15 years ago (Facebook tells me) Those amazing people @Hybridlab created this stop motion animation with me. Where does the time go!?!
Ever been sacked from a job?..
Get ready for Ray and Vicky`s debut podcast dropping soon!
In our first episode, we`re spilling the beans on our upholstery journey, sharing the highs, the lows, and all the lessons we`ve picked up along the way. Stay tuned!
#PodcastDebut #UpholsteryJourney #sitonthis #rayclarke #vickygrubb #podcast
Having completed 6 morning sessions With this lovely group of students They are all beginning to hit their strides with some amazing upholstery projects. I look forward to seeing them all again after the Easter break.
It’s great fun to share some tips and tricks with them all and I’m finding it’s also helping me refine my own skills and processes on the tools.
Thank you all for coming. And if you are thinking maybe I should join a leisure class @shoreditchdesignrooms - Get right on one!!
#Upholstery #tuition #craft #sewing #London #ShoreditchDesignRooms #rayclarkeupholstery #AtelierRayClarke
#TBT : March Last year I think I worked on the most challenging chair I ever had the honour to work on: A design classic (still in production today)
The #EA208 , Designed by Charles & Ray Eames brought in by Super Antiques dealer Saxon @metroretroltd needed some serious structural repairs as well as a new upholstery.
I’ll be honest, completing the upholstery on this and refitting had me close to breaking point. These chairs although mass-produced , aren’t very “upholsterer-friendly” and were it not for some welcome expert help and my eternal thanks going out to Carl from @irvinginteriors
I think I would have really struggled to make the final cut.
As it happens I think it turned out ok. Covered in the Crocodile skin-embossed Cowhide supplied by those good folks down at @alma_leather_ , that episode is now available to watch on @discoveryplus , Season 6, Episode 19 of #salvagehunterstherestorers .
#AtelierRayClarke #ARC #EA208 #Officechair #bespoke #restoration #designicon #leather #Home #office
Afternoon peeps.
Hoping you’ve all had a great weekend.
I spent mine finishing this installation of 8 x seat pads covered in @camirafabrics #Mainline #Flax (colour #Hornchurch) for a reception/foyer area in a commercial space in Victoria Street, SW1. Not all my upholstery jobs are “instaworthy” but I post anyway so you can get an idea of the variety and scope of my abilities and in truth I need to use all my skills to pay off some hefty bills!
Highlight of my weekend was a trip down to Ringwood to record podcast content with the irrepressible Victoria G @the_upholstery_cabin for our @sit_on_this_workshops podcast.
Now to the edit..
Hoping your week brings you all some lovely moments!
@
#camira #fabrics #refurbish #seats #Atelierrayclarke
#TBT December ‘22: I Loved working on this Provincial Bench. It gave me the opportunity to play with colours and produce my very own stripe design which I had digitally printed onto plush Velvet, My sincere thanks go out to all @curvemediatv , Louise @shoreditchdesignrooms and @garethrees75 for their great advice and support and to @restorersteve For doing such a great job on repairs to the frame.
Check out episode 18 “Clowning Around” of Season 6 of #salvagehunterstherestorers, now available to stream on @discoveryplus (I’ll stick a link in my bio- does anyone look at those anymore?)
Anyways, Thank you all for your support.
#AtelierRayClarke #Traditional #Upholstery #Antique #contemporary #textiledesign #london🇬🇧 #Bespoke #Statement #provincial #bench
Afternoon peeps!
Hoping you’ve all had a great weekend.
This isn’t my “usual” upholstery post.
I’ve got this pair of @squint_studio Night stands
I don’t have space for so I’m selling the pair. They are a little brown beaten and pre-loved however I’d love them both to go to a good home. Price on enquiry. Message me for details .
Have a great week!
#Squint #daystands #craftedwithlove #Lovedforthecraft #upholstery #Softfurnishings #Homewares #Forsale #Patchwork #original #upcycledfurniture
For those that have recently started following me on here Thank you for following!
May I reintroduce myself.
I`m Ray Clarke. I love the craft, I love art. I love my family and friends and I particularly love upholstery, re-upholstery and bringing my own art to this craft through developing textile prints which I occasionally use to create statement one-off pieces.
I love learning. I love practicing it and recently, through @sit_on_this_workshops and now finding my way teaching a leisure class at the prestigious @shoreditchdesignrooms on Friday mornings. If you are about and want to come and say Hi you’ll find me there as well as in my Bow-based workshop.
Right now I`m rebuilding the seat in a living room of a Professor in Kennington while listening to some classical music on my @spotifyuk. Music is my constant companion, as I hope are you on this journey.
Much love to you all and have a great weekend! Rxxx
#AtelierRayClarke #Upholstery #craft #Skills #Learning #Tuition #classes #art #bespoke #furniture
#TBT : This pair of French Bergère armchairs taught me many hard lessons about customer service/managing customer expectations and working myself to exhaustion in November last year.
They were originally upholstered by the grandmother of the owner of these chairs. my original estimate was for refurbish and recover, based on an image they supplied just showing them from the front.
Upon receiving the chairs it became clear that the outside backs panels were fitted inside the frame and the condition of the original filling was so bad I had no choice but to start again from the frame upwards. Which took longer in terms of labour time.
Anyways, what started out an enjoyable experience ended not so much.
My deepest thanks go out to @rae_upholstery @theupholsterycabin and @Garethree75 for all their help, advice and support.
