Upholstery Services in London

Upholstery Services in London: A Timeless Craft with a Vibrant Modernity

Upholstery Services in London has been practiced for centuries, and the city has long been a hub of this skilled craft. From grand antique restorations to contemporary bespoke creations, London’s upholstery scene is as diverse as the city itself.

A Rich Heritage of Upholstery in London

Upholstery in London has its roots in the Middle Ages, with skilled craftsmen working for the nobility and wealthy merchants. These early upholsterers were responsible for creating elaborately decorated furniture, often featuring intricate stitching, embroidery, and inlays.

As London grew into a commercial and cultural hub during the 17th and 18th centuries, upholstery flourished. The city’s furniture makers and upholsterers gained international renown for their craftsmanship, producing pieces that were both fashionable and functional.

The Victorian Era: A Golden Age of Upholstery

The Victorian era saw a surge in demand for upholstery, as the middle class grew and people had more disposable income to spend on their homes. Upholsterers responded by creating innovative designs that reflected the Victorian taste for opulence and extravagance.

This period also saw the introduction of new upholstery techniques, such as sprung seating and the use of elaborate tassels and braiding. London’s upholstery workshops were at the forefront of these developments, producing some of the most luxurious and elaborately decorated furniture of the time.

The 20th Century: Upholstered Furniture for a Modern World

As the 20th century progressed, upholstery continued to evolve to meet the changing needs and tastes of consumers. New materials and technologies were introduced, allowing upholsterers to create lighter, more comfortable furniture that was also more affordable.

The mid-century modern movement had a significant impact on upholstery, with designers favoring clean lines, geometric shapes, and natural materials. London’s upholstery scene embraced these new trends, producing stylish and functional furniture that remains popular today.

Modern Upholstery in London: A Fusion of Tradition and Innovation

Today, London’s upholstery scene is thriving, with a wide range of skilled craftsmen and designers working to create both traditional and contemporary pieces. Upholsterers are constantly experimenting with new materials and techniques, while still respecting the time-honored techniques of the past.

The Importance of Upholstery in London’s Interior Design

Upholstery plays a vital role in London’s interior design scene, adding comfort, style, and personality to homes and businesses. From bespoke sofas and armchairs to curtains and blinds, London’s upholstery craftsmen create pieces that are both visually stunning and functional.

Upholstery: A Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Choice

Upholstery is also an increasingly sustainable and eco-friendly choice. Many London upholsterers specialize in repairing and reupholstering antique furniture, giving new life to pieces that would otherwise be discarded.

In addition, London’s upholstery scene is increasingly using sustainable materials, such as organic cotton and recycled fabrics. These materials are not only better for the environment but also provide a more luxurious and tactile experience.

Upholstery in London: A Craft with a Future

As London continues to evolve as a global city, so too does its upholstery scene. London’s upholsterers are at the forefront of innovation, creating pieces that are both beautiful and sustainable.

With a rich heritage, a vibrant modern scene, and a commitment to sustainability, upholstery in London is a craft with a bright future.

For more information on Upholstery in London contact Hill Upholstery.

Furniture Trends for 2023

The team at Hill Upholstery & Design like to keep ahead of the game so we can advise our clients on the furniture trends and must have styles for the homes and businesses.

We have already been looking ahead to what is expected to be popular next year and wanted to share some of our findings with you. The following article was published on trendbible.com and highlights some of the furniture design trends you can expect to see in 2023…

Fluid & Curved
For Autumn Winter 2023 householders will relish the experience of opening up their homes again and celebrating being close to loved ones. For furniture designers, focus on products that can help support intimate moments, extra long, curved and fluid style seating helps to create cosy spaces for friends and family to relax, eat and work together.
Take a look at this stunning curved custom made sofa we created for a client in London – Custom Made Sofa, London

Rebooted Classics
Forecast in our Autumn Winter 2023/24 trend, Modern Renaissance; graceful architectural aspects, such as intricate curves, cylindrical shapes, columns and arches are finding new life in modern furnishings. For sofa design, consider playing with sculptural shapes and classical elements to create a monumental presence within the home.
We reupholstered this family’s sofa in South London which fits the rebooted classics theme – Sofa Reupholstery London

Woven Finishes
In our Spring Summer 2023 trend Superbloom, woven finishes and wobbly-lined weave are adorning sofas and soft furnishings. Add surface interest with woven, often multi-coloured yarns, (faux) leather, recycled plastics and dyed rattan weaves.
We reupholstered this Lancaster Easy Chair with a gorgeous multi-coloured fabric – Lancaster Easy Chair Reupholstery

Darker Tones
As forecast in our Autumn Winter 2023/24 trend, Lust for Life, the home becomes a place to embrace yourself and your loved ones. For seating design consider darker tones in deep red and peach tones to create a more intimate, enveloping space.
This bespoke Chesterfield sofa hits the right notes with its dark leather – Bespoke Chesterfield Sofa

Modern Quilting
As householders increasingly immerse themselves in nature, hiking culture weaves its way into the home. For textiles and sofa upholstery incorporate recycling, mending, and repairing to give a modern quilting aesthetic, with clean vertical lines and panelled patch pieces.

You can read the full article on trendbible.com.

If you have furniture which is in need of modernisation, then give the Hill Upholstery & Design team a call and see how we can help update your sofas and chairs. Contact us today – we can hep with your London upholstery and Essex upholstery needs!

