Why Do I Upholster?

As the first post on Upholstery Club,  I thought it fitting that I explain how and why I upholster. Aside from a deep seated childhood need to make cozy spaces, I upholster because it makes me feel empowered. Very early on, it was clear that I loved furniture and art, but even more so, I was always trying to make a calm and comfy little nest somewhere in my boisterous childhood home which consisted of three older brothers and one older sister. I came at the end of the line. And for most visually and audibly sensitive children, it was almost too much. I remember always being on the quest for my own ‘space’ to find a place where I could reflect and observe. One time, I became brave enough to stake out the little storage room under our basement stairs. It had floor to ceiling storage shelves, the opening to a laundry shoot and a little area about 5′ x 5′, the basement floor space directly below the stair landing. While hauling down all kinds of little rugs and accessories to ‘decorate’ my hideaway, I was fumbling in the dark trying to find the string to turn on the low light bulb and literally stuck my finger in the light socket. Yikes! I never did that again.

The chaos was fun, but I was a child who enjoyed a quiet place where I could think, contemplate and visualize ideas. You never really know that when you’re a child, but looking back, I see clearly that’s who I was. You may wonder how upholstery became my passion and profession. That’s a story for another day, but the short story would be that I remember the joy and excitement I had when I got to go to the fabric store with my mom and look through the pattern books, as well as drink in the visual and textural delight of rich and colorful bolts of fabric.  Lucky for me, my mom was extremely creative, talented and style savvy. When I was asking for conservatively cut wool skirts, she was looking at fashion trendy flowing pants and tops. I credit her with providing me  free thinking and creativity genes. Here’s to you Jeanne Miller!