Learn the Basics
The Taster Day
- Bring a dining chair or a small footstool
- All tools provided, no experience needed
- Go home with a finished piece
£195per day
Enquire About Dates
Bespoke Upholstery & Tuition · Hampshire
Old furniture, brought back to life.
I rescue the chairs destined for the skip and the sofas with good bones. At my flint-walled studio in Privett, I'll teach you to do the same.
Taster days from £195 · All tools provided · Small classes
Before
After
Drag to see the transformation
I.
Small classes, one-to-one attention. Upholstery taught properly, side by side.
II.
All tools provided. Arrive with a tired chair, leave with a finished piece and a new skill.
III.
Free, no obligation quotes. Upload a photo of your piece with your enquiry and I'll come back to you with honest advice.
The Old Granary Workshop
I left my corporate shackles behind to rescue the unloved: the chairs destined for the skip, the sofas with good bones and a forgotten history. Now I teach others to do the same.
Learn the Craft
From a single day to a whole new career.
Small classes, one-to-one attention, and a relaxed studio in the Hampshire countryside. Whatever your pace, there's a course to suit you.
Learn the Basics
For Beginners
The Hobbyist
- Strip and rebuild a full armchair
- Fabric selection & pattern matching
- Box cushions, zips & piping trims
£695five days
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For a Career Change
The Intensive
- Wing chairs, armchairs, headboards & footstools
- Deep buttoning, piping, trims & zips
- A year of monthly phone support included
£3,895six weeks
Enquire About Dates
Upcoming Dates
Autumn courses start Mon 28 Sept, 12 & 26 Oct, 9 & 23 Nov — pick your date, from a taster day to the six-week Intensive.
Not Sure Where to Start?
How much time do you have?
Commissions
The pieces nobody else would make.
Statement work for private clients, boutique hotels and interior designers. Every commission starts with a conversation about the piece, the room it will live in, and the fabric that will bring it to life.
Commission a piece →
"Recycling unloved treasures is my passion."
Meet Dawn
The bookkeeper who became an upholsterer.
For many years I was a bookkeeper and administrator, until I decided to break free of my corporate shackles and retrain as an upholsterer.
Over the years I'd collected pieces of furniture everyone said should be thrown away, but I saw their potential. Beautiful frames with a unique history, abandoned simply because no one knew they could be brought back to life with a little care, skill and some gorgeous fabric.
Dawn Houghton
What I Do
Every aspect of modern upholstery.
Chair and sofa upholstery, restoration and soft furnishings for Petersfield, Alton, Winchester and across Hampshire.
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Commissions
Bespoke and statement pieces for private clients, boutique hotels and interior designers.
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Fabrics
Thousands of luxurious fabrics, from contemporary abstracts to classic traditional weaves.
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Soft Furnishings
Curtains, blinds, pelmets, cushions, throws and runners to complete any room.
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Kind Words
What clients say.
“
Dawn completely refurbished our old tired armchair. She was helpful with lots of advice about picking a material.
Mr Slater · Romsey“
Dawn created an amazing bespoke armchair with a lovely dog silhouette fabric. We get lots of comments from customers about how good it looks.
Ms Hill · Bentleys Petersfield“
She brought to my home many fabric samples for me to choose from, then collected the chairs when the fabric arrived.
Mrs C · Petersfield“
She was a real pleasure to deal with, kept me informed of progress along the way and did a lovely job on the chair at a fair price.
Anne-Marie Flynn
Previous Work
From skip-bound to spectacular.
Ready When You Are
Ready to bring something back to life?
Book a course, commission a piece, or upload a photo of a chair that deserves better for a free, no obligation quote.
Or call 07923 910 749 WhatsApp