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 on @arc_atelier_ray_clarke
I love learning. I Also love practicing it and recently, through @sit_on_this_workshops and recently taught a leisure class at the prestigious @shoreditchdesignrooms. If you are about and want to come and say Hi you’ll find me working away in my Bow-based workshop. Call or text first though as I’m either totally absorbed or i’m out and about.
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 )
I’ll be honest though..for all my strengths and love for this craft I’m also working slowly on overcoming my weaknesses: principly time management and planning. Perhaps I have some form of adhd (I’ve not yet had a formal diagnosis) which seems to be a thing with a lot of people these days.
Anyways Thank you for following.
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
#AtelierRayClarke #Upholstery #textiledesign #softfurnishingsuk #craft #Skills #SitonThis! #Podcast #Learning #Tuition #classes #art #bespoke #furniture #London
Feeling very sluggish today. Think I need more vitamin D & K2.. A bit slow out of the blocks after a mammoth weekend stitching and stuffing.
What sort of supplements are all you creatives taking to boost your energy and focus?
(Asking for a friend😜!)
Anyways.. This #LouisXV style couch is shaping up.. Looking smart in @romo_fabrics #Linara (Colour #Goldfinch)
Have a great week xx
#upholstery #atelierrayclarke #bespoke #london #craft #traditional #
Totally feeling @meganforbesinteriors comments earlier (check out and follow her wonderful work!) When you’re working alone at times it can be really hard to stay focused and on job, with good and not so great distractions around you. (last weekend for instance we(myself and my neighbours had an attempted break in!) Thankfully nothing was stolen but It’s stressful when you are doing yo’ thang and some filthy “Skagheads” want to rip off what you’ve spent years building.
My thanks to our landlord who have upgraded the locks and added additional shielding for the Hinge and “Staple”: a Locksmiths term (apparently) for the steel half loop the padlock fits through.
Makes me wonder how many other “toolbox”terms our craft and trade shares with other trades… anyways I’m getting distracted again!
I’m alittle nearer to finishing this Louis XV couch. Let’s see how far I can get this weekend - hopefully without any more stress!
#upholstery #atelierrayclarke #bespoke #london #atelier #craft #traditional
Episode 6 of our @sit_on_this_workshops Podcast is available to listen to NOW on @applepodcasts and @spotify. Have a listen and We’d love it if you could leave your comments and suggestions! #AMUSF #upholstery #softfurnishings #Training #courses #atelierrayclarke #TheUpholsteryCabin #Furniture
Is it just me or wasn`t it, like, January, like-an hour ago??
As its turning leaf, back in my studio amongst the projects and collaborations I`m grateful for being given the opportunity to rebuild and traditionally reupholster this #LouisXV #couch for (apparently)a well known TV presenter/Auctioneer(?). So much stitching still left to do hopefully this will be ready in a week or so. Fabric is a top quality linen union, called #Linara, colour #Goldfinch, courtesy of those fine fellows @romo_fabrics.
#atelierrayclarke #bespoke #atelierrayclarke #london #Traditional #upholstery #restoration #sustainable #antique
#Rewebbing another #williamplunkett #Roclingchair which came into my atelier a short while back as well as anew Bolton twill fitted to refurbished black leather seat cushion linings, cleaning and nourishing the existing hides and fitting new elastic straps on an Australian Made Mid-century modern armchair. Both for a lovely pleased customer over in Wapping who will get many more years of enjoyment from her pieces.
#Repairs #reupholstery #RayClarke
Dear furniture makers/upholsterers/ enthusiasts…
… Do you ever have one of those squirley moments When your about to do a fabric reveal and it all goes abit “Pear”??…
Such a beautiful fabric too, from Those Amazing folks over @timorous_beasties
Can’t wait to show you where this one’s going
Thought i’d post this on the grid to cheer you up- There’s beauty in imperfection. Have a lovely weekend! Rxx
#outtakes #fabricreveal
This Piano bench came to my studio looking and feeling a little sorry for itself. Stripping it right back to board gave me the opportunity to introduce some new, fresh and sustainable materials for its fillings , some rubberised hair, and for the first time, I got to use the #springbond #Ultraflex foam made from recycled plastic bottles, before wrapping it in layers of Recycled polyester skin wadding and wool safe barriercloth before finally cutting, stitching and fitting on a sumptuous Cotton #Velvet called #Artemis in colour #Blush, sent by those Angelic purveyors of Maximalist Natural textile designs @houseofhackney .
My customer should enjoy tickling the old ebony and ivories while Sitting on This!
#upholstery #atelier #Rayclarke #bespoke #piano #bench #modern #Crafted #withlove
A fairly straightforward recover of a slipper chair (Though I did replace the original calico casing) , in this Gorgeous printed velvet called #japanesegarden in colour #Blossom from those Lovely people @linwood_fabric , trimmed off with a leafy green #squirrel #gimp I sourced from more lovely people down at @vvrouleaux.
This piece will be heading over to my customer next week, Hopefully they will love it in the flesh.
#atelierrayclarke #Bespoke #Upholstery #Refurbish #Recover #chairs #London #autumnvibes
And finally this one is ready to head home!… Many thanks to @the_upholstery_cabin for letting me use part of her workshop during the rebuild. Quite proud of the fact the seat pad is made from 100% sustainable materials: CocoLok Rubberised hair , latex foam and wool felt , wrapped up in an FR calico parcel before fitting it inside the custom seat pad cover.
