Learn How to Reupholster an Ottoman in One Day | Architectural Digest
Photo: Rue Sakayama
Welcome to the DIY diary. Each entry covers a new home improvement project. Here JR Coffin and George Coffin, partners in business and life, take over an abandoned ottoman.
When JR Coffin, architect and partner at Studio Den Den, found an old, lackluster ottoman on a curb, she took it as a sign it was time to test her sewing skills. The discarded piece of furniture is just what she needed to up the style quotient of the new Providence, Rhode Island home she is currently renovating with her husband, business partner and industrial designer George Coffin. “The short, round shape complemented our flexible living room furniture and low coffee table perfectly,” says George.
The couple last year bought a two-family home from an old couple who lived in separate units — and hadn’t updated much in three decades. “We knew this was the house for us when we came across powder blue shaggy carpets and some of the ugliest wallpaper we’ve ever seen,” says JR.
But how do you reupholster an ottoman to match the space? The duo selected upholstered furniture to match the newly designed interiors: a medley of colorful and warm tones. “In a spirit of spontaneity, we went to our local fabric store and looked at all the options until we found a collection of colors and textures that went together,” says George. “We knew we wanted some kind of leather [in this case faux leather], because the piece would live near our leather sofa. It should relate to the fabric of the sofa, but we also wanted it to stand on its own as a unique piece of furniture.”
Armed with materials, JR and George turned to Diane Montgomery, owner and upholsterer at Nashville’s Coventry Lane Upholstery for advice on how to transform the once-abandoned ottoman into something of a showpiece. See how the project has evolved.
To reupholster a round stool, you need:
Step 1: Remove the existing fabric
“If you take the time to dissect everything, you’ll learn a lot about how it was originally built,” says George. “You have a clean blueprint with pattern pieces that you can trace, cut out, and puzzle back together.” The old decorating maxim—measure twice, cut once—applies to undressing as much as it does to upholstering. Accuracy is key. “If you take off the old fabric, be sure to keep any existing padding in place so it can be reused,” says Montgomery. “You can also reuse the dust bottom fabric [black fabric on the bottom of the frame].” To make sure you don’t get confused with different pieces, chalk mark “edge” or “top” on the old fabric, although this isn’t always necessary for a circular face.
Step 2: Create a template
