1. May I ship my chair to you for reupholstering?
I prefer to work with local Baltimore/DC-area clients only. There’s too much of a risk with frames that might require third party repairs once the piece is stripped, plus I’m just not set up to do receiving and return shipping.
2. What is your turnaround time?
Right now it’s about 8-10 weeks, sometimes less.
3. Do you stock fabrics?
I have a small selection of mid-century modern fabrics by Knoll, Maharam, Unika Vaev, etc. These include a lot of wools and wool blends, and are mostly in neutrals but with some colors. I am expanding this. All fabrics can be seen in person at Home Anthology in Catonsville, MD on weekends. I can also order from Knoll, Maharam and others if you want something that I don’t stock.
4. Are the pieces on your website for sale?
Some are available at Home Anthology but others are from private collections. Please ask if there’s anything you’re interested in!
Hello,
Can you please recommend an on-line fabric outlet for mid-century / modern fabric? I am having the HARDEST time finding a nubby or tweed fabric for upholstery. Thank YOU! Becky Kent Minneapolis MN
I have links to two good sources on the right side of my blog: Winterbeach Modern and Modern Fabrics. Both will send swatches and both are always getting new fabrics in, so if you don’t see what you want right away, keep checking back.
I’ve added Silverstone Fabrics to my list of fabric sources. They stock a wonderful selection of mid- to high-end upholstery fabrics for midcentury modern furniture, including many wools. I’ve dealt with them for years and have been very pleased with their service and fabrics.
I have eight of the Eric Buck chairs you show on the site and the hopsack upholstery is much in need of replacement. I am thinking of using Toray Ambiance – do you think this is a faux pas toward the era? My reason is that my cats think that nubby fabric on floating chairs makes a perfect jungle gym. Also, would you be able to recommend an upholsterer in the Puget Sound area (Seattle, WA to Vancouver, BC) who could do a fine job on my chairs? I worry about someone messing them up…worse than the cats. :O
Toray Ambience is an ultrasuede fabric, so no, it’s not something that would have been used on these chairs originally. But upholstery is a reversible change and they’re your chairs, so if that’s what is best for your needs then go for it. However, you might want to look into how it fares on dining chairs. I think it may develop an unattractive patina where hands touch it, like on the edges of the seats when scooting chairs in or out, and on the backs when moving the chairs. This is a synthetic and some synthetics hold onto oil-based grime worse than other fibers. I’m also not sure about how easy it is to clean.
Sorry, I don’t know of any upholsters in your area. The backs and seats are pretty easy to remove on these chairs so you could ship them to me, but shipping charges may put the whole thing out of your budget. Use the “Contact Us” page if you want to discuss this further. Thanks!
Hi,
I just stumbled upon your page. It is really inspiring me to learn how to upholster. Would you have any book recommendations for newbie.
Alex
Alex,
There are tons of books that have been published since I started and I really haven’t kept up on them at all, so as much as I’d like to help, I don’t really know of any. Maybe check for message boards about upholstery?
What type of glue do you use on the backs of the Eric Buch chairs? I’m going to try to do them myself…
Thanks! Love your site and your appreciation
for these beautiful pieces -
Thanks for your kind words! I use a super-strength spray adhesive. I wear a respirator when spraying it and for awhile as it dries, even when working outside.
Thank you. I feel intimidated by the spray, especially as I am chemically sensitive. The original chairs had some kind of thick wet glue which has dried amber. I’m potentially “sacrificing” a chair to try techniques. I’m going to apply a strong fabric glue around the back where the cardboard meets the stapled on piece and use lots of clamps and see how that goes…. Let the amateur begin!
Before starting on an actual chair, why not just do a mockup with the same materials?
Hi there,
I purchased a mid-century modern chair, but two of the rubber straps were broken, and the other two are old and dry. The rubber straps were nailed directly onto the wood. I’m wondering if it’s better to replace the straps with the elastic webbing, or with rubber webbing. I found rubber webbing on ebay, but I can’t seem to find the elastic webbing. If it is better to use the elastic webbing, do you know of a website that sells it by the yard?
Best,
Taylor
Either the Pirelli rubber webbing or the woven elastic webbing are fine. I buy from a local supply place by the roll but you can probably find some places online that sell the elastic webbing by the yard. There are a lot of upholstery supply places online these days.
Hi there — What a lovely blog….it’s so inspiring to see your transformations! I have a question about one of your posts — after cleaning/stripping the wood on one chair, you said you applied a “tung oil varnish” to give an older patina to the chair. Would you mind sharing what that is? Thanks very much!
Thanks for your kind words. Here’s a site that explains oil finishes and specifically what brands are which: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes-their-history-and-use
Thank you for being so generous with information. I enjoy reading your blog.
Could you now point me in some direction for furniture glides? I have an Overman swivel chair that is missing a number of the glides on the 4-star base.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
I’m glad you enjoy the blog but I’m sorry to say that I don’t have any sources for Overman feet, either. If I ever come across a source, I’ll post about it. You’re not the first to ask!
Wondered if there was still a source for the Danish Cushion #1 Springs? I have an Ib Kofod-Larsen recliner that the movers broke and lost two of the springs that support the back.
Thanking you in advance!
Tom, I’m not sure what you mean by “#1 Springs”—if it’s the small diameter, round, vinyl-covered spring that is in a loop, that’s the Experspring. The only source I know of is this place: http://www.danish-homestore.com in the UK. I have never bought anything from them but the owner is a very helpful sort. Good luck!
Hello,
I’ve so enjoyed reading your website and seeing your furniture transformations. I wonder, would you mind sharing how you clean the different woods? I have a wonderful teak Sigvard Bernadotte chair and a rosewood end table that need some love. What would be the best way to clean and oil them?
