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The Benefits of Fabric Reupholstery & Factors to Consider

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 16:05:13 GMT

Furniture REUPHOLSTERY 101

Furniture plays a central role in how our homes look, feel, and function. Over time, even the most well-loved pieces can show signs of wear—fading fabric, fraying seams, or outdated patterns. Instead of replacing furniture entirely, fabric reupholstery offers a practical, stylish, and sustainable alternative. Below, we explore the key benefits of fabric reupholstery and the important factors to consider before starting a project.

key benefits:

1. Cost-Effective Compared to Buying New

High-quality furniture is expensive, and replacing it can quickly add up. Reupholstery often costs significantly less than purchasing a brand-new piece of similar quality, especially when the furniture frame is still in good condition.

2. Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Reupholstery extends the life of existing furniture, keeping bulky items out of landfills. By reusing frames and cushioning, you reduce waste and lower the demand for new raw materials—making it an eco-friendly choice.

3. Customization & Personal Style

One of the biggest advantages of reupholstery is customization. You can choose from a wide range of fabrics, colors, textures, and patterns to perfectly match your décor and personal taste. This level of personalization is hard to achieve with mass-produced furniture.

4. Preserving Sentimental or Antique Pieces

Some furniture holds sentimental value or features craftsmanship that’s difficult to replace today. Reupholstery allows you to preserve heirloom or antique pieces while refreshing their appearance and comfort.

5. Improved Comfort & Function

Beyond aesthetics, reupholstery can improve comfort. Cushions can be replaced or upgraded, springs can be repaired, and padding can be adjusted to better suit your needs, making old furniture feel new again.

Factors to Consider Before Reupholstering

Condition of the Furniture Frame

A strong, well-built frame is essential. Solid wood frames and quality joinery are ideal candidates for reupholstery, while damaged or poorly constructed frames may not be worth the investment.

Fabric Selection

Choosing the right fabric is crucial. Consider durability, texture, colorfastness, and ease of cleaning. For high-traffic areas or homes with pets and children, performance or stain-resistant fabrics are often the best choice.

Cost vs. Value

While reupholstery can be cost-effective, prices vary depending on fabric choice, labor, and the complexity of the piece. Compare the cost of reupholstery to the value of the furniture to ensure it makes financial sense.

Usage & Lifestyle

Think about how the furniture will be used. A decorative accent chair may not require the same durability as a family-room sofa. Lifestyle factors should guide both fabric choice and construction upgrades.

Professional Craftsmanship

Quality workmanship makes a significant difference in the final result. Hiring an experienced upholsterer ensures proper fabric alignment, durable stitching, and long-lasting comfort.

Is Fabric Reupholstery Right for You?

Fabric reupholstery is an excellent option for homeowners who value quality, sustainability, and personalization. By carefully considering the condition of your furniture, selecting the right materials, and working with skilled professionals, you can transform worn pieces into refreshed, functional, and beautiful furnishings that last for years.

If you’re looking to update your space without starting from scratch, reupholstery may be the perfect solution. Feel free to reach out to the experienced team at Fabric Showcase in Cleveland, OH to get started!

Why You Should Consider Furniture Restoration

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 18:42:41 GMT

Why You Should Consider Restoring Your Furniture

That old chair in the corner or the worn-out sofa in the living room might look like it has seen better days. Before you decide to replace it, consider the benefits of furniture restoration. Giving your beloved pieces a second chance is not only a practical choice but also a way to preserve memories and create something truly unique for your home. With professional restoration, you can transform a dated or damaged item into a beautiful, functional piece of furniture once again.

The Benefits of Furniture Restoration

Deciding to restore a piece of furniture is an investment in quality and sentiment. Here are several key reasons why furniture restoration is an excellent choice:

Preserve Sentimental Value: Many pieces of furniture are family heirlooms passed down through generations. Restoration allows you to preserve the sentimental value and history of these items, ensuring they can be enjoyed for years to come.
Cost-Effectiveness: High-quality new furniture can be expensive. Restoring an existing piece is often more affordable than buying a new one of comparable quality. You can achieve a high-end look without the high-end price tag.
Superior Quality: Older furniture was often built to last, using solid wood and traditional craftsmanship. These pieces are typically more durable than many mass-produced items on the market today. Restoring them means you are investing in furniture that will stand the test of time.
Environmental Responsibility: By choosing furniture restoration, you are making an environmentally friendly decision. It reduces waste by keeping old furniture out of landfills and lessens the demand for new resources.
Customization: Restoration gives you the freedom to customize. You can select new fabrics, finishes, and colors to match your current decor perfectly. This process allows you to create a one-of-a-kind piece that reflects your personal style.

