Refurbish Parker Knoll chairs

By Frank Parker

Parker Knoll Chairs Perth Restored
Parker Knoll Chairs Perth Restored

The Origination of Parker Knoll

New seat and back heavy grade elastic webbing was fitted then high-density foam was laminated to the arms and frame bodies including the outside arm and back panels which were lined and padded. Polyester filled channelled and quilted back cushion inserts were fabricated. The premium foam polyester encased seat cushion inserts were fabricated by laminating two grades of foam creating a cushion that progressively firms and ensuring greater longevity.

The new venture was quickly successful producing high quality sprung furniture for the mass market. During the war years the company produced wooden componentry for de Havilland and repaired gliders then reversed into furniture production after 1945. With increasing the company listed in 1950 and then in the 1960’s saw vast production of recliner chairs which became a signature item.

The company went back to private ownership in 2004 after suffering financial difficulties then went through several ownerships and now has gone back to its roots producing high quality furniture from a state of the art factory in Nottinghamshire.

How We Restored the Parker Knoll Chairs

A set of two Parker Knoll chairs were completely stripped of the upholstery and sanded back to the bare timber.  Three coats of lacquer were applied being sanded between coats. The frames were then lightly rubbed back with super-fine steel wool to produce the required finish.

The client selected a 1970’s period velvet for the upholstery. The padding was fabricated by laminating premium cushioning then encased in polyester fibre. The upholstery fabric suited these chairs embracing the era.

Our Client’s Feedback

Our client was overwhelmed with the chairs adding these pieces to her home filled with beautiful mid-century furniture.

Call us Today to Have Your Furniture Reupholstered

Similar Posts

  • Reupholster Arthur G Furniture

    ByFrank Parker
    Perth Arthur G Furniture

    The History of Arthur G Furniture

    Arthur G was established in 1979 Arthur Georgopoulus having initially commenced leather sofas in the garage at the family home in Melbourne. Today Arthur G has a large manufacturing operation in Huntingdale. His son Leonard joined the family business in 2008 with the focus then changing to direct sales. Arthur G now has showrooms in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. 

    How We Reupholstered This Piece of Arthur G Furniture

    It’s always a pleasure to re-upholster high quality Australian made furniture. The Arthur G furniture pictured was only about 10 years old however our clients were shifting into a new residence and wanted their furniture re-upholstered to coordinate with the new décor.

    The Furniture Reupholstery Process

    We completely stripped down the existing furniture revealing solid Victorian Ash timber frames and quality upholstery componentry. We encased the existing down/feather cushion inserts with bonded polyester providing a silky finish to the cushioning however there was no maintenance work involved. The settee was re-covered in a plush pink cut-pile velvet and the chaise lounge in Tasman ‘Matisse’ leather.

    Happy Clients

    Our clients were ecstatic with their re-upholstered furniture which we trust they will enjoy for many years into the future.

    Call us Today To Have Your Leather Sofa Reupholstered

  • Reupholster Parker Furniture

    ByFrank Parker

    Parker Furniture commenced operations in 1935 as Dagger & Parker formed by Alf Dagger and Jack Parker making chairs and cabinets fashioned from packing palettes. Post war they manufactured reproduction Queen Anne and Art Deco designs then Alf Dagger resigned and the business was renamed JW Parker and then Parker Furniture.

    Tony Parker joined the business in 1949 working in the polishing and finishing area while studying furniture design at East Sydney Technical College at night. Tony then left the business for the UK working in furniture sales management and design for John Lewis. Jack reluctantly made some of Tony’s modernist UK inspired designs but showed little commitment in promoting these designs. Tony then displayed these new designs at the Sydney Furniture Exhibition with a year’s production being sold in four days! Grace Bros. then stocked and displayed these new designs with sales expanding so did the staff and the factories. After several shifts Parker Furniture premises was situated on eight hectares at Seven Hills and the business employed over 380 staff by 1973.  

    The brothers sold the family business in 1990’s but without their enthusiasm and due to a changing market the company had closed by 1997. Covermore Designs rose from the ashes formed by former Parker employees and is still going strong today manufacturing some classic company designs and re-furbishing past production pieces.

    A client approached wanting her Parker lounge suite to be re-upholstered. They had previously lived in Sydney and had purchased this suite in the early 1980’s. The lounge suite remained in exceptional condition, partially due to care but also testament to the quality design and construction.

    Our client selected a linen similar to her original choice for the re-upholstery. We removed the existing upholstery with the timber frame and springing system still in superb condition. New premium padding was laminated onto the arms and frame body. New polyester encased premium seat cushions were fabricated also polyester filled channelled and quilted back cushion inners were made. The lounge suite was then re-upholstered being carefully pattern matched at all stages.

    Our client was overwhelmed with her re-upholstered Parker lounge suite as it was delivered into her home it took her back to a bygone time.

    Call us Today

  • Modern Antique Chairs

    ByFrank Parker

    It is becoming more common to re-upholster antique furniture using bright modern fabrics. At first this may seem sacrilege to connoisseurs of fine furniture but if quality antique furniture is being saved no one can complain.    

