A random act of kindness

In the middle of Lockdown One to Two (?) I can’t remember, a kind stranger emailed me offering a free chair. Their intention was to reupholster it themselves but they knew they’d not get around to it. So this very generous woman gave me the chair and I was pretty excited! 

As you can see from the pic, it came to me ‘naked’ with no clue as to what it looked like in its former glory days. This is an ‘Eek’ moment for an upholsterer. Imagine asking a tailor to create a beautiful coat based on just a photograph. 

Mystery designer?

The woman said it was a ‘name’ chair. But which name? After asking a friend in the know, she suggested it could be a Howard Keith chair but I’m not convinced as I can’t find any other similar images. What do you think? All suggestions are gratefully received…

When it came to the upholstery, I took this one very slowly and rarely committed to a solid tack until I knew the fabric positioning was exactly right. Without any prior pattern or information, it can be quite easy to get carried away and then realise you’ve just prematurely stapled up a crucial opening! Unpicking is annoyingly all part of the process.

I knew which fabric to clothe this naked beauty in, something geometric and a little Mid-Century. One of my favourite suppliers is Abraham Moon – a Yorkshire mill with a heritage dating back 180 years. They specialise in wool and I immediately zeroed in on Sloan Square Ochre. I can’t tell you how glorious this fabric is. The colour, texture and pattern are just so classic and ooze quality from every thread.

What happens now?

I’ve messaged the kind stranger to say thank you for the chair and showed her the new version. She was really pleased to see it brought back to life. The chair now looks amazing and I’m so pleased that it challenged my skills and came out the other side looking so splendid. I like it so much I’m keeping it for myself!