"Only the result counts" is often said when only the end result can be seen. Here, the painstaking craftsmanship of a company working by hand is often hardly recognizable. Especially in the area of upholstery, where the new fabric completely covers the old conditions, the execution determines the result.
A story from the life of a Friesian sofa
"I remember the sofa very well when it was in my grandmother's kitchen," says the current owner. "At my grandmother's house, as a little boy, I always got my dessert and sat on this sofa". That was around 1960, shortly before the grandparents had the old heirloom from 1921 reupholstered.
Learned from the bottom up
The craftsmanship of such upholstery was implemented during this time with sustainable materials, such as jute fabric for the back covering, palm straw was used as upholstery and a stable spring core provided a good seat. Many a child surely remembers that this was the ideal condition for often illicit jumping on the furniture.
At Claus Bruns we take care of a complete documentation during a restoration.
The frieze sofa was taken apart and the existing materials were checked. At this stage, everything is documented photographically. The in-house interior decorator was able to carefully inspect the materials and test them for reuse. With this kitchen sofa, it was clear early on that much would need to be replaced. After all, the last time it was refurbished was over 60 years ago.
Coring the Frisian sofa
When do you ever see the inner workings of an upholstered piece of furniture?
Every piece of historical furniture contains stories that only come to light after further investigation. It's a bit like the inner workings of an upholstered piece of furniture concealed under fabric. We interviewed our customer and were curious to hear his story. He recounts.
"February 16 was my mother's birthday. There was a celebration. Late in the evening on the night of February 17, 1962, the water rose on the German North Sea coast. A storm surge surprised the inhabitants of northern Germany. Our house was in front of the dike - at that time a historical event. My mother had gone to the cellar to get more champagne for the celebration. Here she noticed that there was water in the cellar. Immediately all the guests were informed. I, as a little boy, had been lying in bed for a long time when I woke up from the commotion in the house. My grandfather took me and put me in a warm woolen blanket on the Frisian sofa and said, "Boy, you are safe here." The confidence my grandfather exuded at this gave with security and I remained quietly seated in my assigned place."
The reconstruction
At Claus Bruns, old furniture is not reworked to "new". Here, each piece of furniture should preserve its history and retain its own patina. Sustainability plays an important role. High-quality woods were used for durable wooden frames, sometimes we work here with our joinery to continue to use these wooden frames. One of the basics for durable furniture manufacturing.
It all starts with the webbing. The jute straps are stretched into the base frame. The spring core is built on top of the webbing. The springs are bound four times so that they cannot break out to either side. Further bindings ensure a firm hold. Then follows the spring canvas, which is stretched over the springs. Now comes the upholstery with dried palm fiber, the Afrik - a leaf fiber of the African dwarf palm, from which the seat of the sofa and the backs are worked out. Over this structure is placed a suitable seat foam and for the back a soft foam. Between this layer and the later cover fabric, a cotton fleece is stretched, which also covers all still visible wooden elements. Stencils are now used to take the shape of the furniture, first for the white upholstery. This padding is the last protective upholstery before the new cover is made. With the white upholstery, the tension and tightening of the upholstery can already be achieved, which protects the subsequent cover.
Our customer reports how things went on the day after the storm surge: "On February 17, 1962, the extent of the storm surge was seen in daylight. Here on the Jade Bay, no further major damage occurred. At Schillig, the dikes broke. In Hamburg, however, the storm surge had severe consequences. The press reported for days. On the coast, storm surge always means good neighborliness and a great sense of solidarity with a lot of willingness to help. With our house in front of the dike, we only had water entering the basement area. The next day, I pumped out the basement with my father."
The cover
Aus einer Vielzahl von Stoffen hat der Kunde die Möglichkeit den passenden Stoff auszuwählen. Wir bei Claus Bruns verarbeiten From a variety of fabrics, the customer has the possibility to choose the appropriate fabric. At Claus Bruns, we process high-quality fabrics for a long service life. These properties are essential for seating furniture, especially for everyday use. Whether leather or fabric, both materials are processed at Claus Bruns. With pedestals or, as in this case, small cushions, we round off the range.
The Frisian sofa
As a child on the Frisian sofa and today in the cozy corner of the living room. Here are spent pleasant hours with exciting books. Our customer tells us: "My daughter spent her first years of life on this sofa in the living room. First in the baby bouncer and then with an additional cushion as a seat. This is where the toys were and this is also where naps were taken. The sofa has been with me all my life. Later it will be passed on to the next generation."
