An exciting and innovative upholsterer has recently moved her business and workshop from central France to the heart of Shropshire in the hope of finding a more discerning clientele.
Deuxième Vie – meaning ‘second life’ in English – specialises in giving new life to distinctive chairs and sofas from the mid-20th century and selling each as a singularly unique centrepiece for living spaces at home or stylish office environments.
Business principal and Couture Upholsterer, Una Labistour explains: “France is beautiful and a lovely place to live but I was never sure that the process of acquiring and revitalising furniture was appreciated commercially or creatively; the French can be conservative in taste. I live and breathe chairs and cannot pass a brocante – second hand shop – without savouring its contents in the hope of spotting something special tucked away in a corner. I love post-war modernist pieces from the 1950’s and 60’s; think – BBC Four’s ‘Mad Men’ series for furniture heaven, timeless designs and clean lines.”
“Shropshire is as lovely a place to live with beautiful countryside, a great variety of fascinating independent shops in every town and people here are so friendly. I really hope that they will like my work.”
With a new workshop in Longnor, Una is seeking to gradually build up a collection of distinctive furniture again, ready to apply her magic touch. Each piece demands a fabric that is exactly right for it and this could be a bespoke weave, a buttery soft leather or a striking geometric fabric. Una will also return to France once or twice a year to source beautiful handmade tapestries and more furniture.
Una continues: “If anyone locally has a need for an upholsterer, I would love to help. However, I’m especially looking for arm, wing and club chairs so that I can transform personal comfort into distinctive and unique seating in either contemporary or classic designs. In the words of C19th English textile designer William Morris ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’. My only problem is having to let such beautiful things go!”
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