Among the green crowd, the up-cyclers, the nostalgic and the picky, upholstery services are hot! Once considered a dying art, you may now find upholsterers advertising their services on Craig’s List and in home-improvement circulars that you get in the Sunday paper. We no longer have to hesitate to grab that auction find or thrift store gem or grandma’s beloved wing chair.
When I moved here, one of the first businesses I noticed was Gfell’s upholstery, across from the train station. The shop looked a little neglected. Was it still open? I checked, yes they were. I filed them away in the back of my mind for the inevitable day when I would bring my find to be redone.
I brought a side chair and my own fabric to Gfell’s and was greeted by Mr. Gfell, presumably. He looked at my chair and quoted me $120. Since I’ve never had anything upholstered, I have no idea if that was highway robbery or within the standard for the area. I handed over my chair and my fabric. He opened it up and we selected the area of the pattern he would use for the seat cushion. He told me it would take about two or three weeks. That seemed a long time to me, but the shop was full of furniture. He asked me to record my name, address and phone number in a spiral bound notebook and then he noted what I had brought in. It seemed like a flimsy way of keeping track, but I was not about to question his methods.
That was in early January. I came back 3 weeks later, and he sheepishly admitted that the chair was not done. Work had begun. The old fabric had been removed and there was new batting. He needed another week. Since there was no rush, I gave him two.
I returned on a Saturday afternoon. The chair was ready and it was beautiful. Between what I paid at auction for the chair, purchase of the fabric and the labor, I know I would not have gotten this chair for less in a store. I am very pleased with the work. It was a simple job, I know, but I have tried to re-cover chairs myself and I have made a ham-fisted botch of it. This was clearly a professional job and I was happy to pay a professional to do it. I think I will shop around the next time I have to redo something, just to be a better informed consumer. I am aware that there is another upholsterer in Philadelphia whose work is a few pennies more, but I can’t imagine schlepping to the city for something I can get in my own backyard, literally.
So do your homework, shop around for price, but do know that if you bring work to Gfell, you will not be disappointed.
Gfell’s is open Monday –Friday from 9-5 and Saturdays from 9-1. This is not Calico Corners, it's dusty and a little chaotic...I felt right at home. This is a craftsman who knows a thing or two about wrapping fabric around furniture as evidenced by some of the other challenging projects I saw sitting in the shop. He does not appear to take credit cards, but he cheerfully accepted my check. If you don’t have your own fabric, there are lots of sample books, but I can only imagine how much more time that would add to your order. Gfell’s is on Lancaster Ave., directly across from the Downingtown Train Station. There is convenient parking in the lot across the street and there is often street parking in front of the store.
When I moved here, one of the first businesses I noticed was Gfell’s upholstery, across from the train station. The shop looked a little neglected. Was it still open? I checked, yes they were. I filed them away in the back of my mind for the inevitable day when I would bring my find to be redone.
I brought a side chair and my own fabric to Gfell’s and was greeted by Mr. Gfell, presumably. He looked at my chair and quoted me $120. Since I’ve never had anything upholstered, I have no idea if that was highway robbery or within the standard for the area. I handed over my chair and my fabric. He opened it up and we selected the area of the pattern he would use for the seat cushion. He told me it would take about two or three weeks. That seemed a long time to me, but the shop was full of furniture. He asked me to record my name, address and phone number in a spiral bound notebook and then he noted what I had brought in. It seemed like a flimsy way of keeping track, but I was not about to question his methods.
That was in early January. I came back 3 weeks later, and he sheepishly admitted that the chair was not done. Work had begun. The old fabric had been removed and there was new batting. He needed another week. Since there was no rush, I gave him two.
I returned on a Saturday afternoon. The chair was ready and it was beautiful. Between what I paid at auction for the chair, purchase of the fabric and the labor, I know I would not have gotten this chair for less in a store. I am very pleased with the work. It was a simple job, I know, but I have tried to re-cover chairs myself and I have made a ham-fisted botch of it. This was clearly a professional job and I was happy to pay a professional to do it. I think I will shop around the next time I have to redo something, just to be a better informed consumer. I am aware that there is another upholsterer in Philadelphia whose work is a few pennies more, but I can’t imagine schlepping to the city for something I can get in my own backyard, literally.
So do your homework, shop around for price, but do know that if you bring work to Gfell, you will not be disappointed.
Gfell’s is open Monday –Friday from 9-5 and Saturdays from 9-1. This is not Calico Corners, it's dusty and a little chaotic...I felt right at home. This is a craftsman who knows a thing or two about wrapping fabric around furniture as evidenced by some of the other challenging projects I saw sitting in the shop. He does not appear to take credit cards, but he cheerfully accepted my check. If you don’t have your own fabric, there are lots of sample books, but I can only imagine how much more time that would add to your order. Gfell’s is on Lancaster Ave., directly across from the Downingtown Train Station. There is convenient parking in the lot across the street and there is often street parking in front of the store.
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