Upholstered Footstools, Ottomans and Hassocks

There are some pieces of furniture that are simply workhorses in your room because they can be used in so many different ways. Upholstered Footstools, Ottomans and Hassocks fall into this category. But is there a difference between these three pieces of furniture? The simple answer is — not really. They are all small pieces of furniture whose purpose is to provide a spot to rest your feet. That being said, ottomans tend to be larger and are often used in lieu of a coffee table; a hassock is smaller and rounder and a footstool is usually a bit lower to the ground and smaller in size. Let’s take a look at the various ways these furniture pieces can be put to work.

Ottomans

It is common to find an ottoman used as a coffee table. They can be made into any shape including round, square and rectangular. The legs can be fitted with casters allowing you to move it out of the way or around the room as necessary. Placing a tray on top of the ottoman will provide a spot set a drink glass or to corral all those necessary items such as eyeglasses, books and the ever present remote. The top can be removable, exposing lots of storage space for extra blankets, magazines etc.

This trend of using an ottoman in place of a coffee table will work in any interior. A tufted velvet ottoman with brass casters is lovely in a traditional setting. For a contemporary space, a sleek black leather ottoman on polished chrome legs fits the bill. In a country, eclectic or transitional interior, choose a fabric that coordinates with other fabrics and colours in the room for a coordinated look.

Hassocks

Really just another term for an ottoman, a hassock is generally a bit smaller in size and is often round in shape. These, too could be used as an end table by placing a piece of glass on top. You may consider sliding two hassocks under a console table for use as extra seating when needed. Placing one in front of a fireplace provides a nice spot to warm your toes without taking up too much space. Like ottomans, they can be upholstered in any fabric of your choice.

Footstools

A footstool’s sole purpose is to provide a spot to rest your weary feet. They sit low to the ground, ranging from 9-12″ in height and 12-15″ deep. They can be placed directly in front of a chair, sitting between two occasional chairs or up against a wall holding books until they are needed. Since they are so small you can upholster them in a fabric that you would not want to use in large volume such as an animal print, a bright colour, a custom needlepoint etc. Have fun with these.

Tassel trim, braid, gimp and nail heads can all be used to embellish your footstool, ottoman or hassock to add a unique look to your home.

For more information about Upholstered Footstools just contact us.

The original version of this article was posted on www.onlinefabricstore.com

Upholstered Furniture – Cushion Interiors

 

Buying a new sofa, chair or entire suite can be a big investment and is a purchase you will want to last. The choices are vast, so we’re sharing some tips on what makes a quality piece of upholstered furniture to help ensure you get more value from your purchase whether that be from a retailer or via an upholsterer.

Let’s look at the upholstered furniture fillings used inside a cushion. These are generally made from the three Fs – foam, fibre or feathers.

Foam is a popular choice because although it can be firm at first, it softens within a few weeks but maintains the ability to return to its original shape when you get up. In seat cushions, the foam is often wrapped in a wadding (Dacron) to reduce wear. Foam has a more structured shape compared to fibre & feather cushions.

Hill Upholstery & Design recommend Reflex foam, this is a well known superior foam made by Vitafoam, and is known for its instant recovery after use, and because it maintains its shape and resilience for many years.

Fibre and feather cushions are popular because they tend to be a lot softer than foam ones and have a pillowed look, but they do lose their shape easily and need daily plumping to restore them.

Upholstered Furniture Hill Upholstery

Trainee Upholsterer Job Vacancy

Trainee upholsterer London, Hill Upholstery & Design EssexAre you looking for a change in career? Do thrive on being creative? Hill Upholstery & Design are currently looking for a trainee upholsterer who wants to succeed in the upholstery industry to join their growing team!

Based in Fobbing, we undertake Essex upholstery work throughout the county and in the capital and we need the right person to come along and be responsible for assisting our upholsterers in creating beautiful furniture. Our team are accomplished at creating stunning sofa reupholstery, restaurant seating upholstery, contract upholstery, deep buttoned seating, headboards and much, much more and you will learn what it takes to create such remarkable furniture.

When you take on the role, you can be assured that you will be learning a trade from some of the best upholsterers in the country and will take on some of the many roles and duties in the workshop.

Hill Upholstery & Design believe that this is a fantastic opportunity for a trainee upholsterer to become a proficient upholsterer while working for a thriving, local company.

As part of the role, you will be expected to follow instructions, use our systems and be able to work within a team.

Sound like your kind of thing? Contact Hill Upholstery & Design today on 01375 361155 to find out more!

Upholstered Seating County Hall London

Early August Scott & Helen were lucky enough to visit the debating chambers inside the Riverside Building at the County Hall London. The debating room was used by Ken Livingstone and the Greater London Council through the late 1980’s, providing upholstered seating for over 200 council members and has four galleries overlooking the Chamber which was used for the public and members of the press. An interesting place to visit tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of the South Bank.

Upholstered Seating Riverside Building at the County Hall London Hill Upholstery & Design Essex

Nowadays the chamber is used for performances and corporate hire with this in mind some of the upholstered seating that had previously been removed needed to be replaced ready for their next hire, we turned this around for them in time for their next hire.  We’ve just found out the next performance to be held in the chambers will be the fantastic Agatha’s Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution – Fabulous!

Upholstered Seating County Hall London Hill Upholstery & Design Essex