And onto the Next!
#atelierrayclarke #Bespoke #Upholstery #Reupholstery #refurbish #Recover #London
How many of you have squeezed in a rush order between projects? Was it worth it?
#craft #Skills #pay#the#Bills #ARC #Atelier #rayclarkeupholstery #Refurbish #Recover #Ponyskin #leather
A Big love, Hugs and shouts out to upholstery sister Rhonda of @thewhimsicalchair from across the waves over there in the US of A for tuning in!
Have you heard it yet? our last one was a gem With Jim Athey of @georgesmithfurniture
Check it out on @apple or @spotifypodcasts! ,
Likefollow and leave us your comments!
Our thanks to our sponsors @bea_fasteningsuk
Check it out!
#SitonThis! #podcasts #spotify #applepodcasts
Sometimes you have to change production processes and change tack on a piece. Fully traditional feels more rewarding to complete but in this case time, the piece itself as well as customer budgets compelled me to find quicker solutions to complete the inside back and wings using sustainable but more modern materials like rubberised hair, wool and calico instead of stitching and stuffing fibre and hair throughout. Still i’m glad I got to use traditional methods on the arms. And fully sustainable materials throughout the piece. It’ll go out looking and feeling better than it did when it arrived and As long as the customer is happy than i’m happy. #Bespoke #sustainable #upholstery
Hey there you lovely people!
Its been a good while since I`ve posted on Instagram. I sort of took a “Busman’s Holiday”: Taking this particular project with me to and from @the_upholstery_cabin, while I’ve also been helping Vicky rip out her old bathroom and help source new/old bits for her bathroom renovation.
I`d be super happy to be back in my workshop, were it not for the fact I`ve contracted Covid this past week😩.
In the meantime I’m taking time off to recover-and hopefully I’ll be back to full strength and speed in a few days!
In the meantime, Tune in and listen for our next @sit_on_this_workshops Podcast episode, releasing tomorrow on @spotifypodcasts and @applepodcasts -This next one is a real eye-opener!
#Traditional #upholstery #AtelierRayClarke #Bespoke #London #craft
I Completed the last 4 of 16 Conference room office chairs which were collected on Monday evening. A lot of unpicking, (top)stitching , deconstruction and reassembly.
My heartfelt thanks go out to @bowparryupholstery @abbielaurie_upholstery , @suzannemobbs_upholstery and Anna F for all their help and assistance.
#Reupholstery #Recover #Black #Vinyl #office #conference #chairs #BerkeleyHomes #London #Atelierrayclarke
Last 4 of 10 dining room chairs , With refurbished , recovered and ready to return to their home tomorrow. Looking very vivid in @camirafabrics #Aquarius colour: Amber
Many thanks to @the_upholstery_cabin for her help on an exhausting but successful Sunday two Sundays ago.
#Upholstery #Diningroom #Chairs #Refurb #recover #reupholstery #London
Happy Birthday Mum.. Loving you .. Rest in eternal peace Thank you for my life Rxxx
Is it just me or are some of you upholsterers also putting in a shift at the weekends? I’ve been alittle backed up over these past few weeks while i’ve been tackling a very big job, finally due to be delivered and fitted this Tuesday. When you’re mainly a one-man band it can get tricky when some projects stall and you’ve got to keep going while you work details out. You may tackle one or two smaller jobs while you work out the details in the bigger one, only sometimes if you do that you run the risk of going down an ever deepening hole as the details begin to mount up and you risk overwhelm and burnout falsely thinking or feeling there’s no one available to help.
This isn’t the truth at all. When you reach out you’ll be surprised and grateful to see who’s got your back and is willing to assist.
Anyways, Here’s said one of the little ones which which is on its way also to be delivered next week.
Whatever you’re up to I hope you still find some joy from the little things on your way to achieving your “big one”!
Fabric: @butefabrics #kerrycroy
Trimming: Antique on steel decorative nailing
#upholstery #Bespoke #antique #reupholstery #London #craftedwithlove
#TBT :Another deceptively simple job I completed last month was deconstructing a pair of headboard bolsters and rebuilding them 20cm taller for my clients master bedroom near whitechapel, East London, also stitching together New velvet covers which fit snuggly over the remade fillings. Producing a smooth “transition”from the remade woodensubframes to the dense foam fillings was tricky but I got there in the end. My thanks to @haynes.interiors for their custom and support.
#Bespoke #remade #headboard #Bolsters #atelierrayclarke #Upholstery
This ottoman stool completely deceived me. I thought reducing its overall length was going to be straightforward: Strip back to the frame Reduce the frame size (involving partially deconstructing it/cutting it back and then rebuilding the frame. But no.. it also involved cutting back the serpentine springs and hidden in the foam layers above was a pocket spring unit, which also had to be reduced in size before embedding it back within the composite foam cores surrounding it, before cutting, reshaping and restitching the original cover to fit the new shape, reducing the overall shape from 1 metre x 1 metre x 36cm to 60cm x 1 metre x 36cm.
Some jobs can totally send you sideways , thankfully I managed to complete it.
What sort of additional complexity have you come across in the middle of completing projects?
#Bespoke #resizing #Ottoman #stool #Reupholstery #London
