Interiors: Re-upholstering - a little work for a whole new look

Published on Sunday 29 January 2012 17:19

EVERY home is different and every householder has his or her own taste when it comes to the furnishings they want to see adorn it.

Colour and style are all, of course. Rooms change; they’re redecorated, given a different look every so often, which can often mean furnishings become surplus to requirements no matter how much life they have left. But why does it have to be that way?

“Re-upholstering a much-loved item of furniture just makes so much sense – pretty much nothing is beyond repair and often there can be years left in items you might have thought a lost case or which no longer fit in with your décor,” says Anna Stephenson, of The Perfect Chair Company, which is based in Dunfermline and has a stand at the Scottish Antiques and Arts Centre at Abernyte, near Dundee.

The Perfect Chair Company not only re-upholsters antiques, but offers new items as well. The bespoke nature of the business is key to its success. Where major retailers are hamstrung by supply and demand, a more personal service is offered using superior components – frames are quality beech, for instance, no chipboard in sight – and a high standard of craftsmanship, with chairs and sofas screwed, dowelled and glued. “And if you want a new chair from us,” says Anna Stephenson, “We can upholster it in any fabric to fit in with your existing home colour scheme.”

Examples of styles and more detail on the full service offered are available at www.theperfectchaircompany.co.uk

Occasional furniture and seating aside, there’s no reason either to settle for stock finishes on kitchen and bedroom units. “Prepare anything properly and it can be painted,” says Ian Merriman, who specialises in rejuvenating cupboards, units and doors with a top quality paint job.

Kitchen units, for instance, either come fabricated with the option of finishing on-site or are offered in just a few finishes which the major manufacturers offer little variation on.

Ian Merriman has seen a growing demand since he began specialising in painting free-standing kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture. “Often people are just looking for a freshening up, or a bit of a new look for their kitchen or bedroom – this is a relatively inexpensive way to do just that,” he says.

Unusual colour schemes are a speciality – and items can even be given an antique or distressed look if that’s what is required. More information can be found on www.kitchenspainted.com

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