    A client approached us saying she had found a pair of identical ‘Grandfather’ antique chairs beside the railway line in York W.A. At first we just assumed these were nothing but discarded antique reproduction chairs however upon inspection our client was correct, they were indeed genuine antique chairs from the mid to late 19th century.

    We completely removed the existing upholstery and carried out some structural repairs then touched up the polish work. We then used traditional methods to re-upholster these chairs only compromising by using premium foam seat and inside arm/back overlays. A modern teal velvet with black velvet piping was used to cover the chairs and trimmed with black gimp.

    Well what could we say, the clients were elated and the chairs looked stunning! The chairs were saved and our clients can enjoy their rejuvenated furniture for many years.

    Call us Today

  • Re-upholster Chess Lounge Furniture

    ByFrank Parker

    Chess Lounge Furniture originally commenced operations in the early 1970’s as BGF Furniture being a business partnership between Stan Bishop, Rod Grayson and Charles Farmer. Several years after commencement Charles Farmer left the business and it became Bishop & Grayson Furniture then in the late 70’s Rod Grayson left the business and it became Bishop Lounge Furniture. In the mid 80’s Stan Bishop retired and his foreman Paul Demopolis with his wife Glenis took over the business under the name of Chess Lounge Furniture. Paul and Glenis retired in about 2010 and ceased operations.

    Throughout the history of this business from BGF Furniture to Chess Lounge Furniture they manufactured custom made mid-range furniture. This furniture was always soundly constructed and represented good value for money.

    Our clients approached us wanting to re-upholster a three seater purchased from Chess Lounge Furniture in the late 1980’s. This settee was part of a co-ordinated lounge suite including two wing back chairs however they were downsizing and had decided to only keep the settee.

    The upholstery was completely removed from the timber frame, new seat springing and back webbing was fitted along with new high density body padding. All the cushion inserts were replaced. The seats were polyester encased premium cushioning and the backs were polyester filled channelled and quilted inserts. Our clients wanted to slightly modernise this settee so we eliminated the skirts replacing it with a padded border and replaced the black nylon glides with Jarrah turned feet. The fabric selected was a contemporary design lined yet printed with a traditional colour pallet. The result was a settee with a new lease of life retaining its character in a new setting.

    Call us Today

  • Upholstery Up-cycling

    ByFrank Parker

    Over the decades we have found considerable change in consumer sentiment towards reducing waste and up-cycling furniture. This tends to mainly occur with furniture that is built to last but the design has become out dated over time. Unfortunately lower quality furniture after several years of use ends up on verge collections, unnecessarily depleting resources and contributing to the landfill problem.  

    A client approached us with a Moran sofa-bed she had purchased many years ago as a student as she required both a sofa and some were to sleep. This was well constructed and the bed action was very good condition warranting re-upholstery.

    We completely removed the existing upholstery and laminated new high density foam padding to the frame body. Then fabricated new polyester filled channelled and quilted back cushion inserts and new polyester encased premium foam seat cushion inserts. The upholstery finish was modified deleting the skirts and replacing them with piped borders. The result was a smart contemporary sofa-bed which will function for another few decades.

    We were also approached by a senior citizens home with quality furniture however it had become outdated over time and was also looking slightly tired. We suggested the settees could be re-styled with some cosmetic changes to the upholstery.

    The settees were stripped to the frames then new heavy grade elastic webbing fitted and high density foam laminated to the body work. New channelled and quilted polyester filled back cushion inserts were fabricated and polyester encased premium foam seat cushions were also constructed. The main change in the upholstery was the deletion of skirts which was replaced in the front by a padded piped border with the outside arms and backs also then lined and padded providing a plush finish. The previous fabric was a striped satin weave and was replaced with a fresh looking abstract floral in a flat weave. The clients were elated with the result!

    Call us Today

  • Interesting Mid Century Furniture

    ByFrank Parker
    mid century modern furniture restoration

    When clients show us furniture that is in need of restoration we sometimes come across some very interesting furniture pieces. This mid century chair and footstool manufactured by Westnofa Furniture Company, is one such piece.

    Westnofa furniture is one of the great success stories of the Norwegian furniture industry. The name was derived from the combination of WEST NOrway FActories and was formed in the late 1950’s by a collaboration of the country’s leading furniture manufacturers. The goal was to combine forces to market and export locally produced furniture.

    This mid-century chair and footstool were in a dilapidated condition when received at the factory for rejuvenating. The furniture frames that were still assembled were carefully knocked apart, the joints were cleaned up and the pieces individually sanded before being re-assembled with the fractured components using a two-pack resin. The wood frames were then lightly sanded, stained light walnut, received three coats of lacquer between sanding and then finished off with a rub down using super fine steel wool.

    The chair and footstool plywood shells were stripped of the old latex rubber which had perished and were laminated with premium polyurethane foam. The upholstery fabric selected by the clients was a luxurious quilted velvet. This was precisely cut and sewn using old patterns and intuition. The reupholstering process involved exceptional skill including delicate slip-stitching.

    The result of this intensive labour and delicate work by a master upholsterer is a beautifully recovered mid century chair and footstool that will be loved by future Western Australian generations.

    Call us Today to Have Your Mid Century Furniture Reupholstered