Two old guys reupholster a Ribbon Chair!

The Ribbon Chair is among one of the most comfortable chairs ever. Pierre Pauling designed the chair for Artifort of Holland in 1966. This classic chair is featured in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia and various other art exhibitions around the world.

It is a completely upholstered design on a metal frame with horizontal springs, covered with foam and a two-way stretch fabric. The base is a lacquered pressed wood pedestal.

Since it is a classic, disposing of the chair is not a viable option even if the fabric becomes worn and faded over the years. Owners have been looking for ways to reupholster their Ribbon chairs and to update the fabric pattern.

Reupholstery of the Ribbon Chair requires a specialized approach because of the bold contoured forms. It demands a thorough understanding of upholstery application; those aspects which allow a shape to retain all the smooth visual elements critical to the design of the ribbon chair.

James Wieland, former owner of a Fort Lauderdale interior design firm and his brother Roy Wieland, retired president of a furniture manufacturing company, decided that due to their combined hundred-plus years in the business of furniture design, they would be uniquely qualified to reupholster their own Ribbon Chairs.

As word got out that these two old guys were making vintage Ribbon Chairs look like new, designers and enthusiasts asked them to expand their weekend project and consider the Reupholstery of more "Ribbons".

James says, "We never expected it to become a full time job, We’re not sure we’re happy about that, but we can’t stop ourselves, it sure is fun!" When asked about how long it takes and the costs he says, "We aren’t sure how long each job will take because sometimes we go golfing and it normally costs about $1000 and owners also have to ship it to us and arrange return delivery."

So if you’re ready to put up with the hassle of having your Ribbon Chair reupholstered by two old guys who are simply “qualified beyond belief” to make your chair look like a new piece of art, maybe you should give James a call. His phone number in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is 954.551.9190. Email: jimwieland@comcast.net