La'al Upholstery
Quality upholstery in Kendal, Cumbria, UK
Welcome to La'al Upholstery
Welcome to La'al Upholstery
La'al = Small
in Cumbrian dialect
La'al Upholstery
Professional Traditional & Modern Upholstery
Because it's special
As a small child, I was always fascinated with old things.
In Japanese folklore Tsukumogami 付喪神 is the belief that an object of 100 years old or more has a spirit within it.
Tsukumogami is linked to the Shinto belief that it’s possible for inanimate objects to become sentient. The transformation occurs on the one-hundredth birthday.
Only after serving people for a century can an object gain a soul.
When I trained as an upholsterer, stripping down the old materials from a piece of furniture soon became one of my favourite stages, even with full of dust and dead bugs!
Occasionally, to my delight I come across writing on the frame or small personal objects which hint at the history of the furniture.
A secret letter
If your furniture is special to you, given by someone special or for a special occasion.
Maybe it holds lovely memories or just because it’s comfortable or because you are making it special by choosing your own fabric to reupholster it this time!
Whatever the reason we would like to see the furniture carry on its story and its journey towards gaining a soul!
There are small spaces inside the furniture where we can hide a secret letter from you and include original fabrics which might be discovered the next time it needs to be reupholstered.
You might be passing your furniture to your children or friends so the letter is for them in the future.
Dried Lavender
As a final touch, we can put some dried lavender as a natural insect repellent on request.
The lavender is from our garden, we leave two thirds of them for bees. we pick and dry it ourselves which is something we enjoy every summer.
We are happy to help to make your furniture one of a kind and a gift to the future. We are open to any ideas. It can be a secret letter or a news paper or picture etc.
Please feel free to request what you would like us to hide inside your furniture!
Gallery
Here are some of the recent projects we’ve worked on.
Loui XVI style settee & armchairs
Edwardian small armchair
This Edwardian chair has elegant cylindrical legs to pad feet. The frame was very loose so it required repair and a full traditional reupholstery. The top of the back fabric runs behind the chair continuously, this unique upholstery method and applying cord in between highlights the shape of curve. The fabric, Strawberry Thief, is one of the most popular and well known designs by William Morris. It worked really well for this small armchair and the classic elegant cord was by Houlès.
Wingback Chair
This Parker Knoll wingback chair is recovered with wool 100% Bertie from Art of the Loom. The foam cushion was replaced with custom made feather cushion. My customer was absolutely right, it turns out more comfortable!
Late Victorian Slipper Chair
This lovely slipper chair is a very special to my customers’ family and it will remain special job to me too. The chair has been stripped down completely and fully reupholstered traditionally. The striking green velvet fabric was by Wemyss Fabrics and elegant trim by Houlès.
Sofa and Stool
Reupholstered with fabulous Pallestrina velvet fabric from Osborne & Little. The room is completed with an armchair covered with the same fabric.
Modern Arm Chair
I had pleasure using this gorgeous velvet fabric from Osborne and Little, Pallestrina from Palazzo collection. The chair was wonderfully transformed.
E.Gomme Limited G-plan Television suites
The suites has the gold embossed stamps which tell that these are made between 1952-59. One of the early “G-plan” chairs. My customer decided to use different fabric for the sofa which worked very well. This beautiful colour fabric is Domino Pyramids by Kirkby Design.
E. Gomme Limited G-plan Television suites
This iconic fabric was created by the prolific Architect and Designer Misha Black in the 1970s. It was first introduced on the London Underground’s District Line. Now revived by Kirkby Design.
Curtain
To die for curtain for the back door, lined and boxed pleats. This beautiful eye catching fabric is ‘Quil Velvet’ by Designers Guild.
Antique Flemish Chair
This lovely chair has been passed on within my customer’s family. The chair was stripped down completely and reupholstered with traditional materials using French technique. Fabric ‘Cesario’ by Colefax and Fowler
Antique Campaign chair
This beautiful chair is used more of an ornament in my customer’s home as it is too delicate to sit on. Therefore we were able to recover with gorgeous embroidered silk fabric ‘Snow Tree’ by Colefax and Folwer.
Roman Blinds
The fabric was particularly chosen to go with the colour of the rug & sofa in the room. The pattern position were carefully measured and thought through to go with all three different windows.
Iron back chair
This victorian chair was reupholstered completely from scratch, using traditional techniques with natural materials. As the structure of the back of the chair is wrought iron instead of wood, everything was hand stitched from beginning to end.
Bloom back chairs
Reupholstered traditionally with natural materials. The pair of victorian rosewood chairs are upholstered in complementary fabrics with the hint of pink. The lovely curves are picked out with bright fuchsia braid from Houles.
Lampshade
A patterned lampshade can make a real difference to a neutral coloured space. This big lampshade became the feature of the entrance.
Junior No1 chair
This lovely kid’s chair was reupholstered traditionally, and changed it’s appearance completely with lovely St. Jude’s fabric designed by Mark Hearld. Harvest Hare.
Child rocking chair
My customer remembers using this chair when she was small, and now she passed onto her children to use it. I always love when my work involves something like this, like being part of the chair’s story.