Burlap and Horse Hair

I stopped in at the upholsterer the other day and found the Duncan Phyfe sofa stripped down to burlap and horse hair. It was actually quite fascinating. Seeing it in this state was a reminder of the era in which this sofa was built. But also, the tattered burlap, coarse horse hair and brass nails reminded me of the long history of the sofa. Unique among many of my antiques, it is a history that I am quite familiar with. 

After my Great Grandfather passed away, my Great Grandmother decided to sell their house in the Hollywood Hills and bought an apartment in downtown Hollywood. She hired an interior designer to help her redecorate her new home for her new independent life. This sofa was one of the items the decorator purchased on her behalf. 

After removing all of the pink satin fabric and the old cotton batting, the upholsterer assessed that the sofa is in good shape other than some uneven springs on the right side. She suggested that my Great Grandmother was likely prone to sitting on that side over the other, and thought that perhaps the lamp was on that side. 

This insight brought me pause as I thought of my Great Grandmother, who I met only when I was much too young, settling into her favorite side of the sofa. The sofa was telling a bit of her story, a small detail, but nevertheless, a glimpse of a life once lived. 

Before I left, I took one last look at the old burlap and horse hair because I knew I'd probably never see the sofa in that state again. I reveled in this secret glimpse into the bare bones of my Great Grandmother's sofa. After leaving her apartment, its next destination was to be nestled against a wall of green wallpaper in my Grandmother's house. That was my Father's old bedroom, and our playroom growing up. Now it sat laid bare, awaiting its next destination, and the next generation. Which side will we choose to sit on? 

I can't help but feel drawn to sit on her side, the side where the springs are worn a little more. This is the side on which my Great Grandmother sat, night after night, in her glamorous Hollywood apartment. 

The same steel springs that held her, will undoubtedly hold us. 

Catherine 

A Victorian Children's Sofa

I found this antique Victorian children's sofa last year. It was shortly after I had purchased the wicker furniture set for the babies, which was a huge hit. I thought an indoor piece of furniture just their size would also be a lot of fun for them. 

Although in great shape, the sofa needs new batting and fabric. The fabric choice however - a pattern? a solid?, what color?, etc., sort of brought the process to a standstill. Recently however, my friend Kate shared with me the fabric she used to reupholster an antique wing chair for her office. It is a wonderful material, and I am going to replicate her idea for the children's sofa. I'll share it with you when it's completed. 

The Duncan Phyfe sofa project is also moving along. We just dropped it off at the upholsterers yesterday - with three boxes of organic batting, and ten yards of organic fabric. 

It will be done before Thanksgiving, which is very exciting. 

A Duncan Phyfe Sofa

My Grandmother's Duncan Phyfe is about to get a makeover. I grew up with this sofa so it holds many memories, mostly of childhood. It was kept in our playroom at her house. It anchored many forts, and wind-up toys have explored its entirety. 

I had intended to have it reupholstered last year for the guest house. But between upholsterers' schedules, planning for the Country Living shoot, and other plans, we never found the time. 

It's in good shape structurally, but desperately needs new fabric. Also, I am planning all new batting and cushions, mostly due to its extended storage history in our barn. 

For the past few weeks, I have been researching local upholsterers and investigating ways in which I can revive this family heirloom while still using the greenest resources possible. This will require cotton batting, sofa cushions and upholstery fabric free of flame retardants and teflon coatings (for stain resistance). 

Well, this task has been a challenging one and I have learned a lot. There seems to be relatively few resources for sourcing these materials chemical-free. Thankfully, I did find a wonderful company that manufactures and sells everything that I think I'll need. I'll let you know how it goes. 

Catherine