Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Bertoia Dilemma

I've searched high, low, far, and wide, but can't dig up any info on how to construct a home-made Bertoia Diamond Chair cover or find a cheap replacement.  Surely some enterprising individual has taken it upon themselves to recover these Knoll lovelies.  I mean, it looks fairly simple, doesn't it?

"Intellectual property... blah blah... Harry Bertoia rolling over in his grave... blah blah... Supporting good designers... blah blah..."

Yes, I know.  I know.

source: Zeitlos Berlin

I'm a bad person.  There, I admit it.  The simple truth is that I'm a cheap S.O.B., and I'll be damned if I'm going to fork over $600 to cover a chair that cost 1/6th of that.

So, anybody out there got the deets?

If not, I might be taking a crash course in upholstery.  If it goes through, I promise to share the results, however terrifying they may be.




29 comments:

  1. These look like a real challenge to recover with the compund curves. I doubt the crash course would be of much help unless the teacher was really good! Might be better off looking for a better price to have done. That said, you don't want to pay for a horrible job either. Good Luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps this is a job better left to the girlfriend. That's what they're for, right?

      Delete
  2. I'd check with an auto or boat upholsterer if furniture upholsterers are too pricey. Maybe someone who wasn't familiar with Bertoia would charge less...:) I agree with A Modern Line...I think all those curves would be a project for a professional. Our upholsterer had hell with our Saarinen Executive chairs' curves because we gave him a fabric that didn't stretch at all...that had to have a pattern matched.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm having to pass up so much good stuff because of upholstery issues. I definitely need to find the time to learn.

      Delete
    2. Fabric choice is pretty critical for some pieces. You see a pattern you love and want, but if it's really stiff and doesn't have some stretch or give for curved areas, it can be a real bitch to work with...been there and struggled with that. I kinda gave the same advise to Bopfish awhile back at http://bopfish.blogspot.com/2012/03/heywood-wakefield-haul-status-part-1-of.html on some Hey-Wake chairs they acquired. That was my first lesson learned! It's still worth the money for classes if you have time and a good teacher. Will save you a bunch of bucks down the road and everyone needs to learn new skills...

      Delete
  3. call it a proud DIY attempt :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. likely it'd be a "disaster" more than an "attempt". I might give it a try though.

      Delete
  4. The covers would be much easier (and less expensive) to make with an old one to use as a pattern rather than needing to make one from scratch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hopefully we can find someone who has an original so that we can get a template. I'm sure that there are many people out there looking for something like this.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Nice! That's just what I need. I'm still on the lookout for a template though, so I can make one in other fabrics.

      Delete
  6. ...Oh, but I have to ask, why would you want to cover up that beautiful wire design? And wait a minute...did you get some Diamond chairs or something?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish. Just looking at replicas right now. The dimensions are the same though, so the covers should fit.

      Delete
  7. I'm sure if you give it some time, soon Ikea will sell a cover you can use ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. i just pulled 2 of these diamond chairs out of a dumpster at UPenn. one of the covers has a silver dollar size burn hole in it. i might be willing to offer it up for deconstruction if someone wanted to make me a replacement in trade. preferably someone close to philadelphia. right now i'm thinking i'll just get the butt cussion found at that site posted above and enjoy the view of the wire form. also just to make you jealous i traded a few dog walks for a bird chair a few weeks ago. the father of the current owner was friends with Bertoia and was given this chair. the fabric is good but the foam is toast. its a beauty though. i'll check back soon.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey anon I'm a seamstress in seattle just scored a set off a old italian man for $50! I'm down to make you a set of covers for free in exchange for the burned one to make a pattern 2066815172

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It'd be great to have a pattern out there. This is one of my most popular posts, so I know that a lot of people are searching for one.

      Delete
    2. I'd also be interested in purchasing one if you are making them.

      Delete
    3. I would like to purchase one, too!

      Delete
  10. I would be interested to buy one if you are making them.

    ReplyDelete
  11. There is a company called ziurene that sells these covers on e bay for $95.00
    The adress is 7714 Linda Str Houston TX 77087 they will make any color or fabric (yours or theyrs).

    ReplyDelete
  12. Did anyone have any luck with contacting 'ziurene' to have a high-back Bird Chair pattern made for them? If so, please leave a comment regarding the quality/price of the cover. Thank you so much!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have FOUR 4 Diamond chairs. Any cheap covers out there ???
    I also have a cover from my friends 1952 Diamond original chair. I need to somehow make a template of this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have 36 years as master upholsterer this is not a easy project
      find a local upholstery shop, if you have an old one that should help. most of these original ones had latex foam in them that harden over time so you will need to change that also. with the fabric they take and the foam and labor you now see why a new one costs 600.00 from knoll . hopefully a local shop can do it for less good luck

      Delete
  14. Any updates on this topic? I have acquired 4 diamond chairs and the fabric on th covers are in excellent condition, however, the latex foam filler is completely degraded. I am considering taking the fabric apart at a seam, discarding the filler, having the fabric professionally cleaned an putting in a new layer of foam.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Any updates on this topic? I have acquired 4 diamond chairs and the fabric on th covers are in excellent condition, however, the latex foam filler is completely degraded. I am considering taking the fabric apart at a seam, discarding the filler, having the fabric professionally cleaned an putting in a new layer of foam.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Any updates on this topic? I have acquired 4 diamond chairs and the fabric on th covers are in excellent condition, however, the latex foam filler is completely degraded. I am considering taking the fabric apart at a seam, discarding the filler, having the fabric professionally cleaned an putting in a new layer of foam.

    ReplyDelete