Bespoke traditional & modern upholstered furniture with printed textiles all crafted with love
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Do you have a beloved piece of furniture that needs some TLC?
I am an upholsterer and soft furnisher based in east London providing a range of upholstery services, creating bespoke upholstery, re-upholstery and soft furnishings and original textile print designs, using traditional or modern techniques and materials suited to furniture for your home or business. My work is done with the utmost care and attention to detail. Whether it’s a complete refurbishment of your favourite armchair, completely refurbishing your dining chairs or sofa’s seat & back cushions – I can help!
If you are looking for someone who will take time to understand what you want from your furniture then look no further. I pride myself on my ability to listen carefully, so that we can create something together which truly reflects who you are as well as being practical enough to last many years without losing its appeal. As part of this process, if there is anything about your existing piece that might be worth keeping then I will always try to find ways in which these elements may be incorporated into our design together along with any new ideas that we come up with during our conversations. This way we ensure continuity between old and new while still bringing something fresh into the mix! You won’t find another service like mine anywhere else in London so get in touch today!
Week 6: Post Hip op I’ve been training at home on smaller weights most mornings and also yesterday under the skilful eye of @serenabobowski. Practicising more core strength, balancing and alignment exercises with Serena’s amazing body conditioning programme #thebobowskimethod.
Progress is slow but steady. My Heartfelt thanks go out to Serena, and all of you for your support and recovery suggestions. x
This Danish mid century modern styled chair represents my first finished piece post hip op, now looking smart in the Beautiful @sahco_official #Safire (Colour 0017). My heartfelt thanks to Sarah and Alistair for being amazing & patient customers since I collected this chair. With the help of a great @uber #XL driver I was able to personally deliver it to their home Yesterday evening after teaching another pleasurable #upholstery leisure class @thewoodenmousefrenchpolishing.
Shouts out to Barry and James @bench_pal . The Electric Bench has been a Godsend even before my Op -Now it’s an essential bit of kit. Pricey but so blinking worth it for makers like me in physio/recovery . Magic!
Wouldn’t you love to have a piece like this Brightening up those Autumnal days in your home?...
With each day I am slowly rebuilding my body’s strength, taking less heavy duty pain meds and Getting back up to speed on upholstery projects in my studio. Among which is this special piece I’m doing for @london_artist1 which will feature a special design by Sharon and printed by those Amazing folks @maakeuk . My heartfelt thanks for the upholstery assistance , Morale support (and video) from @sombana.5
I can’t wait to show you how this turns out! #upholstery #atelierrayclarke #bespoke #london #craft #furniture #art #design...
It’s been exactly 4 weeks since my Hip operation and I’m currently going through my most extensive #restoration project-It’s a long process but as long as I don’t overdo it hopefully I’ll be returning to full strength (in my studio)soon thanks to the hospital physios therapists , and great friends, like @serenabobowski , who’s amazing pilates sessions (Check out #thebobowskimethod )amongst all the different types of rehabilitation, will get me back up to speed#operation #physiotherapy # Pilates #bobowskimethod #RestorationOfRay...
It`s been a week of recovery (mainly at home with some nasty complications putting me back in hospital on Tuesday after the event) for me since last weekends wonderful @festivalofupholstery, held at the #Royalmilitaryacademy in Sandhurst. My thanks go out to all who came to say hello. So so many lovely people and I was buzzing on some heavy duty pain meds too so please forgive me if I missed a photo op with you. Gutted I forgot to bring & wear my @AMUSF Presidential regalia -Definately not the sharpest tool in the box that weekend ..but I’m healing! Thank you @kirsty.lockwood and all the teams organising that event - you all absolutely smashed it! Also gutted I missed most of @leighannetreadwell amazing talk and @zoepinkgorilla but did catch an amazing talk by @the_upholsterersdaughter and of course that wonderful address by @delythfd My deepest and heartfelt thanks go out to my love @the_upholstery_cabin, who did a fantastic job of arranging the sound for our @sit_on_this_workshops podcast as well as lifting and carrying my bionic bod around all weekend as well as setting up what was probably our most successful live podcast to date with the lovely @heatherporterupholstery Vicky, they broke the mould, besos Rxxx
If you didn`t or couldn`t make it down this time around hopefully see you at the next one(?)
Thank you @sonnaz_ for your beautiful book! With so many Amazing upholstery tuition books available my own library of upholstery books is growing and having a glow up #Upholstery #tuition #literature #sonnaz...
I love and I’m totally inspired and enthused by colour. People who love colour are my kind of “Coloured people” IMHO.
This Victorian slipper chair came from my customer, whom also supplied the fabric. As the chair frame suggested to me it was made before 1950 and traditional fillings were used in its upholstery it was exempt from UK Fire Regs for domestic furniture.
Hopefully this brings the colour back in your cheeks too! Happy Friday everyone xx #Victorian #Slipperchair #Bold #Colour #Reupholstery #atelier #RayClarke #London #Bespoke...
T’was a pleasure to invite and meet the super talented artist Sharon @london_artist1 and Victoria from @royalmuseumsgreenwich this morning to chat about an up and coming project I’m very much looking forward to crack on with post Op.
At the end of Summer I have Finally got this set of 8 dining room chairs and table ready for a wonderful and patient customer. Drop-in seat pads completely reupholstered with new fillings and covered in Beautiful @houseofhackney #Limerence. Went abit nuts trying to get the right colour for the show wood. Lots of sanding , staining, re-sanding and finishing. Big thanks to @sg_upholstery and @the_upholstery_cabin for their assistance through the process.
