it's a wrap

So this, my final post as CHAIRSMITH.  And there we have it.  Done.  And dusted.

Having started a new blog from scratch - different name, different domain - I have now merged my newer content with the old CHAIRSMITH blog in order to keep everything in one place.  For those of you with a beady eye, the previous post should indeed go after this one, but as I published my maiden post on the new blog before signing off as CHAIRSMITH, there is a slight discrepancy in the order of play.  Too much information?

Probably.

Updated January 2015

the future is leaving

Give a girl a new blog, a blank canvas … and then what?  It would appear the freedom to post about anything and everything comes hand in hand with a minefield of decision-making on what exactly one should write about.  Errrr!  But I'm thinking once I get this first post out of the way, it will be plain sailing (fingers crossed).  

True to form, I haven't strayed too far off the beaten track.  Chairs.  This one is a current favourite.  An Ercol rocking chair, Windsor Quaker to be precise.  Picked up at auction after failing to meet its reserve, this sorry fellow was confined to the 'brown furniture' section at the auction house.  That section which, because of all the unfashionable (read ugly) brown, no-one fears to tread … except perhaps for the up-cycler.

The original dark brown stain (varnish, lacquer, call it what you will) on these chairs is fairly invincible, and I've seen one too many unsuccessful attempts at trying to remove it in order to get to the beautiful blonde wood beneath.  Stripping the chair down and all that goes with is a huge undertaking, and the results rarely look good.  So when considering how to transform this little rocker into something more eye-catching, I opted for what some might consider an easy life.  And no doubt there will be others who liken this kind of make-over to a criminal offence.  

Like. I. Care.  

Grey spray paint to the rescue, and I like it this way.  Plus I like spray paint … it's exciting.  Difficult to master, yes.  And being difficult to master means it makes you swear a lot.  But hey-ho, I also like swearing!  Post make-over this chair now gets sat on, rocked … you know, all the stuff a rocking chair should experience in life.  Stuff it wasn't experiencing, nor likely to experience, while hanging out at the auction house waiting for someone to come up with a winning bid.

moving on

The clue's in the title, right?  I've decided it's time to move on and bid farewell to this old blog of mine.  You may recall I toyed with the idea of putting the brakes on CHAIRSMITH sometime ago, but I carried on for the sake of .... well, that's just the point, for the sake of what?  Bogged down with chairs, chairs, chairs, I felt tied to the bloody things.  Don't get me wrong, I like chairs* ... but I like other stuff too.

I turned my back on this place and started afresh elsewhere.  I joined the good ship Instagram using a different nom de plume and have enjoyed the experience thus far.  And Instagram doesn't involve writing too many words ... brilliant!  Over there I've not strayed too far from what I know and have widened my subject area only slightly - from chair-related nonsense to home-related nonsense - but change is as good as a rest, or so they say, and the rest has been a welcome one.  And change is good.  But.  And there is a but.  I've missed blogging.  I've missed words!

So let's cut to the chase.  I've recently been working on a new format - new blog, new name, blah, blah.  I'll reveal all once this new venture goes live, but before I sign off here for good, I wanted to take the time to say a big thank you to each and every one of you for keeping this CHAIRSMITH thing afloat. I've enjoyed the ride, and it's bought opportunities I could never have imagined when I set-off on my chair-documenting journey. Healthy readership coupled with reader engagement is what it's all about, and I'm so happy I've been able to experience both.  From regular readers to those that dip their toes in to research particular designs or designers, I'm truly grateful you took the time to stop by.

Stay tuned ... and get ready to redirect your browsers!

* Not all chairs

reviewed

After an overly long adjournment in proceedings I'm back with a book review.*

The book in question is Contemporary Upholstery by Hannah Stanton, a former graphic designer who caught the bug and signed up for a course in Traditional and Modern Upholstery taught by the 'legendary' Malcolm Hopkins.  And he is legendary - even I've heard of him, spoken to him (before I was 'legendary' that is) and have his book sitting on the shelf.