Again, thank you for sharing your great work.
Melissa
You can use #0000 steel wool and a good teak oil on the teak. I don’t know about the rosewood, depends on whether it’s lacquered or not. Check with a refinisher in your area on that one. Good luck!
Do you know of anyone who could repair knoll chairs in the NYC area?
Thanks,
GM
Wonderful blog and beautiful work on your projects!
Are there any resources to determine the authenticity of MCM chairs?
I have recently acquired what I believe to be Erik Buck model #49 OD Molber chairs.
But some details have me questioning the authenticity.
They are in rough condition and were stored outdoors (!!!) exposed to rain and sun in San Diego for somewhere between 5 and 15 years! Grandma can’t recall exactly when/where she got them (garage sale or flea market most likely) or where the missing 4th chair is (darn!!!). But you’ve got to hand it to her for having a great eye!
Quite the mystery.
I’d like to determine if the restored value would make restoration cost worthwhile. If not I will DIY the wood finish and get a pro re-upholster. I love them and quite like the idea of working on them myself (as long as I won’t ruin the value).
The details that have me wondering if they are authentic?
-Most online examples only have 2 screws holding the backrest. In addition to these, mine have a single screw holding 2 of the 3 seat cross “beams”.
-On most online examples, the lower back cross beam has an elegant taper on top and bottom. My lower back cross beams have a taped top but flat bottom.
-My wood is a very light color (ash, oak?). Online examples are always teak or rosewood. Could sun exposure have faded teak to nearly white? It looks like it has a yellow-orange varnish that is on some spots, peeling flaking off other spots, and entirely gone in other spots.
-The (damaged) upholstery is white with puple-ish dots fabric with clear vinyl shell. Looks ridiculous with the yellow-orange wood color where the varnish still lives. This can’t be original? Makes me wonder what color the wood used to be?
-No stickers or burned in Danish Control marks. I understand that the stickers were often on the under side upholstery, rather than wood itself?
Picture:
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/8930/p1000514l.jpg
Many thanks!
-C
Chris,
You chair looks authentic to me. It has the right number of screws in the correct places and everything else looks authentic. There are some similar chairs made by D-Scan in Taiwan but they have some very noticeable differences. Yours looks pretty good for the weather it has withstood. It’s teak and might look just fine after a rubdown with #0000 steel wool and a good teak oil. Several coats of oil may be necessary but it will probably revive. If not, sanding may be needed.
As far as I know, these were only marked with a foil label. It would not have held up in the conditions you describe.
The upholstery is not original. I hope that the plywood seat is not de-laminated under the vinyl.
Good luck with it!
Many thanks for the help.
I’m pretty psyched!
We’ll have to see what the wood looks like under the polka-dots.
I’ll be trusting the upholstery to capable pro hands.
I’ll share results when I’m finished (pun intended).
It should only take me a month.
-C
Can you recomend a supplier of Danish paper cord, please.
Many thanks
K
In the U.S. you can get it from Frank’s Cane & Rush Supply, and other sources. A Country Seat sells paper cord imported from Denmark, which is a little denser than the stuff sold by Frank’s.
Tak for dit hurtige svar. Jeg bor i England!!, Du troede vidst at jeg var fra USA
Jeg vil gerne hoere fra dig igen hvis du ville vaere saa rar.
Mange tak
Karin
Hello! Beautiful blog. I have recently started my own after 10 years of caning but after seeing yours I ought to step it up a notch. I am having trouble finding quality Danish Cord. I have gottten samples from both Franks and Country Seat (not to mention a dozen other suppliers) but they are not as full and beautiful and tightly twisted, but with the defined twists. I have the bare end of a roll that I got from Country Seat years ago but in the last few years I cannot find its equal. I really want to restore my clients chairs with the proper material the designers intended. The 1/8 inch both laced and unlaced are too small and the 3/16 is too large and not as defined and full in the twill. Are you having this problem? I’m trying to find the Danish manufacturer but am not having any luck.
The Caning Shop sells Danish-made paper cord in laced and unlaced. I believe they will send you a sample before you order. Good luck!
Karin,
Try asking Simon at http://www.danish-homestore.com/ in England. You might also be able to find some sources just by doing a Google search. I’ve seen some random ones pop up now and then when I have been researching sources. Held og lykke!
Tak for din gode hjaelp. Her er hvad jeg har fundet ud af, det kunne maaske hjaelpe andre.Jeg fandt frem til A.J. Moeller, som har lavet stolene,jeg spurgte om de kendte Fred Aldous, de fortalte at Fred Aldous har koebt Danish Cord fra dem i aarevis , det var meget betryggende at vide, jeg har bestilt 5kg fra Fred. £65. 00 incl forsaendelse.
Mange tak
Karin
Thanks for your amazing blog and generosity with your knowledge. I was curious if you had any recommendations for cleaning paper cord. I know we’ll need to replace them eventually, but in the mean time is there a way to clean it without damaging it?
Thanks
Jim,
I recommend trying plain soap flakes in water. This is how the Danes take care of their paper cord seats. Instructions can be found here. You can use that particular brand or you can make your own by grating Ivory bar soap and dissolving it in water (2 tbsp per quart). It may take several treatments to lift heavier dirt. It’s also a good way to protect the paper cord from dirt and stains that may occur later.
Thank you so much!
Hi – just found your blog and I’m lovin it. I use teak oil on chairs but what do you recommend for a dining table that may be subject to drink and food spills?
I don’t really know—I mostly do upholstery and just oil wood chair frames as needed. I have a teak dining table myself and it has an oil finish. I just try to be really careful about not getting spills on it. Sorry I can’t be of more help!