Just afew more projects to go before I have to take enforced leave for my Hip operation coming up in just under 3 weeks!...
Have you made or are you making any new(or old)additions, renovations or repairs to your creative workshop space during the holidays?
Earlier this summer, Vicky sourced for me a great MCM vintage sideboard from @fish4junk, and with some welcome help from her and #Bertiebeagle, we moved my old @ikeauk #expedia shelving unit from home to its new space in my studio- Perfect for my growing library of fantastic furnishing fabric books and swatches. Transforming my home and workspace in a matter of hours.
Its amazing how a making a few small changes to your envirnoment can make a BIG difference! X
No 2 days are ever the same. Wasn`t up for covering my upholstery in fine sawdust plus it was really humid so I took it all outside Thank @mirkauk for inventing #Abranet -I wish I could afford their complete extraction system and one or 2 of their premium sanding machines. Even so, their abrasive papers are ingenious and work really well, even with my trusty Henry and current sanding equipment.
Check out our @sit_on_this_workshops podcast #Upholstery supplier series special about @mirkauk and their amazing sanding system (available on @youtube @applepodcasts and @spotifypodcasts )
After a marathon sprint, or in my case, limp (as I have a partial hip replacement op coming up around September30th) to the finish line, traditionally Reupholstering these 6 x 18th century antique dining room chairs, covered @houseofhackney #Palmeral #Velvet for another patient but supportive Local customer near #VictoriaPark.
Can I have your permission to get some sleep this afternoon (I was up till 4am this morning and Ill need my strength)...
During July I completed this mammoth set of outdoor seating for the rooftop terrace space for a great customer based in Queens gate gardens. These custom pads were made from scratch , with fillings encased in waterproof barrier cloths , which along with the covers made with #laureston and #dalby fabrics supplied from @wemyssfabrics , are all mould and mildew resistant. Final stages of this project had to be worked on site: fitting “Hook and eye” (aka “velcro”) to the frames to prevent the pads blowing off the roof into the street below ( and it does get windy up there!) My heartfelt thanks to Vicky @the_upholstery_cabin , @shoreditchdesignrooms and my dear neighbour @jane.latchford.272 , for their help and support.
Made and delivered some lovely piped scatter cushions (and my first “Flanged” Scatter)for @haynes.interiors in @zimmerandrohde_uk and @linwood_fabric fabrics
What have you been up to? #Bespoke #Scatter #Cushions #soft #furnishings #atelierrayclarke #London...
Have you been getting outdoors much this summer? A large part of my summer so far has been spent on my customers rooftop terrace, creating outdoor seating pads in @wemyssfabrics #Dalby #Ocean fabrics. At least 1 four-legged friend approves. #atelierrayclarke #bespoke #london #craft #chair #Pads #cushions #indoor #outdoor #wemyss...
My heartfelt thanks for your hospitality as well as massive congratulations to Louise, @loulourich ,@Nickitarr and all the stage 1 & 2,s @the_amusf upholstery graduates @sussexupholstery . Great standard of work on show with some lovely creative details. Also Loving your workshop/ studio environment..Hope you all get to enjoy some well earned R&R over what’s left of this summer! #upholstery #AMUSF #Awards #Sussexupholstery...
Are you looking to learn a new upholstery craft skill? There are a number of Superb AMUSF training centres around the UK. In #London there are 2 places I know and cannot recommend highly enough. One of which,whose stage 1,2&3 students have produced such gorgeous work (which had totally blown me away)is @shoreditchdesignrooms this past weekend. It was an honour to present your student awards.. Very Well done indeed! I’d also like to acknowledge and congratulate all the SDR staff — for building such a lovely, warm and joyful space to learn: You’re doing something special here. It shows in your Students work, and it shows in the confidence I see on each of your faces- SKILLS!! #Graduate #awards #students #Upholstery #craft #atelierrayclarke...
Super busy week. Still much to complete. Thanks to @sg_upholstery for your assistance early on in the week. A couple more Antique dining room chairs (of 6)to complete , clothed in @houseofhackney #Palmeral in colour #Midnight / #green....
For those that have recently started following me Thank you 🙏🏿 and May I reintroduce myself: I’m Ray Clarke. I love the craft. I love art. I love my family and friends (whom I don’t see often enough) and I particularly love upholstery, re-upholstery and bringing my own art to this craft through developing textile designs , which I get digitally printed to create original statement one-off pieces which I post here and on @arc_atelier_ray_clarke I love learning through practice it and recently, through @sit_on_this_workshops and have in the last year taught leisure classes at the prestigious @shoreditchdesignrooms. If you are about and want to come and say Hi you’ll usually find me beavering away in my Bow-based workshop. Call or text first though as I’m either totally absorbed or i’m out and about delivering or collecting Whether I’m working alone or assisted, Music is my constant companion, as I hope are you on this journey. My collaboration with The lovely & amazing @the_upholstery_cabin continues to evolve; with upholstery leisure courses and most recently meeting and chatting to thoroughly lovely inspiring people which we feature on our @sit_on_this_workshops Podcast (available to listen to on @applepodcasts & @spotifypodcasts )
Thank you for following! x
Big shout out to ace photographer @nickdavid for sending through the above images from a shoot we did in August. Go check out his work it’s Fantastic! Much love to you all and have a great week ahead! Rxxx
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