Does your business experience down times as most do?
As most of you already know, we have been in the upholstery business since early 1996 and in 20 years we have never experienced a time that we didn’t have new work coming in. A few years ago we started offering hands on upholstery workshops to teach the skills of upholstery to others. We have found that many of the students want to add upholstery as an offering to their existing business. This was the goal for Julie Wood of “The Leading Edge Drapery“.
Read below and see how Julie launched her newly learned skills:
A typical chair before its makeover
The after is Stunning!
The International Furniture and Design Association, New England Chapter is making a splash by giving back to the community. The Leading Edge Drapery, LLC has been a participant in this adventure along with a designer friend Renee Rucci of Renee Rucci Design, LLC. Inspired by the commitment the IFDA NE made to raise money for the Women’s Institute for Housing and Economic Development and the possibility of creating an amazing upholstered chair Renee and I were off on a creative adventure. First came the desire to apply feathers and rhinestones to the chair lead to the discovery of Osborne and Little fabrics and the purchase of the perfect up-cycled chair.
Our chair was salvaged from Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle, New Hampshire at a local used furniture store. Upholstered in a commercial grade fabric with wood stained a maple color, it underwent a major décor change. A complete tear down of old fabric was first on the list. Staples, staples and more staples were pulled from the chair frame. Annie Sloan metallic paint changed the entire look of the frame.
Next the fun began, adding the beautiful fabrics. A detail pleat and buttons was added to the inside back of the chair. Then the feathers! Peacock feathers were then hand stitched to the back of the chair atop matching velvet. Rhinestones added atop the feathers to give a pop. Then we have tassels and more rhinestones along the bottom of the chair.
We are looking forward to the final gala at the Decordova Museum in Lincoln, MA on June 1, 2016. Eighteen chairs will be auctioned off for this worthy charity. Cheers to all that participated.
Julie A. Wood
The Leading Edge Drapery, LLC
603-437-8629
So if you are in the Derry, NH area please check out Julie’s business and give her drapery workroom and newly added upholstery services a try. So you can see how much Julie is loving upholstery here is a picture of her first project at the upholstery workshop she hosted.
Thanks Julie for sharing your new venture with us,
– Kim
