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
#AtelierRayClarke #Upholstery #textiledesign #softfurnishingsuk #craft #Skills #SitonThis! #Podcast #Learning #chairs #sofas #art #bespoke #furniture #London
As I get older and pass through this life I realise that No ones an island and we all need help and support from time to time.
I want to take this time to give a special Thank you to this Wonderful, funny, challenging, gifted, tenacious and not to mention gorgeous lady that is Vicky G of @the_upholstery_cabin.
Thank The Devine They broke the Mould When you were created! Rxxx
May you all be grateful for your blessings too-and have a Blessed day/week/month/restoftheyear xxxx
#gratitude #upholstery #love #atelierrayclarke #theupholsterycabin #sitonthis!
This Edwardian-Style sprung, stitched and stuffed armchair, was refurbished and recovered in a beautiful Bouclé, called #tirée from the lovely people up @butefabrics is finally ready to deliver back to my customer.
This past last week or so has felt like wading through warm treacle in my studio even with my biggest fan blowing warm air full pelt and the high windows open.
Better keep on truckin’ this first week and finish as many projects as I can , as
Apart from @sit_on_this_workshops Podcast, this month I have the honour and privilege to congratulate and celebrate the excellent work (putting mine to shame)of graduate students from many of @the_amusf upholstery schools and training centres.
#Upholstery #Armchairs #Bespoke #bouclé #atelierrayclarke #london
How are you all holding up in this UK heat?
My biggest fan has being working overtime- as have I this past week, just to keep cool.
Among the projects coming in and going out (shortly)are this set of 3 x cubed stools , recovered in @clarke_clarke_interiors #acies #Charcoal and @wemyssfabrics #Nabis , colour “Elephant” (Perhaps rename that one folks)..
Anyways - Let me know your most novel tips for staying cool while working at the bench?
This beautiful burnt umber colour variant of the #BrainScan print designby @susanaldworthstudio which I have recoloured & embellished, highlighted with quilted contrasting turquoise thread ”tendrils”, painstakingly stitched through superb digitally printed Eco-velvet from Alexander and his fabulous team over @maakeuk.
So excited to deliver them later today!
#atelierrayclarke #arc #design #fabric #bespoke #furnitureart #London
How would you fit the trimmings on this Late Victorian Beauty?
Did you all have a great Bank holiday weekend? As some of you know I’ve been hard at it at the bench (Hence the Lo-to-no posting). Got quite a bit on at the mo: These set of 4 #midcentury #modern dining room #chairs were designed by Arthur Edwards for an Irish furniture manufacturer called #Crannac.
Now looking smart in @mournetextiles “Stream” (Colour B&W 104/2) for @nicolaholdendesigns
My Thanks to Nicola & Nick for their continued custom, patience and support.
What are you upholsterers working on?
Have a great week! Rx
My customer came to me looking for new fillings and covers to replace her worn-out, shapeless and totally uncomfortable pair of large leather sofa seat cushions.
Once the leather was chosen, a beautiful Rich Chestnut coloured Aniline Pull-up from those lovely people from @wildmanbugby .
Of the 3 options of fillings I presented my customer wisely decided to go for the fully sustainable option: Brand new pocket springs in the core, encased within layers of rubberized hair, wrapped in #ultraflex foam(made from recycled plastic bottles), wool felt, (recycled Polyester skin wadding, stockinette and finally Flame retardant calico.
This was my first created pair of sofa seat cushion fillings using Recycled foam as part of a system. And I love the use of eyelets in the zip panels which help create air circulation within each unit.
I think my client will love to “Sit on This!”😉
What do you think?
Thank you @martinsuph for swift and expert supply of some super sundrys for this (and every)project!
#upholstery #atelierrayclarke #bespoke #sustainable #sofa #seat #cushions #london
I completed and delivered some New seat & arm pads for this drop arm sofa in a beautiful #bouclé (Customer Supplied Fabric). Normally I don’t like to do projects in COM however my customer has been using my services for over 10 years so I knew he was open to a proper fabric consultation, ensuring it was fit for purpose plus he has excellent taste in my humble opinion so the Job’s a good one!
Don’t know about you makers but my body feels as stiff as an old board this morning- My customer recommended me their physio.
How’s your old body holding up?
#insitu #bouclé #Seat #pads #atelier #Ray #Clarke
I completed and delivered back these seat pads, which I originally created back in 2019, for a pair of FM05 wire chairs (designed by Cees Braakman). Fittings for the leather straps were supplied by my client which turned out (years later)to not be fit for purpose. They came back and I revised the fixings to use press studs, having to create new leather straps which I had custom dyed as the new hide was neutral in colour, fixing the new dye in with #Resolene before refitting.
Why do the simplest looking jobs turn out to be the most fiddly?
#Modern #Furniture #Repair #Reupholstery #Restoration #Bespoke #London
#ai Got me pretty close: Love the vintage @bea_fasteningsuk staple gun - By the way, Our Heartfelt thanks to @martinsuph and @bea_fasteningsuk from @the_upholstery_cabin and I for sponsoring season 2 of @sit_on_this_workshops Podcast!
We’ve got some more amazing guests lined up!
What Tools accessories would you include in your Toy packaging?
#rayclarkeupholstery #actionfigure #upholsterer #apron #BeA #Vintage #toy #ai #CGPT4
Today It was a pleasure to visit the @upholsteryskillscentre in #Essex, where I was informally presented the chains of office of #ThePresident of @the_amusf by Paul Marsh.
We had a cup of tea and a fine chat.
On behalf of all members past and present we Thank you Paul for all you have done for the trade and craft!