Trust Fabric Showcase for Your Restoration Needs

If you have a piece of furniture that needs a new life, trust the team at Fabric Showcase. We proudly serve the Avon, Bay Village, Cleveland, Medina, Shaker Heights, Solon, and Westlake, OH areas with professional furniture restoration and reupholstery services. Our team has a combined 68 years of experience and is dedicated to delivering exceptional results.

Contact us today to discuss your furniture restoration project and receive a personalized quote. Let us help you revitalize your cherished furniture.

The Best Seat in The house

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:35:21 GMT

Benaroya Hall: The Best Seat in the House

Blog Post from NUA (National Upholstery Association)

Original link: Click Here

Benaroya Hall: The Best Seat in the House

January 13, 2024 12:00 PM

-Andrew Bodjanac, NUA Director at Large and General Manager of Fabric Showcase , recounts his upholstery shop’s transformation of 2,564 theater seats at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, WA.

You always hear about the power of word of mouth advertising – some use it as a badge of honor, bragging that they don't have to spend a dime on getting their name out there. The prized referral is still truly the best chance to land a job in really any industry, but it will only take you so far if you don't do anything with it. Once received, you have a choice: follow up, or let it pass by. It's kinda like a train – you can jump on or jump off of it. If you jump on, it takes a little to get going, but once it’s gained momentum it’s rolling down the track at full steam. That's how we’ve felt about our business lately, especially on the commercial side of things.

Earlier this summer, our business, Fabric Showcase , had an amazing opportunity to reupholster the fixed and loose seating at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, home of the Seattle Symphony. This year, the hall celebrates 25 years since its opening; it is a beautiful venue with a special focus on acoustical integrity .

Background

How exactly did a small upholstery shop in Cleveland get this 2,564 seat job in Seattle? That's a very good question, especially when most shops rarely get the opportunity to bid on projects of that size. To answer that question we have to go back to late 2018 when we were presented with a problem to solve. If any of you have made it to Mansfield, OH, you’ll know that it's known for Shawshank Prison, Snow Trails, and Mid-Ohio Race track – and not necessarily the arts.

However, there is an absolutely beautiful theater in downtown Mansfield called the Renaissance Theatre , which opened in 1928. This theater approached us with a limited budget, requesting reupholstery of the worst 50 of their 1,400 seats. They wanted only the seats reupholstered, not the backs, which required matching the old maroon red velvet that was already faded and worn. We sourced a Kazmir velvet that was a perfect match. They approved, we completed the re-upholstery, and everyone was happy. Little did we know that the small Renaissance Theatre was a part of a larger organization, and when Benaroya Hall in Seattle was looking to renovate their seating, we were one of a few businesses that received a referral.

In late November 2019, about a year after the Renaissance project was complete, I was sitting in my office answering emails one morning when I saw an email with the subject line “Opportunity to Bid.” These usually come in my inbox once in a while for construction and non-upholstery type union jobs so they go straight to the spam folder. However, this email said “theater seats” at the end of the subject and it caught my eye. I opened the email and found about 40 pages of specs, including the 2,248 fixed seating project and 316 chair project for Benaroya Hall.

I called my dad and said “Hey Pops, check your email and tell me what ya think?” My dad is incredibly supportive and has always said “son, you dream it and I'll make it happen” so I pretty much knew what he was going to say. We accepted the notice, booked a flight and hotel, and scheduled a walkthrough.

Walkthrough and Bid

If you’ve ever done a walkthrough, it's a weird experience, because your competition is there at the same time, asking questions, talking about techniques and timelines. As a residential upholsterer that never happens, and if it does it's because the client accidentally double booked the both of you while attempting to get multiple quotes, making for a very awkward meeting. I was really excited to go on the road and was just happy for the opportunity to experience how the process works on the larger scale upholstery projects. But I definitely felt like a small fish in a very large pond.

