Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word also refers to the materials used to upholster something. Upholstery comes from the Middle English word upholder, which referred to an artisan who makes fabric furnishings. The term is equally applicable to domestic, automobile, airplane and boat furniture, and can be applied to mattresses, particularly the upper layers, though these often differ significantly in design. A person who works with upholstery is called an upholsterer. An apprentice upholsterer is sometimes called an outsider or trimmer. Traditional upholstery uses materials like coil springs (post-1850), animal hair (horse, hog and cow), coir, straw and hay, hessians, linen scrims, wadding, etc., and is done by hand, building each layer up. In contrast, today's upholsterers employ synthetic materials like dacron and vinyl, serpentine springs, and so on.
History
The term "upholder" is an archaic word that was historically used to refer to an "upholsterer". However, it seems to carry a specific connotation of repairing furniture rather than creating new upholstered pieces from scratch, similar to the distinction between a cobbler and a cordwainer. In 18th-century London, upholders often took on the role of interior decorators, managing all aspects of a room's decor. These individuals were members of the Worshipful Company of Upholders, a guild whose traditional role, before the 18th century, was to provide upholstery, textiles, and fittings for funerals. In the prominent London furniture-making partnerships of the 18th century, it was common for a cabinet-maker to pair with an upholder. Notable examples include partnerships like Vile and Cobb, Ince and Mayhew, and Chippendale and Rannie or Haig. In the United States, cities like Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Hickory, North Carolina, are well-known centers for furniture manufacture. Similarly, in England, Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, is recognized for its furniture industry, and many of the best upholsterers can still be found there. Nottinghamshire is also home to Webs Training Ltd, a company that specializes in training apprentices in the furniture manufacturing industry. These skilled artisans continue to create or recreate a wide range of antique and modern furniture pieces. Furniture reupholstery remains a thriving industry in the UK, with numerous small and large businesses offering these services. This ongoing tradition ensures that both antique and contemporary furniture pieces can be restored and maintained for future generations. During the reign of James VI and I (1603–1625), the Baroque style emerged, and stitched edging appeared, meaning bespoke shapes could be created by stitched cushion pads on wooden frames, allowing for the first time design and artistic flair to become a hallmark of upholstered furniture of the age. Farthingale chairs (without arms, see below) were introduced, due to the popularity at the time of the large hooped skirt from which the chairs take their name. The use of velvet in upholstered furniture becomes popular. During the reign of Charles I (Caroline era), the Baroque style took hold in mainland Europe, and this style remained popular into the 18th century. It was characterised by the use of abundant ornamentation in furniture, and was initially promoted by the Catholic church as a response to the Protestant reformation, which perhaps explains why this style very quickly became popular in France, Spain and Italy yet Northern European nations and the British Isles took a lot longer to warm to Baroque-style furniture. England eventually adopted a lot of baroque-style furniture during this period, as a maritime nation with expanding trading links to Asia, heavy tropical woods were imported which allowed furniture of this style to be created, as well as Asian decorative techniques becoming fashionable. Also during this period, although their origins were thought to be in the early 16th century, that ladder chairs became very popular. This type of chair has a tall back constructed of horizontal slats or spindles between the two uprights, a very practical chair design.
Types
Traditional Traditional upholstery traces its roots back to ancient civilizations, where the need for comfort and functionality led to the creation of padded seating surfaces. From ancient Egypt to ancient Rome, early upholstery was primarily concerned with cushioning and supporting chairs, seats, and sofas. However, it was during the Renaissance period in Europe that upholstery flourished as an art form in its own right. Skilled artisans painstakingly handcrafted upholstery using techniques passed down through generations. One of the defining characteristics of traditional upholstery is its reliance on manual craftsmanship. Upholsterers, or "upholsterists", as they are sometimes called, possess unique skills that enable them to transform raw materials into exquisite furniture pieces. Traditional upholstery is a craft that evolved over centuries for padding and covering chairs, seats, and sofas before the development of sewing machines, synthetic fabrics, and plastic foam. Using a solid wood or webbed platform, it can involve the use of springs, lashings, stuffings of animal hair, grasses, coir, wools, hessians, scrims, bridle ties, stuffing ties, blind stitching, top stitching, flocks and wadding all built up by hand.
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