Now I suppose at this point I should come clean - I've dabbled in upholstery, spent two years in a workshop learning how to upholster chairs using traditional methods and materials, took courses in traditional and modern upholstery and so on - I know a bit about the subject matter and just how tricky it is to master this craft.  I also have a handful of books on upholstery - some good, some not so good.  And for all these reasons I was eager to see how Hannah was going to approach her chosen topic and convey her expertise to the novice, would-be upholsterer.

To give you the blurb, the book is divided into three main sections, beginning with an overview of the essential tools and materials needed. This section includes photographic descriptions as well as a helpful narratives.  A good start.  The second section includes detailed advice on choosing and working with fabric. This section is comprehensive, and I particularly liked the general considerations that should be thought through when selecting a fabric as well as the chapter which discussed making fabric - digital printing, screen printing and the like.

Lastly, section three provides step-by-step tutorials that are technique rather than project driven and range from quick makeovers to simple solutions for particular upholstery processes.  Accompanied by colourful illustrations, I like the way Hannah has included both modern and traditional techniques in this section, giving the reader the option of trying out different methods. And this section is truly comprehensive, covering topics ranging from a drop-in seat to lashing springs and tufting.  My only criticism here would be the use of illustrations over photography.  That being said, the book deemed the upholsterer's bible - Practical Upholstering by Frederick Palmer - contains nothing more than illustrations all the way through.  So perhaps there is something to be said of utilising illustrations to convey what can sometimes be complicated instructions.

Alongside the techniques are case studies of projects by contemporary upholsterers which feature before and after photos of salvaged pieces alongside an explanation as to how the upholsterer tackled each project, the challenges faced and the knowledge they learnt.  There are some great upholsterers featured here whose work I really admire - think Eleanor Young.  And throughout the book there are contributions from other names which I have previously featured on the blog - Claire-Anne O-Brien, Tortie Hoare and Urban Upholstery, to name but a few.

Overall, the book is well presented with each page containing something informative or inspirational.  Whilst I've tackled all of the projects covered in the book, there are one or two I haven't tried in a while, and this book had me thinking affectionately about laid cord and double cone springs and the huge sense of personal achievement that can be gained from taking on and completing any of the projects covered in Hannah's book.  All in all, I'd like Contemporary Upholstery to sit on my book shelf, I'd like to flick through it from time to time and I know I would definitely refer to it in times of 'oh crumbs, now what do I do, does the needle go in this way, or that way, how does that knot go again?'.


* So we're all quite clear, I've not been paid (in money or in chairs) to write this review and I do not know and have never met the author.  The only thing in it for me was the potential enjoyment of reading a good book.  End of.

midcentury

This post is long overdue, not least because (i) it is now February and I've posted diddly-squat so far this year (ii) what I'm about to write about is already fairly old news. But hey, around here old (but not too old) is good, right! I think I've mentioned BEFORE a relatively new title this side of the pond which goes by the name of MIDCENTURY and bills itself as 'The Contemporary Guide to Modern Living'. For me, the novice midcentury enthusiast, it has become an invaluable resource. Championing the best of modern interiors, furniture and architecture is what the magazine does, but it also provides a thoroughly insightful read - all the way through, cover to cover, and with the requisite amount of eye-candy thrown in for good measure. The magazine is currently a subscription only, bi-annual offering which hits doormats around the world every May and November, so the good news is it's only a few months to go until Issue 05!

As a side note, pages 22/24, Issue 04, A/W 2012 features me, my words, my photograph of my chairs. For reals. No big deal. Whatever. OK, I can't tell you how excited I was and still am about this. I was asked to write a short 'comment' piece in Issue 04 with "the aim of giving a print voice to some of [our] favourite bloggers". I am nestled amongst wonderful company - Gerard McGuickin of WALNUT GREY DESIGN (who wrote a great guest-post HERE) and Katie Treggiden of CONFESSIONS OF A DESIGN GEEK. I feel dizzy reminiscing about how dizzy this whole experience was! I know, so unbecoming of a professional writer, or am I an author now? Either way, I'm published! My life is complete.

I would urge anyone who's anyone to subscribe - whether you're in the know, don't know or think you might want to know more about midcentury design and its designers - I guarantee it will be pocket money well spent.