We approached it like the Renaissance project – we just moved the decimal

point over a few spots to the right. We estimated the time it would take to sew the bullnose seats, upholster the tight back panels, and procure all the supplies. We factored in Seattle living arrangements, car rental, and food for 7 weeks. What a job! We said a quick prayer, hit send, and just like that the bid was in; all the while not knowing that the world would soon come to a guillotine halt and the project of a lifetime we just bid on would be in jeopardy.

I won't bore you with the COVID details, but in short, we delayed 2 years, went through a few price increases, and in the end they stuck with us and we stuck with them. We made sure we had a good lawyer to go over all the legal jargon. Then, in January 2023 we amended the contract and secured a deadline of September (when the hall re-opened after the summer shut down) to have the

hall ready for its first show on September 15th. We broke up the project into 3 sections: Preparation, Production, and Installation.

Preparation

The most unique and vital part of this project was that the new chairs (seat and back) had to be within a certain measure of sound wave parameter to pass the acoustical test. The new chairs needed to absorb a specific amount of sound waves while in the upright position to ensure when the symphony plays that there is a pleasing amount of deflection and absorption. This was the most educational part of the whole project – learning how all the components affect the absorption of sound, including the covering fabric, fire barrier, foam, and adhesives – they all play a part on how sound waves are absorbed into the materials.

We had 8 chairs shipped to us, then mocked-up 2 rows just as they would sit in the hall redone in all new materials. Then off to Riverbank Acoustical Laboratories in Geneva, IL (outside Chicago) we went. The chairs were put in a sound chamber with two 18’’ thick walls for testing. The test took about an hour or so – we said another quick prayer – and we passed the test the first time! This was the biggest relief, because if the test seats fell out of range of sound absorption, we’d need to reselect fabric, possibly choose a different density of foam, and book at least one more trip to Chicago.

With the acoustical test behind us, we focused on getting all the materials in. The specs included every component to be shipped to us: the fabric arrived on six pallets, each with nine 30-50 yard rolls. The metal spring decks, seat foam, wooden curved backs, and back foam all arrived at our workroom in 2 semi truck loads to be unboxed, organized, assembled and upholstered.

Production

The day after Memorial Day 2023 was Production Day One. This was a challenge because we still had our own clients with projects in the schedule to complete. The key was to have a staff that was on board with the process, and everyone in the workroom was ready for one crazy summer. We assigned half of our staff to the Benaroya job and the others worked on our clients' projects. Each worker's skills were used to the max and we used the time as a teaching opportunity, getting out of our collective comfort zone.

One manager overseeing each of the two schedules ensured consistent quality and kept both production schedules flowing. We cut fabric for 3 weeks and kept our sewers and upholsterers busy all the way up to the day before the semi arrived. On July 29th, we loaded up the truck with the completed components. We said another prayer and then the truck was off, arriving in Seattle 5 days later.

Installation

When our crew arrived in Seattle, ahead of the truck, we were presented with a unique situation – we had to be tied off due to the low railing on the balconies. Because we were performing work so close to the low railing, the city required us to go through a training program. (Apparently, a guest in high heels can sit and walk in the front row of the 3rd tier balcony with a glass of wine, but we couldn't peek over the same railing without a full harness.) So off to 2 days of fall protection training we went. Our semi arrived on time and we began the process of removing the old seats and backs, replacing them with the freshly upholstered components from our Cleveland, OH workroom. The harnesses were annoying but the goal was to keep everyone safe, so we pushed through.

These were long days and nights as we unpacked 400+ large boxes, making sure all the sizes and components went exactly where they were supposed to. We disassembled all the old seats and backs, discarded them into countless trips to the dumpster, and then installed the new seats and backs. We finished the 2,248 fixed seats and started the second phase: the 316 loose chairs that were scattered throughout the building. We had laborers tearing off the old materials from the chairs while the upholsterers applied the cut foam and fabric we prepared back home ahead of time. All said, we spent 7 weeks in Seattle and overall it's a beautiful place. Mt. Rainier greeted us each day with a mirage-like picture that looked almost fake as we traveled down Interstate 5 south to our condo.

Conclusion

These were some of the highlights of our project with still many details left out that time couldn't allow. I can't say enough about the staff there at Benaroya Hall, LMN Design , and Andrew Clapham and Associates; we were very blessed to work with their clear vision, ability to accommodate, and laughs during our stay. In total, we spent 7 weeks on-site and each sacrificed a lot to make it happen. But in the end, this is a story about how a small upholstery shop in Cleveland used a referral from Mansfield to upholster 2,500+ seats in Seattle.

