right has a dyed edge, and the far right has been completely dyed.

We have also been making a good deal of these beautiful notepads.

They have a slot for a pad of paper and pen, and are 6.25" x 7.5". Of course they can be made in any size and we have a gorgeous array of leather samples to choose from. 

If you have a need for small leather goods for yourself,  your company or a client, please don't hesitate to contact us for a quote - visit our website for more information!