UPHOLSTERY
Upholstery plays an integral role in the form and function of furniture. Whether it’s the stitching used along a seam, or the tufting selected for a backrest, each practical technique adds to the detailing that defines the personality of a piece. Our family of designers each developed their own relationship to upholstery. Børge Mogensen and Kaare Klint favoured saddle leather on a chair’s seat so that it could be easily tightened as the leather stretched naturally over time. Others focused their attentions on ornamental stitching and decorative trims. This skilled work requires patience, discipline, and a deep understanding of materials. Some of our historic designs – including Hans J. Wegner’s Mama Bear Chair and many of Kaare Klint’s pieces – have specific features that demand areas to be completely hand-stitched. In addition, every one of our upholstered designs is supported by a solid wood frame to provide the best possible foundation.
Conceived by Hans J. Wegner in 1954, the CH78 Mama Bear Chair is one of the few pieces that he decided to fully upholster. It boasts a sculptural design whose soft curves are covered in premium materials to provide outstanding comfort. The visual definition is added along with the backrest with piping, a tubular trim that refines the silhouette with a sense of clean, classic tailoring.
Frits Henningsen’s FH419 Heritage Chair is a testimony to the designer’s constant pursuit of crafted perfection. Inspired by earlier periods, particularly the French Imperial and 17th-century British styles, the fully upholstered chair features traditional pulled-in buttoning across its gently curved backrest. This form of tufting means that no folds or sewing connect the buttons in order to create a more understated decorative effect.
Also called an invisible ladder stitch, the slip stitching on Frits Henningsen’s FH436 Coupé Sofa is a discreet piece of craftsmanship that is done by hand.
The KK48650 Addition Sofa by Kaare Klint keeps its leather pleats in place with diamond tufting, a hand-folded style that inserts leather-covered buttons into the material.
The two rows of parallel stitching on Kaare Klint’s KK87830 Propeller Stool offer a more robust construction than the usual plain seam.