Word of mouth is still undefeated.

Tips for Maintaining and Caring for Restored Furniture

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:57:28 GMT

Tips for Maintaining and Caring for Restored Furniture

Now that you have invested time and effort in bringing new life to your cherished pieces, it’s important to maintain and care for them properly. Here are a few essential tips to help you preserve the beauty and integrity of your restored furniture for years to come. By following these tips, you’ll ensure that your treasures continue to shine and be enjoyed for generations.

Regular Dusting and Cleaning – Dust and dirt can accumulate on the surface of your furniture over time, potentially dulling the finish or causing scratches. Regular dusting with a soft, lint-free cloth or a microfiber duster helps to remove these particles and keep your restored furniture looking its best.

Avoid Direct Sunlight and Heat - Direct sunlight can cause the color of wood to fade and finishes to deteriorate. To protect your restored furniture, position it away from direct sunlight or use curtains or blinds to filter the light. Additionally, extreme temperature changes or exposure to heat sources like radiators or heating vents can lead to warping or cracking. Maintain a stable and moderate environment to preserve the integrity of the wood and finishes.

Use Protective Coasters and Mats – To prevent water rings, heat damage, or scratches, always use coasters, placemats, and felt pads on your restored furniture. These simple protective measures help shield the surface from moisture, heat, and friction caused by cups, plates, and other items.

Avoid Excessive Weight – Restored furniture, particularly antique pieces, may have delicate joints or fragile elements. To prevent damage, avoid placing heavy or excessive weight on the furniture. Use caution when moving or rearranging items and ensure that you lift and not drag them across the surface. Additionally, protect your furniture from accidental impacts of bumps that can dent or chip the wood or finishes.

Contact Us Today for Furniture Restoration Services

Proper maintenance and care are essential to preserving the beauty and longevity of your restored furniture. By following these tips, you can ensure that your treasured pieces continue to enhance your living space for years to come. With regular attention and gentle care, your furniture will continue to tell its story and be admired for generations. Fabric Showcase offers furniture restoration services in Cleveland , Bay Village , Avon , Sandusky & Vermilion , OH. Call , or visit our showroom today!

How Can I Preserve My Boat Upholstery?

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 16:16:09 GMT

Tips for Preserving Your Boat’s Upholstery

The city of Sandusky, OH has plenty of places for people to go boating. It is along the shores of Lake Erie after all. So, naturally, there are many boaters in the area. However, few think about protecting and preserving their boat’s upholstery until it is too late. Replacing the upholstery on your boat can be expensive. You should do what you can to protect your upholstery from becoming ruined. Here are some tips to protect your upholstery from the damaging rays of the sun and moisture from the lake:

Use a Breathable Cover: Protecting your boat from the wind, rain, and sun is important. You should use a boat cover that is made from breathable fabric to help moisture on your boat evaporate. Using covers like tarps will protect your boat but will not let moisture that is inside your boat to evaporate.

Dry Your Boat After Each Usage: Moisture is the number one enemy of all upholstery. It leads to mildew and mold. Boats are naturally exposed to a lot of water. Being on the water makes sure of that. Thoroughly drying your boat and its upholstery to prevent mold and mildew from forming is important. Do it after every time you take the boat out on the water. If you do not, your upholstery will begin to crack, chip, and become worn out quickly.

Clean Your Upholstery: You must do more than just dry your boat’s interior, you must clean it too. We recommend using a quality boat vinyl cleaner. This will help remove all dirt and grime on the seats that can cause damage.

Protect Your Upholstery: After cleaning your boat upholstery, use a vinyl protectant to add an extra layer of protection for your seats. It will help protect against fading, cracking, staining, and damaging U.V. rays.

Contact Us Today for Upholstery Services!

Fabric Showcase provides professional upholstery services to the Sandusky, OH area. We can replace worn-out boat upholstery for you, revitalizing your boat’s interior. The sun and water take a constant toll on your upholstery eventually causing you to need to replace it. Signs that indicate you need new upholstery include fading, cracking, and stains. When the time comes time to replace your upholstery, rely on us to do it for you. Contact us today to schedule your boat upholstery services!