The art of upholstery is not an easy one to master; it takes strict attention to detail as well as creativity in terms of understanding fabrics and furniture, but if you’re passionate about furniture, fabric and textiles, then you’re sure to be a great fit for the job!
How does one become an upholsterer?
Step 1 – Choose Your Route
If you want to become an upholsterer, there are a number of routes you can take.
Firstly, you could look into upholstery courses, which are available throughout the UK. These courses will be likely to lead you towards qualifications, and a more formal learning of the trade, perhaps allowing you to see what aspect of upholstery you can see yourself specialising in.
Secondly, you can learn on the job. This could either be as an apprentice, which is great for those who have no skills in the trade, or working in a junior role within a company.
Step 2 – Production or Craft Reupholstery?
There are two main types – production or craft reupholster. Production upholsterers work with the initial production of furniture, for example, upholstering sofas which you may buy in a shop. Craft reupholsters work to reupholster old furniture or furniture which just needs a little sprucing up.
Reupholstery is becoming increasingly popular as people are becoming more aware of the dangers throwing old sofas and furniture away to landfill sites has on our environment – it’s estimated that re-using our sofas could save 1.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Production and craft reupholstery require similar skills, however, there will be different elements for which you will need training. So, having an idea of which elements of upholstery you are interested in may influence the route of your training.
Step 3 – Read Up on Upholstery
Where does an upholsterer work? You may be based in a workshop, factory, studio, or at home if you choose to be self-employed. Knowing your stuff before training in any trade is important. For example; did you know upholstery can be a tiring job, lifting and carrying lots of furniture? If you didn’t, do your research. You need to make sure it’s the right career for you before you commit to it.
Step 4 – Think about the Future
Once you have trained as an upholsterer, what are your options? There are many options available to you. You may use your skills to set up your own business as a local expert in reupholstery, join a production level team, or perhaps join a reupholstery team which works on a larger scale. More importantly, is this a trade for life? If you can only see yourself doing something for a short time, you may want to consider the alternatives.
Step 5 – Enjoy & Transform
Upholstery can be a long and prosperous career. There’s room for progression in the chosen field of upholstery you decide to go in to. Finding a knack for something like this is great, as it is always going to be an in-demand skill-set! Are you creative and willing to learn? Upholstery may be the career for you!
Have you or anyone you know trained to be an upholsterer? Why not share you stories with us in the comments below.
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