I`ll be sporting this Bling while attending some official @the_amusf events this year. Many thanks to all for the Honour and privilege as I continue to do my best to represent This amazing organisation throughout this year!
#AMUSF #upholstery #atelierrayclarke #goldielookingchain #president #craft #service
Refurbish and recover, including new suspension webbing of this #Dwell #Rocking chair. replacing the tired, worn and threadbare original vinyl cover with a more durable and smart #Everest (colour Vele) Leather ,from @crestleather.
#refurbish #recover #modern #rockingchair
Its been a minute since I posted on here. The chairs in the above pics are 1 part of the reason why. I`ve just delivered these personally to a lovely local customer. So many things went Pair-shaped with them. If you heard the @sit_on_this_workshops most recent podcast you’ll hear me describe just one aspect of refurbish and recovery of this pair of Wingbacks, now clad in @crestleather #Blake, Colour #Paprika.
My heartfelt thanks go out to all who helped, especially Dear Vicky @the_upholstery_cabin.
I need to sort my head out. Anyways - If you haven`t yet tuned into the
@sit_on_this_workshops Podcast you would be doing Vicky and I a massive favour If you followed it, like and subscribe (available on Apple & Spotify Podcasts)
Hope you like them and have a great weekend. Xx
My customer originally sourced This piece in New York.
Its filings were modern scraps of foam covered in wool felt and a threadbare silk cover.
The gloss paint finish on the frame kept chipping with every snapped removal of each staple. Very time consuming rip down. Only the beginning of issues on this project but it’s about there now and looking lush in #Balloonsafari Colour #Amber by wonder designer @beccawhodesigner
Anyways , at least I got to try out some water gilding with fake gold leaf. I’m not a fan of gloss paint at all but I’ll say no more and hope my customer likes this when I deliver this tomorrow morning.
#Modernupholstery #transformation #furnitureart
2025 feels like it’s about time to just blinking go for it!
Tomorrow’s not written. Now is all there is.
(RIP @davidlynchfoundation)
I’ve always wanted to learn #Gilding #Metallic #goldleaf as I admire the work of real experts like @goldinmycoffee.
Hopefully I can successfully employ this technique over what has been so far a tricky chair to complete.
Give me a worthy chair to develop the technique and I’ll do it (and you) proud! I love creating #bespoke #upholstery #atelierrayclarke #craft #upholstery #london
Would you like to learn some new craft or upholstery skills in 2025?
I was delighted to receive a surprise visit yesterday from my long-time friend and fellow artisan upholsterer, @joonafab, who is in Paris for #parisdecooff.
It’s always a pleasure to exchange stories about our experiences in the craft and share useful tips and hints. I’d love to visit the US sometime to experience their approach to the craft and trade.
Be sure to check out @joonafab`s wonderful drapery, soft furnishings, and upholstered furniture and give her a follow!
I`m also considering charging a small fee for studio open days—would you be interested in coming?
This slipper chair came to me from @chaseerwinfabrics with a brief to feature 2 different fabrics, one on the seat and one on the inside back, refurbishing the existing fillings.
The thing is, that once I began working on it I could see that the suspension springs and fillings were in such a terrible state that I had no choice but to strip it right back on the seat and start from the frame upwards, keeping what I could of the existing upholstery on the inside back.
Once I had started rewebbing and fitting the springs I could see from the curved shape of the frame that the display of both fabrics could not have worked at all on this chair.
So I went tor fully traditional spring, stitched and stuffed seat and back but using the second fabric as an accent in the piping detail and also as a fitted bottoming cloth.
As this had to be ready for #ParisDeco and timing was running out before collection. I did end pulling 2 all-nighters back to back (with about 4 hours sleep) in between. Not advisable but with Christmas and new year shaping up the way it did I didn`t have any choice.
Anyways- I managed to finish in time with mintutes to spare before courier collection.
I hope it looks great on the stand. Hopefully I receive more pics soon!
Have you ever pulled all-nighters to ensure you get your customers project complete? How did you recover?
My thanks to @jacobmorrish for the assist.
#Bespoke #slipperchair #ChaseErwin #ParisDeco
Happy belated New Year Good people of Instagram. Hope you all enjoyed a great Christmas & New year!
2025 has begun with me catching the flu. Not ideal as I have 4 projects to complete with 2 hard deadlines by the end of this week!
I worked very late last night on these plinths for @chaseerwinfabrics Which will be accompanied by a slipper chair i’m also reupholstering, due to be shipped off to @parisdecohomeofficial next week. I’m resting temporarily for the next few hours as I need all my strength to get this over the line for later this week. Thanks to @cableandblake for the new Tangerine wool Baker boy keeping my head all snuggly!
Hopefully i’ll feel stronger by mid-week.
Any recommended cold/flu remedies are very welcome. Look after yourselves out there and love to you all! Rxx #atelierrayclarke #upholstery #bespoke #london #craft
I just wanted to take this moment to say I Love you all and Thank you so much for all your custom and support.
I won`t lie I didn`t manage to complete all I wanted to (with 2 projects outstanding )before Christmas hit)
But I won`t try to beat myself up about it - Like you, I’ve worked bloody ‘ard this year and they`ll be the first pieces off the bench in ‘25!
In the meantime My heart-felt thanks go out to @the_upholstery_cabin for doing so much and leading the charge at times with @sit_on_this_workshops.
There`s so much more content coming out- but in the meantime I need to rest, recharge, plan and revise, perhaps learn one or two apps during the break…
see you all on the other side folks! Big Love and Hugs to you all!!Rxxxxxx
#Gratitude #Christmas #love #to #you #all #happychristmas #atelierrayclarke #bespoke #upholstery #softfurnishings #design #London #SitonThis!
