A cherished piece passed down from our customer’s mother, she wanted to give it a fresh update while preserving its character. She chose black leather with a deep-buttoned back, finished with silver stud trim for a timeless look.
To ensure a perfect fit for the leather, Barry expertly redesigned the frame, combining traditional craftsmanship with a modern touch.
We are often asked about the areas we cover for furniture collection. In general, we provide a national service, but our collections are primarily in Darlington, North Yorkshire, and up to Newcastle. However, we have also had customers ship furniture to us from Portugal, Ireland, and France, so location isn’t a problem as long as you can get the furniture to us. We offer free, expert advice on reupholstery and restoration jobs, and we can guide you on how to ship your furniture to us. It’s simpler than you might think. Feel free to contact Jo Griffiths at BJ Upholstery to discuss your requirements.
Barnard Castle Barton Caldwell Catterick Co Durham Cotswolds County Durham Darlington Durham Gainford gloucester Harrogate Heighington Hurworth Lartington Leyburn London Masham Middlesbrough Middleton St George Mowden Nationwide Neasham Newcastle-upon-Tyne Newton Aycliffe Northallerton North East North East England North Yorkshire Ravensworth Reeth Richmond Scotland Sedgefield Stockton Stockton-on-Tees Stokesley teesside Tees Valley thirsk UK United Kingdom Wales Witton-le-Wear Yarm
All types of repairs are covered through our Uplift, Repair, and Return service. We address common issues such as broken frames, spring replacements, and under-seat platform repairs. Our prices include most repair parts; however, additional components such as bespoke foams or sprung units may be necessary at an additional cost—feel free to inquire about a quote for these items. The Uplift and Repair service is priced at £650, inclusive of complimentary collection and delivery within Darlington. In most cases, we will repair and rectify common issues and make your sofa good for many years in the future all in one go.
For areas beyond Darlington, please arrange shipment to our workshops. We currently use Proovia Couriers. For a precise estimate, please request a specific quote.
Over the years we have collected sofas and chairs for repair, occasionally retrieving them again later for further repairs. We realised the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of conducting all necessary preventative repairs and refurbishments in one comprehensive process while the furniture was in the workshop was a better idea. For instance, if a customer’s sofa has broken springs, we address that issue along with checking and tightening the frame, and replacing the platform, all while the sofa is disassembled on the bench. Cost-effective and prevents further disruption.
The uplift and return delivery to your home. Check and make good the frame, springs, webbing and any other issues like ripped platform.
Every job is different. Usually, a sofa will come into the workshop for one repair item, while it is there we check and repair all as stated above included in the price.
A customer contacted us to repair a ripped platform (the fabric liner under the seat cushions). We suggested the Uplift, repair, and return service. On
Options are bespoke foam seat cushions, fibre back cushions, replacement legs and new seat cases. New feather inner cases to order.
Orange Peel Chair Restoration and reupholstery.
The Orange Peel Chair was designed to capture the organic beauty of a falling orange peel. Its unique, curved design makes it a true statement piece, can look great in any home, and it’s surprisingly comfortable, it tilts back.
We’ve had the pleasure of restoring and reupholstering several iconic Orange Peel Chairs from across the UK. Reupholstering this chair presents a unique challenge due to its unconventional design and curved cushion, but our master craftsman, Barry, expertly handles these with his care and precision. We recently completed one in suple Scottish hide, and the customer said it looked even better than new. Another example is below that was originally in vinyl and re reupholstered it in a velvet.
Designer chairs like this, especially when restored, can be worth some thousands of pounds. They not only retain their high value but also serve as a wonderful conversation piece and a comfortable chair that will last a lifetime.
Below are a couple of examples—one in velvet and one in Scottish hide, both orange in colour.
For this project, we replaced the original vinyl with the customer’s chosen velvet fabric, giving the chair a softer, more luxurious look and feel. The result is a beautiful blend of form and function—a true work of art that’s also a comfortable seat.
We received the chair and I have to say you did a wonderful job. It’s better than the photos. My husband was shocked at how good the chair looks. Thank you.
We offer national delivery for all completed reupholstered items. Before shipping, we photograph each item, carefully wrap and pack them, and prepare them for dispatch. You can choose your preferred delivery company, or we can recommend one we use regularly. If you’d like, we can send you a link to book the collection directly.
At BJ Upholstery, we prioritise your satisfaction. That’s why we offer a complimentary estimate to help your journey towards restoring your beloved Duresta furniture. To discuss your needs, book a call with Jo Griffiths for personalised advice. Rest assured, we’re here to guide you through every step of the process, ensuring your furniture receives the care and attention it deserves.
Duresta Sofas and Chair: We recently replaced all the outside arms and face covers for a set of Duresta sofas and one chair, restoring them to new condition. To ensure a seamless match, the fabric was sourced from Duresta direct, resulting in a flawless finish.
Alteration and Repair Duresta: We can alter and repair. We expertly resized a Duresta sofa, reducing its width by 2 feet to perfectly fit into a bay window. Our precise craftsmanship ensures a tailored fit that seamlessly integrates into the space, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics.
‘ Delighted with the reupholstering of our 2 sofas which are 20 years old but now look brand new. The workmanship is of the highest standard, couldn’t have asked for a better job plus the work was completed on time. Many thanks.‘
Here is a really lovely antique 1920’s Drop Arm sofa as we restored it.
Restored including new wood bun feet.
Detail
Completed December 2016.
Originally upholstered in leather we reupholstered this lovely set of study or library sofa and two chairs. The chairs are of a different style and the padding is firm for this type of seating.
We are reupholstery experts with now 30 years experience, Offering simple repairs, domestic reupholstery and commercial reupholstery contracts. Based in Darlington we cover North East England and North Yorkshire.
