I knew as soon as this stunning suzani rug arrived at my studio that the result was going to be one of the most striking footstools I have made, hence well worth a blog post.

The suzani was the customer’s own, and I was tasked with proposing the optimal size and shape to make the most of the beautiful design of the fabric, alongside consideration of their space requirements. The fabric itself had a pretty, narrow rectangular border encasing a central design, and this naturally lent itself to guide the shape and size of the footstool; the customer had a specific length of stool in mind which I was able to slightly tweak to ensure the border band could be seen either end.

Never before have we spent so much time in our homes.

Spending so much time at home has made me take notice of how my surroundings actually make me feel. I have always had a keen eye for interiors and as an upholsterer, am always on the lookout for antique projects for my home…., but I mean how the surroundings make us feel emotionally and how we use our space. Like many, I have embraced darker tones in my home over the last couple of years, but suddenly, I’m feeling the need for light and colour. I love Inchyra Blue and Downpipe Grey, but somehow, the light and airiness and a splash of colour are what I feel I need right now to lift my emotions, and I’ve noticed that I am spending more time in the lightest room in my home, perhaps because of this.

Where do you take your inspiration from?

On a Facebook post recently, a customer wrote: "The Bespoke Footstool company is a really professional and upbeat form….we particularly liked their informative and interactive website helping you to build your own design, and that you can choose your own fabric, not just within a restricted range”.

The Online Design Tool

The Online Design Tool, to which the customer is referring is only the start of the design process for The Bespoke Footstool Company. Although customers can order from within it if they choose, it also gives customers an initial framework to work from if they are undecided about the style or shape of the Stool.

Source: From David James book "Upholstery - a complete course"

The craft of upholstery is an ancient one dating back to the Middle Ages. It has a fascinating history, and as a traditionally trained upholsterer, I feel its story should be told, and the highly skilled traditional methods employed by our ancestors taught to future generations of upholsterers so that the complexities and details of the craft are not lost forever.