Mid Century Chair - Exposed Frame

I’m getting started on reupholstering this chair. 

A friend rescued it from the curb on trash day and it found its way to me soaking wet and desperately in need of new fabric…

I’ve stripped it down to the bare frame and before getting started on the upholstery, I’m making a quick full sized mock up of the internal frame so I can make a matching sister chair. 

That being said, I see many things that can be done to improve on the construction to make it much stronger. The frame is made of white oak which is a good choice in many respects. It is a strong wood - though they didn’t design the joinery to best exploit the inherent strength. The negative, however, is that it is a very heavy wood. I will have to do some thinking on whether to stay with white oak or change it up to lighten the frame. 

I have no doubt that using a laminate bent upper back slat and mortise and tenon joinery would make the chair significantly stronger. Just because something is covered by fabric doesn’t mean it should be made with sub-par construction methods. It’s a great design which should be celebrated in all aspects of its construction.

I’ve selected a nice aqua blue fabric for the upholstery and will update with pictures soon…

Here is a Adrian Pearsall chair that I just finished reupholstering in
Maharam’s Scout Crypton Bluesteel. The cushion is a little too big, so
I cut it down and sewed the cover again. I’m just waiting on some 1/4”
dacron to come in the mail and I will finish it up. This chair also
has an ottoman, but that’s a little further down the priority list.
More pictures to come…

Next I have two small Kroehler chairs to do for my teaching studio,
then the matching Pearsall sofa in the same Bluesteel fabric.

I’m excited to finish these projects up so I can get going on my new
chair design!

Here’s an upcoming new chair design. Pictured top is my original Milo Baughman recliner and below is the more updated Baughman design from DWR. I will try to take the best attributes of both designs, add some of my own ideas and come up with a terrific and wonderfully comfortable new chair. More to come soon!