We can re-make loose covers for your furniture.
There are some good things about loose covers for furniture, a great idea; you can put them in the wash and even change the style/colour if you have two sets of loose covers. The down-side is that they often go out of shape and become baggy and in places they don’t fit as they used to.
I have a cream linen loose cover sofa that is lovely, it washes well but at the back it no longer fits correctly. Nature of this type of fabric.
With some covers if they are of a more ridged fabric (unlike linen) the fabric will hang better. We can take apart the originals and re-make the covers.
Most loose covers often are out of shape and have become baggy and in places they don’t fit as they used to. The solution in this case is to re-make the loose covers based on the the body of the furniture. The upholsterer will work around the furniture body on the bench, measure up the individual panels to make each panel fall and hang correctly. It’s good advice to order two sets to be made at the same time to save costs.
We made a set of new tailored loose covers to replace the covers that had worn.
When fitting after wash allow to dry naturally but not bone dry. Re-fit when the fabric is a little damp. As it fully dries at room temperature it will form a nice shape around the furniture body.
Sold from our showroom as soon as it went on the shop floor.
Delivered this week. Kilims are flat tapestry-woven fabric. Our customer wanted a plan blue fabric – see the original scatter Kilim fabric cushions.
Good quality sofas and chairs are usually worth repairing or recovering. Antique furniture is almost always worth it and 1920s to 1950s upholstered furniture tends to be so well made it will probably outlast you and me and possibly appreciate in value after a restoration. 1960s and 70s furniture is in high demand and can fetch some astonishing prices, especially designer pieces like an Egg chair.
Good quality furniture restored and reupholstered with new springs, fillings and foams can really bring a great design back to life, or indeed look better than when new – a unique design statement piece you can use every day. I have a 1920s drop-arm sofa that we reupholstered 20 years ago, it has lived in my living room, and kitchen and now sits in a bedroom. It cost me just £200 plus the reupholster and fabric costs, it is still as good as new and worth double my investment. In addition to all the good use and financial benefits, it still looks beautiful today.
Brands like Sherborne – Duresta – Vale Bridgecraft – Parker knoll – Ercol – Cintique – George Smith – Wesley-Barrell – Howard and Sons for many years have been through our workshop and today appeal to all ages – always worth restoring and reupholstering.
Lesser quality sofas and chairs like the Argos range or DFS and SCS sofas usually are not worth the repair or recovery costs. However; more often we find customers will invest in this type of upholstery due to the fact that the sofa ‘fits in the area just right’ or it is very comfortable and worth re-investing and keeping. And do consider that a reupholstered sofa will actually be better quality once completed than a factory-produced item.
Re-spring a sofa or chair. Often sofas will just sag and the platform under the sear cushions will rip. A platform refit and replacement of modern ‘zig-zag’ springs is a straightforward job and will give you some extra years of use. The cost for this is about £250 plus up-lift and delivery. Great value and often will add some ten years more use from a piece.
By BJ Upholstery Restoration Manager.
A cosy cottage in North Yorkshire had a a perfectly proportioned two seater cottage sofa but it was passed its best. We restored, re-padded and reupholstered in a fresh new fire retardant fabric to ‘as-new’ standard. Cosy!
Already we are been asked for reupholstery jobs to be ready for Christmas. As an average job takes three weeks; we are asking out customers to ‘Book Early’ to save disappointment.
If you can wait till January 2018 for the job start; we offer a lovely 10% discount if booked in October and November.
Reupholstery services and repairs in Darlington, Newcastle and all of the North Yorkshire area. Including Barnard Castle, Leyburn, Durham, Middlesbrough, Stokesley, Sunderland etc.
Reupholstery Services in North East England and North Yorkshire
Are you considering reupholstering a chair or sofa, restoring a valuable antique, or reinventing a historic piece?
Older furniture often boasts far superior frame quality and structure compared to most modern pieces. When professionally restored and upholstered, an older chair or sofa not only outlasts its contemporary counterparts but also offers a unique charm, retains its value, and often provides more generous proportions for added comfort.
At BJ Upholstery, we bring your furniture back to life with expert craftsmanship.
Free Home Visits and Quotes in the North East and North Yorkshire
We’re proud to offer free home visits and quotes for customers across the North East and North Yorkshire. Simply request a quote here.
Serving Darlington and Beyond
Based in Darlington, we provide professional reupholstery services and repairs throughout the region, including:
•Darlington
•Newcastle
•Barnard Castle
•Leyburn
•Durham
•Middlesbrough
•Stokesley
•Sunderland
For other areas, please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your needs.
Choosing fabric can sometimes be the hardest part of booking a reupholstery job. Over the years I have found it useful to direct my customers to our fabric suppliers websites to help with fabric choices.
Links to our main fabric providers websites is located at the bottom of all pages on our website. As the choice is growing and to keep things neat we have created a NEW website page called ‘FABRIC CHOICES PAGE’. Importantly we have retained the link at the bottom of all the website pages – because our customers are used to the links been there.
Read about our fabric providers:
Chatsworth Fabrics Since founded in 1991, Chatsworth Fabrics has prided itself on its standards of excellence and ensuring that nothing is too much trouble for our customers, over 20 years later we continue as a family run business.
Linwood Fabric Linwood is a family-run business with over three generations of experience in furnishings. We are passionate about maintaining a classic English style to our collection, while introducing contemporary designs and innovative modern techniques.
Porter and Stone With 60 years of experience Fryett’s has evolved into one of the leading designers and innovators of curtain and upholstery fabrics.
Ross Fabrics Fabric Collections Ross Fabrics, established in 1933, supply a comprehensive range of upholstery fabrics.
Thanks for reading – Jo.
Best regards from Jo.
