Hospitality Furniture

From favorite easy chairs to seating for hotels, our furniture eventually starts to look worn out. When that happens, it’s tempting to scrap it all and start over. But what if you have a special piece that’s valuable to you, commercially or sentimentally? If you’re especially attached to a certain piece of furniture, it could be worth your time to renovate it. Different types of furniture need different care, but there are some basic tips that you can use for anything.

First, touch-ups. They are very simple to do. A couple of spots of paint can rejuvenate a chipped surface. Furniture polish works wonders for unfinished pieces, or finished wood that needs a refresher. There are also filler sticks that can be used like crayons (my kids would love these!) to fill in deep gouges in wood. They come in several colors for all finishes.

If your furniture needs a complete refinishing, you should leave the task to a professional unless you have plenty of refinishing experience (or courage). Refinishing is hard work; you have to scrub off and sand down the old finish until the wood is perfectly smooth. Then the new finish can be applied. If your chairs are made of a tricky material, like wicker or rattan, a professional job is probably the best choice.

Reupholstering is an option for chairs whose fabrics have lost their sheen. This is accomplished by removing the screws that hold the old seat in place; replacing the seat’s padding if it needs it; selecting a new fabric and cutting a generous swath to cover the padding and wrap around the bottom of the seat; fastening the new fabric with a staple gun; and neatly tucking in the corners. You could also rejuvenate your reception area seating or other chairs and sofas with slip covers; they’re an easier option, and might be less expensive than complete reupholstering by a professional.