Coe Design Studio

An English Regency sewing box covered in an elegantly striped horsehair/silk and finished with a narrow cord. It was a pleasure to work on such a small scale for a change. Below the old top fabric I discovered the original cotton stuffing and inner cover that had remained on the piece for the last 200+ years! It was covered back up where it will remain for many more.

A pair of early 19th century French Empire gondola chairs restored by and reupholstered by me! Eileen discovered these somewhat abused treasures in a Connecticut antique shop. The upholstery was far from their original design. The original drop in seats had been removed and replaced with an attached, sprung seat, which covered up the front show wood. Eileen removed the incorrect upholstery and restored areas of the original show wood that had been tacked into and even sawn off at the very top edge. The restored chairs have newly built drop in frames which I upholstered traditionally in horsehair. No springs this time. The older hair layer on the back was repaired where needed and given a sharp edge to match the empire profile of the seats. These incredibly carved chairs really do look stunning when upholstered as they were meant to be. The top fabric is an elegant choice of mohair from and the edges are finished with close nails.

Thanks for a great week learning to make a traditional French squab! It's always a pleasure taking a trip over the pond to immerse myself in traditional upholstery. I met some lovely people who are keeping the skills alive over here too!

I just completed my first period French chair! This late 18th century chair by J.B. Sene was taken back to the frame and reupholstered with linen inner fabrics and blonde horsehair. The fabric, a silk damask, is a historical replica woven for a mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. My client had stowed away the remnants for just the right project. After multiple layers and lots of handstitching, the chair is finally brought back to life in this beautiful fabric.

Stitched seats on a beautiful pair of late 18th century English armchairs. It's been a crazy couple of weeks as I work on the last few pieces for the . If you're in the New York area be sure to visit the Park Avenue Armory from January 24th to February 2nd! It is a bit like walking into a museum, with antique decorative arts and paintings from around the world 🌎.

Decorative arts and furniture as well as a Spirit House with offerings.