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!
If you Missed Mondays Episode of #therepairshopontheroad you can catch up on @#bbciplayer. Will it was a pleasure to work with you and Your team! #Upholstery #TheRepairshop #rayclarkeupholstery series2...
Working alongside artist @london_artist1 on a piece that now sits inside The Queen’s House at the National Maritime Museum isn’t something I take lightly. This wasn’t just upholstery—it was about holding space for a story.
The fabric, designed by Sharon, which I helped rework into a textile print (getting my favourite printers @maakeuk to print on one of their amazing substrates), carries Sharon’s narrative—flying fish, cou-cou, colour, afro-caribbean culture, memory. My role was to translate that onto form. To shape it, tension it, respect and honour it. Every line, every seam, every pull of the cloth had to honour what the work represents.
It’s a chair, yes—but it’s also an invitation. To sit. To pause. To reconnect.
And that idea—rest as resistance—that hit me.
Massive thanks to Sharon for trusting me with this. These are the projects that remind me why I love upholstery and textile design. #Upholstery #SharonWalters #NationalMaritimeMuseum #QueensHouse #FurnitureAsArt ContemporaryCraft Restoration TextileArt BritishCraft SitOnThis!...
Hey folks! It’s been hella long since I last posted: Here is one of my reasons why- This week I finally completed and installed a restored iconic sofa for the Green room inside the iconic @officialronnies Jazz Club.
After an extensive fabric and design consultation This L-shaped piece was completely stripped and rebuilt in a plush @linwood_fabric #Omega velvet, with new converted foam & feather cushion fillings and fully upholstered from frame to finish.
While the upholstery was carried out we made sure The green room could still function for its artists & guests by lending them the use of my own personal sofa for the duration of the project.
Upholstery is one of those crafts that quietly supports the places where culture happens.
Music venues, theatres, restaurants — they all rely on furniture that works hard and looks right.
It was a privilege to contribute a small piece to such an iconic London venue. My heartfelt thanks to Paul & @alinaustimcuk and all the lovely staff @officialronnies , The delivery men and with the wonderful assist by @rudys_house_upholstery in my studio....
A good result this week replacing the webbing and fillings (keeping the existing covers)restores some confidence after a poor result last week. My Heartfelt thanks to @jolt__music of @rudys_house_upholstery for the assist. Back on job.
Some vital sewing machine components arrived in my post this morning too! Friday the 13th is turning out well so far for me.
I did this to cheer myself up after a poor result this week. I’ve been cycling loads to make up for the CO2 i’ve spent to get this Caricature sort of accurate so don’t come at me! #charicature #chatgpt #Atelier #RayClarke #Upholstery...
Hopefully this project of a modern stool isn’t the shape of things to come this year-what do I mean by this?
I’m talking fabric selection with your customer. Make sure you confirm in writing with your customer their chosen fabrics product code so you don’t end up ordering the wrong fabric. Don’t just go with their suggestion (“I’d like it in a dark green suede- type material”)
#Facepalm
We all make mistakes. The important thing is to solve it, learn from the experience and move on.
Backdrop is under repair so this shot will have to do.. Big jobs on, more about them later.
Wishing you all a Happy new year and I hope ‘26 brings us all greater health, wealth and happiness. I had a few lovely days off which were spent with the lovely @the_upholstery_cabin and her family but unfortunately I Couldn’t stay out the studio long enough and had to complete a new seat pad for an antique bench for a lovely local couple in customers own material :A Kilim Rug which wasn’t too much of a challenge but wasn’t easy for my walking foot and overlocker.
Thank Goodness for my @bench_pal , which really helped me in moving it into and out of one of the last #Zipvan moves - oh how will I manage without Zipvan? (suggestions welcome)...
Hey there ! like you, i’ve completed quite a bit of work these past 3 weeks, delivering some great projects for @royalmuseumsgreenwich (going on display next year), a TV 📺 show contribution for @bbc show #Shiftthethift (airing next year)and 30-odd chairs for the new headquarters of @pepsiuk on behalf of my client and so its been tricky to know what I`m able/allowed to post. This past weekend I thoroughly enjoyed hosting a 1-2-1 with upholstery leisure student Deborah from the great @thewoodenmousefrenchpolishing upholstery leisure class, who needed just alittle additional technical help putting the finishing touches to her #MCM Ercol chair.
I’ll be announcing some more Upholstery leisure dates in ‘26 after Christmas if you would love to come spend a day with yours truly in my studio learning a few introductory tips and tricks to help you on your upholstery journey let me know in my DM’s
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)...
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