Bespoke Upholstery - We work collaboratively with our clients to create unique furniture or to sensitively restore a much loved antique. From consultation to design and upholstery, we are focused on creating something that matches your requirements and reflects your individual style. The process takes roughly between 4-8 weeks, depending on the type of service that your project requires. We believe that furniture plays an important role in people’s lives therefore we allow you plenty of time to make any decisions.
How it works
Upholstery service
Design Consultation and bespoke service
- Email us a picture of the furniture with details of the measurements, its conditions and your requirements (colour, type of fabric, upholstery stuffing...etc)
- if you don't have an existing chair in need of attention and you need a new piece of furniture for your home,
choose one of our frames from our shop (see below selection of restored frames) and e-mail us your requirements. - we will get back to you with an estimate and advise you on fabrics or we can visit your house if we need to check the conditions of the furniture. You can meet us at the studio where we show you samples of textiles and samples of previous project to help you with your choice.
- Once you are happy with it please confirm your order and arrange the delivery of your item. Our staff can advise you on delivery companies and dates.
- During the process we will send you updates on the upholstery (pictures) and on the date of completion.
Design Consultation and bespoke service
- Email us a picture of the furniture with details of the measurements, its conditions and your requirements.
- if you don't have an existing chair in need of attention and you need a new piece of furniture for your home,
choose one of our frames from our shop (see below selection of restored frames) and e-mail us your requirements. - Meet us at our studio or at your house - this gives us a view of your space or provide us with picture of your living environment.
- We discuss your ideas like: colours, fabrics and styles, how often you use the furniture and when (to relax, to watch TV, to read a book etc)
- We show you samples of textiles and samples of previous project to get your feedback.
- We propose ideas on how the furniture will be revamped or your new fitted furniture can look like (shape, technique, materials) and itemized bill (consultation, template and measurements, upholstery, fabric, materials, installation and delivery).
We strongly advise clients to choose natural materials, which are more environmentally friendly. However, clients can choose whatever materials they prefer. - If you opt for the design consultation we prepare a proposal, research materials and textiles.
- We usually have a second meeting with you to propose the design and discuss further ideas. We take in consideration your suggestions and responses as we proceed. (If you are not available for a second meeting we can send you sketches and photographs as part of the design consultation).
- At the studio we test the textile on the furniture and you are welcome to visit us at any stage of the process. At this point if you are happy with with the test and design we proceed to completion. The piece is ready to be enjoyed.
Restored Frames - Start your inspiration from the 'frame up'
Choose from our selection of recycled frames and ready to use on site. You can plan your next upholstery adventure from the inside out and give a new cycle of life to existing furniture with great potentials.
"What you say about us"
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Rebecca O' Brien (Nothing Hill renovation house) “After 20 years that I bought the flat above mine the time has come to knock the two together and make a really special home. But I didn’t want to lose what I loved about the old flat – I didn’t want to impose a whole new place on myself without respecting and referencing the past. So I looked at my old kitchen curtains-which I have inherited them from my Gran-parents’ kitchen, and I looked at old playroom curtains from childhood home, which have wonderful rural scenes all over them, than I looked at some tatty old furniture and fabrics that had been with me for a long time and thought-perhaps if I can somehow put them together we can furnish the place and remind ourselves of the past at the same time. So I looked online for someone to help me achieve this aim. And I found Urban Upholstery _ their web-site showed old furniture being lovely restored and old and new fabrics working magic. I invited Andrea and Patrizia over to have look at my stuff and it was immediately apparent that they should take on the job. We looked at the old furniture – an uncomfortable settle made by maverick designer Andy the Furniture Maker, a tired old Louis XIVth chair, 4 plain old dining chairs inherited from my Dad, two over padded French armchairs in need of a new life – and the old curtain fabrics and some stuff I’d bought but never used. And we talked about how we could make something new – and off they went. I went to visit the workshop in Hackney and immediately felt confident in what this charming Italian couple were capable of. I loved their other things and I felt they were definitely in synch with what I wanted.
So they putted the playroom curtains on the settle, with a delicious duck-egg blue fabric which reflects the river that runs through the design. They reupholstered it so that, for the first time, it’s actually comfortable to sit on! It’s a lovely piece and will sit in my upstairs hall (with me on it quite a lot) reminding me of the time I spent inventing stories about the pictures within when I was little. They took the Louis XIVth chair and turned it into a ray sunshine with a lovely piece of blue floral fabric they found and some yellow wool – it’s just glorious! Then they took the four chairs and upholstered them partly with the kitchen curtains and partly with strong, contrasting green or purple velvet. Sounds mad and it is – they are just great and the architect said they look like jockeys lining up for a race.
I think the results are spectacular – what Andrea and Patrizia have done is recycled perfectly good, yet neglected furniture and exploited my own family history which gives the pieces an added sentimental value – with a contemporary twist. At an extremely reasonable price too! Can’t wait to start my new life with all my reupholstered belongings… Thank you UU” |
Gail Perkins (March 2017) Andrea and Patrizia did an amazing job upholstering our chairs - we've had so many compliments. I love the fact that they rescue unloved and unwanted chairs and transform them into something special. 
Hadrian Thomas (Sept 2009) "I’d been given an old hand me down sofa with real sentimental value. The problem was that it was in a pretty run down state. After looking around to have it upholstered, I was lucky enough to find urban upholstery. Andrea & Patrizia spent loads of time with me helping with fabrics & talking about what could be done before deciding on a design. When I got the reupholstered sofa back & unwrapped it, I was really happy with how it looked. It was just as I imagined except better because the quality & workmanship was fantastic. It is far superior to a new sofa & the design is completely unique." 
Ivan Sebastian March 2009
"This place is a real find and the two owners are totally tuned in to making fresh looking, great quality furniture. I took an old chair to be recovered and was hoping for some ideas. They gave me loads of help and advice and put up with all my indecision with great patience. The final result looked brilliant, was completely original, and had old-school quality and craftsmanship. It’s the kind of shop you think doesn't exist in London anymore. I'd certainly use them again no hesitation. " |
Charlotte Ellis (Dec 2017) An amazing duo, these guys are always a massive help creating upholstrey ideas I have in mind, and are equally keen to restore old furniture I buy on eBay, or create a new piece from scratch. I really recommend them! 
Neil Ashman (April 2009) 'The brief was for a comfortable reading chair purpose built for my slouch. Andrea rebuilt an abandoned armchair (one of the first they'd emancipated from the streets of Hackney), and Patrizia had off-cuts of some fairly grand fabric to hand. The finished chair is a stand-out - exceptional craftsmanship, a good look, and a recycled East London pedigree to go with it.' 
Olivia Bernard May 2008 "We took Andrea on what at first seems like an impossible road: re-upholster an old armchair with ..... African boubou fabric !!!! He was very sceptical at first and rightly so: African fabric is meant to be used for dresses not armchairs !!! But Andrea doesn’t give up and never says no to a challenge, we spent some very interesting hours together in the African shops in Hackney market and the result is absolutely amazing, not only our armchair has a totally new beautiful life ahead of him, but we made a friend in the process !!!" Oli & Ludovic |
GG Batinica May 2016
Excellent work- precise, solid and sturdy Serious and good quality repair done on the wooden part of the furniture. Excellent advise on the quality and design of the fabric as well as the esthetic aspect of the piece. Always on time. I had several pieces done in the last 2 years and they all hold well. 
Pauline Lafferty (May 2015) "Patrizia has terrific and lateral ideas. Her understanding of shape, texture and colour impressed me. Her ideas are original. Together with the hands on skills of her partner, Andrea, they make a very talented team" |