Reupholstering Mid-Century furniture — Knoll, Baughman, Eames, Wormley. Period-correct materials and construction methods for 1945-1975 era pieces.
Journal
- Mid-Century Reupholstery: Knoll, Baughman, Eames
- Identifying Stickley: Joiners' Marks, Labels, and Construction
How to identify Gustav, L. & J.G., and other Stickley furniture — joiners' marks, paper labels, and construction details. Bench-side guide for collectors.
- Caning, Rush, and Splint: Period Seat Materials
Hand-caned, rush, and splint seats — period-correct materials for antique chairs. How to identify, when to repair, when to replace. Alexandria workshop guide.
- Cabriole Legs and Ball-and-Claw Feet: A Chippendale Guide
Reading cabriole legs and ball-and-claw feet — the design language that places a chair in the Chippendale period (1750-1780). Bench guide for collectors.
- Tiger Oak and Quarter-Sawn: The Golden Age of Oak
Quarter-sawn oak with tiger-grain medullary rays — the Golden Age of oak (1895-1925) and the Arts-and-Crafts furniture that defines it. Bench-side guide.
- Cuban vs Honduran Mahogany: Reading the Wood
How to tell Cuban from Honduran mahogany — color, grain, ribbon figure, weight. Why the distinction dates a piece. Alexandria workshop guide for collectors.
- Custom Drapery Lead Times: What Drives Them
What drives custom drapery lead times — fabric, interlining, pleat style, height, hardware. Realistic timelines from the Alexandria workshop, by spec.
- The Six Trade Fabric Houses at Bergerie
Schumacher, Brunschwig & Fils, Pierre Frey, Kravet, Lee Jofa, Donghia — the six fabric houses in the Bergerie library. What we use each for on the bench.
- Performance Fabrics for Family Rooms: What Actually Works
Performance fabrics for family-room sofas — Crypton, Sunbrella, Perennials, Maharam. What holds up to dogs, kids, red wine. Alexandria workshop guide.
- Slipcover or Reupholstery: Which Solves Your Problem?
Slipcover or reupholstery — which fits your sofa, your budget, and your timeline. Honest framework with examples from the Alexandria workshop bench.
- Is Your Sofa Worth Reupholstering?
How to tell if a sofa is worth reupholstering — frame quality, spring construction, sentimental value. Honest framework from the Alexandria workshop.
- Patina vs Refinish: When Not to Refinish a Piece
Refinishing an antique destroys its value. How to tell patina from damage, when to preserve, when to repair. Period-correct from the Alexandria workshop.
- Hand-Cut vs Machine Dovetails: Dating a Chest of Drawers
Hand-cut vs machine-cut dovetails: how to read the joint and date a chest to within a 30-year window. Bench-side guide from the Alexandria workshop.
- Horsehair and the Period-Correct Discipline
Why horsehair stuffing is still the period-correct standard for antique upholstery — how it's prepared, when to reuse, when to replace, why substitutes fail.
- Sofa Reupholstery: A Photo-Walk Through the Workshop
What actually happens when a sofa gets reupholstered — a stage-by-stage walk through the Bergerie workshop. From pickup to delivery, the full bench process.
- Anatomy of an Antique Chair: A Bench-Side Tour
Bench-side tour of an antique chair — frame joinery, seat construction, finish, hardware. What we look for during restoration. From the Alexandria workshop.
- Eight-Way Hand-Tied vs Sinuous Springs: What's Inside Your Sofa
Eight-way hand-tied vs sinuous springs — what's inside your sofa, how to identify both without opening, why one outlasts the other. Alexandria workshop.
