Sofas to Size – Reupholster

By Frank Parker

Sofas to Size evolved from Impact Designs, a company founded in 1996. The business manufactured wholesale upholstered furniture and was located at Buckingham Drive Wangara. Then in 2005 the business name was changed to Sofas to Size and marketed direct to the public from a retail premises located on Canning Highway in South Perth.

The concept of marketing sofas custom-made to size was an excellent concept as the business grew rapidly in a short time. Sofas to Size ceased operating in 2010.

We were contacted by a client who purchased several settees made by Sofas to Size. These settees were identical in design and custom-made to specific lengths to suit our clients living area. They were originally upholstered in a synthetic suede but they were to be re-upholstered in a quality plain chenille.

The existing upholstery was completely removed from the timber framed settees then new heavy grade elastic webbing was fitted and then new body-work padding was laminated onto the frames. New polyester encased premium seat cushion inserts were fabricated along with polyester filled channelled and quilted back cushion inserts. The settees were then carefully upholstered to the original finish.

Our clients was absolutely delighted with the result of their refurbished settees saying they were designed for the room and they still looked perfect for the room.

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    This American company was founded in 1932 by two brothers-in-law starting business as a homewares manufacturer. In 1936 they purchased a bankrupt high-end furniture manufacturer in Vermont and adopted the name Ethan Allen in 1939.

    Ethan Allen now a public company and has four manufacturing plants in the USA and one in Mexico with retail outlets across the USA and Canada. Although the company had suffered a severe decline in business over the last few decades the share price is now rebounding with the strong public sentiment towards supporting home grown products and businesses.

    A couple were referred to us to have their two Ethan Allen ‘Restocrat Recliners’ re-upholstered. They purchased these recliner chairs in the mid 70’s while living in the U.S. Their present home still reflected the architecture and furnishings from the 70’s so it was the preferable option.

    These recliner chairs were stripped back to the bare frames and the mechanisms were removed. The quality of the mechanisms were outstanding, we just cleaned them up with the timber frames only requiring minor repairs. The frames were re-sprung and new cushioning was fabricated from premium foam and encased with bonded polyester fibre. The fabric selected by our client was a 70’s pin stripe velvet which was a prefect replacement.

    What could we say, these recliner chairs looked like they had just been purchased from an Ethan Allen store forty five years ago! However the important thing was that our clients just loved their rejuvenated recliner chairs.

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  • Sentimental Furniture For Years

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    Restoring Sentimental Furniture in Perth

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    It is always difficult to place a monetary value on something that is of high sentimental value however when the furniture has been restored the value is evident. Furniture that is of high sentimental value is usually inherited but may also have been from an era of perceived sentimental interest or have been previously possessed by an individual of interest. However regardless of the reason a high proportion of furniture we restore is due to sentimental value.

    Reupholstering Library Chairs From the 1920’s

    Our client approached us wanting to rejuvenate two library chairs with a matching chaise initially purchased new by his wife’s grandparents in the 1920’s being made in Australia. When we inspected this furniture it was in a completely dilapidated condition due to years of storage in a damp basement.

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    • We approached the client with this information as restoration was going to be a major task.

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    Our client still insisted the furniture be restored and this was now going to be a collaborative operation. Our friend from Eachells Fine Furniture was engaged to replace the rotten carved timber rails. He ascertained the species of Eastern States Eucalypt used in construction so replacements would look identical. The resurrected timber frames were then polished looking like original.

    Our client still insisted the furniture be restored and this was now going to be a collaborative operation. Our friend from Eachells Fine Furniture was engaged to replace the rotten carved timber rails. He ascertained the species of Eastern States Eucalypt used in construction so replacements would look identical. The resurrected timber frames were then polished looking like original.

    We then set about the task of re-upholstering this furniture using original methods and materials. They were webbed with heavy weight jute webbing then coiled springs were laced in, tied down then hessian overlays. We then however use laminated layers of premium padding encased in polyester. The result is fundamentally original methods but finishing with some new materials to enhance the comfort.

    This furniture was upholstered to original finish and trimmed with a matching gimp. Our clients were ecstatic with tears of sentiment!

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  • Reupholster Art Deco Chairs

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    From our understanding these chairs were made in Czechoslovakia in the late 1920’s, manufacturer unknown. For their time the construction techniques used are quite advanced utilising a ‘push-in seat’ and back flutes located with spring-edge wire. However the most significant thing about these chairs is the general proportion and balance of the design.

    A client contacted us saying that she had acquired two art deco European chairs requiring restoration. Upon initial inspection we found the chairs had been shabbily re-upholstered and covered in decades of grime. As we stripped away the fabric on these chairs it exposed some of the original upholstery providing enough information for an authentic reconstruction.

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  • Reupholstery of Jarvi Furniture Lounge

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    A Special Wedding Gift

    A couple were getting married and had requested of their wedding guests to contribute to the re-upholstery of their ‘Jarvi’ lounge suite. This lounge furniture with a matching table and cabinetry was purchased by the Groom in NSW some time ago and the fabric for the re-upholstery selected by the Bride.

    The History of Jarvi Furniture

    Jarvi Furniture was founded by Len Jarvi, who was born in Finland in 1910. Len migrated to Australia learning his trade at Chesterfield Furniture in Botany NSW. He then established Jarvi Furniture in Sydney after the war. They were focused on manufacturing high quality lounge and dining furniture influenced on the Jacobean style of furniture. Len Jarvi died in an accident on his farm in 1959 however his quality furniture still lives on today.

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    We worked on restoring the frame of the lounge through the following process:

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    The seat and back cushions were box piped using cotton piping cord. We also incorporated zip borders so the cushions are removable. The cushion inserts we used were laminated premium quality polyurethane foams encased in bonded polyester fibre. The result being firm resilient cushioning that will last for decades.

    Such a special gift for this newly married couple.

    Call us Today to Get Your Furniture Reupholstered

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    Fred Lowen and Earnest Rodeck met on a refugee ship escaping Nazi Europe bound for Port Melbourne. Fred Lowen started work in 1942 as a fitter and turner but woodturning was his passion. The two commenced their business in 1946 under the acronym FLER starting in an old stable.

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    A couple were referred onto us as they had two Fler SC55 chairs produced in the late 1950’s and two E31 chairs from the 1960’s requiring complete restoration. They originally were purchased new by her parents but unfortunately were very poorly ‘restored’ by a supposedly reputable business in the 1980’s. Given this we had to completely strip the chairs back to the raw timber frames with the intention of restoring them to their original splendour.

    With the frames completely sanded back the timber was stained Mahogany then three coats of clear lacquer. The cushion inserts were originally latex rubber however premium polyurethane foam encased with bonded polyester fibre is more durable and provides superior comfort. We re-upholstered the chairs in a velvet using the original finishing methods resulting in glowing fine lines.

    Our clients were astounded with the result taking her back remembering the chairs in bygone years. This work also provides great pleasure for us as furniture manufacturers and restorers.

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  • Re-upholster Chess Lounge Furniture

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    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.

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    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.

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