Now covered in a beautiful velvet called #Scala in colour #Putty from @chase_erwin_textiles. Trimmed in a beautiful Squirrel gimp from those lovely people over at @vvrouleaux
Do you Think these turned out ok?
Well January for me was hard, grey, dark & cold. As the light continues it`s return I am grateful for the opportunity to play with a burst of colours which have kept my spirits up during these winter months, through completing this commission, a cute little #Flocktail Chair, covered in #NorthmoreMajor linen, designed by @rachelparkerdesigns on behalf of those lovely people @studioflock.
Hope these colours brighten up your first February weekend as the light continues to make its way back.
#ARC #AtelierRayClarke #Flockstudio #cocktail #Chair #Modern #upholstery #Design #textiles #Fun #Colour
Give your pilates students the best experience. Get your equipment reupholstered by yours truly.
Contact me and get your Reformers expertly refurbished & recovered.
Good morning all!
Just wanted to say Thank you for all your kind birthday wishes (It was Saturday just gone!)
And thank you to @monfornothing and @bbc for broadcasting a repeat of a project I did with and for @jaybladesmbe. Where does the time go? It was great being assisted by the amazing @altyn_upholstery, who went on to produce some amazing work too! Just feeling grateful that being on that show did for me in terms of producing more creative ideas for transforming furniture and the exposure is always great. BIG Love to all @monfornothing. This episode is available to watch on #bbciplayer for another 28 days in case you missed it yesterday.
Have a great week! Rxxx
#moneyfornothingbbc #farmhousestyle #chairs #Custom #woodstain #AtelierRayClarke #bbc #upholstery #restoration #transform #furnitureartist
For those that don’t know: These pieces of exercise equipment were designed by Joseph Pilates . The piece on the left is the “carriage” of an exercise contraption called a “Reformer”. By performing specific exercises as the carriage runs along its runners using springs and levers to create resistance, a user can develop greater core strength and retrain and help realign the body in the service of gaining greater control over muscular and skeletal movement and Body Conditioning. Used as part of a system developed by the German Joseph Pilates in 1923 it has since massively grown in popularity in the west and I’m honoured to know a fair few teachers and practitioners of Pilates and Restoring and recovering this piece of kit is definitely not as straight forward as it looks! Lots of unbolting , cutting, stitching, cleaning, polishing and refitting.
This particular example , now covered in #Neugahyde #Vinyl, I’ve just delivered back to its owner off Regent’s park earlier this evening in time for her new term of students to train with.
I myself just need a long lie down.
Hope you’ve all enjoyed or at least , less endured Your weekend. Many thanks to @rae_upholstery for her assistance, and to @rowenaupholstery for the additional emergency foam rescue when I came up slightly short.
#ARC #AtelierRayClarke #Modern #upholstery #Exercise #equipment #Pilates #Reformer #Bodyweight #coreworkout
First Job completed and collected out of my studio just afew moments ago. An ebay find which needed rewebbing . Now looking a lot smarter in @camirafabrics #Mainline#Flax fabric. My Thanks to @rae_upholstery for all her help and assistance with this.
Happy belated New Year everyone..Let’s go get it!! Rxxx
Choosing my moment to chime in and hope you’ve all had a lovely, wonderful and peaceful Christmas and are enjoying your time and space be’twixedmas . THANK YOU for following and liking my work and see you all in #2024 Rxxx
Delivered this last night also Just in time for my customer to entertain her guests this christmas: An original #everstaff #pianostool , striped of its original finish, sanded and polished with layers of beeswax. Upholstered a fresh new seat pad covered in @crestleather #newengland #black leather. Taking break after tomorrow. Xx
Last few jobs delivered before Christmas: Not my usual bag but I enjoyed re-finishing the showwood and brass on this best of tables for a local customer.
My thanks to @the_upholstery_cabin for all her help dismantling and giving them a good rub down.
#Nest #of #tables #furniturerestoration #AtelierRayClarke
Pleased to personally deliver this @parkerknoll Wingback #armchair Looking smart in @butefabrics #Tiree , Colour #merlot , and this antique #Ballandclaw #footstool , covered in @camirafabrics #Mainline#Flax in Colour #blackwall , Delivered to a lovely Local customer near to My studio on The Isle of Dogs.
My thanks to @rae_upholstery for assisting me and to @the_upholstery_cabin , and all of you,for all your support.
#ARC #AtelierrayClarke #Modern #Upholstery #Refurbish #Recover
Late night getting this pair of French #bergères #chairs ready for delivery Friday. Loving the grey #Squirrel #gimp from @vvrouleaux, complimenting this sumptuous velvet called #Scala , in colour #putty, from @chase_erwin_textiles. Just 8 more panels, the down feather seat pads to create (and alittle more Gimp to fit ) I always get alittle “antsy” towards the end of a big project: The temptation to rush to the finish can ruin work. Specially at this time of year, when it feels like everyone wants it before Christmas. Thanks for your support Rxx
Among the current projects in my studio, I’m working with a lovely local customer who was looking for some smart but durable fabric options to refurbish and recover their Ottoman footstool (featuring ball and claw Mahogany legs)and an accompanying @parkerknoll #Wingback armchair.
Tackling the footstool first, we’ve smartened it up with this gorgeous @camirafabrics #Mainline #Flax sustainable #Wool
My thanks to @rae_upholstery For the Rip-Down of both items
Wingback next. Have a lovely weekend all!Rxx
