Read our interview with professional upholsterer, interior designer and broadcaster, Micaela Sharp.
East London-based Micaela Sharp is a professional upholsterer, interior designer and broadcaster who champions the art of reupholstery and its ability to breathe new life into pre-loved furniture. Growing up with her grandparents, she was lucky enough to benefit from their creative talents. “My Nan taught me how to sew, and I learnt carpentry skills from my Grandad,” Micaela recalls. “It wasn’t until later in life, when I was yearning for a creative outlet, that I realised the perfect intersection between these two crafts was upholstery.”
Micaela’s design journey began when she enrolled in an upholstery course whilst working in the luxury travel industry. She fell in love with the craft almost immediately and shortly after decided to set up her own business, Micaela Sharp Design (formerly Sharp & Simpson), which centres on modern design and a quality finish.
She describes her style as timeless and warm with a hint of ‘cottage core’, an aesthetic that encourages a lifestyle rooted in traditional skills. Micaela recalls that she takes her inspiration from travelling as she’s freer to think broadly when on holiday and sketch and paint a lot. Discovering colour combinations from unusual places results in her phone becoming full of an array of wonderful material collations and colour combinations. With her favourite colour being green the natural world provides a huge source of inspiration in the consideration of her designs.
Traditionally, learning the art of upholstery has been pretty inaccessible to most, with affordable and practical courses few and far between. But Micaela is a firm believer that it really needn’t be this way: “In my online upholstery course, I’ll take you through every step of the process. We’ll begin by going through exactly what to look out for when choosing a piece to upholster, and how to source the fabric you’ll recover it with,” she explains. “We’ll then be tackling three projects together; starting simply by making a headboard from scratch – yes it really is simple! – before moving onto mastering a fundamental technique in upholstery, making a box cushion. Finally, we’ll be fully reupholstering an armchair from start to finish.”
Now, more than ever, we have a responsibility to really consider how our everyday choices impact the environment, and this is especially true when it comes to decorating our homes. “Rather than buying new, I hope this course inspires you to shop secondhand and invest the time into breathing new life into tired furniture pieces. There’s nothing quite like making something with your own hands that you’ll use everyday in your home… especially when a friend asks where you got it from!”
While this may sound daunting, Micaela’s course is structured so that you’ll gradually grow in confidence, picking up and mastering each skill required to complete the final project. “I’ve loved creating this for you, and I hope you’ll join me in both learning a new craft and finding a new appreciation for the furniture you use everyday,” say Micaela.
Have you always wanted to be an upholsterer or did your career aspirations lay elsewhere?
I used to work in travel and then for tech start-ups but I had a yearning to be creative and to make things. Even on a basic level I felt I needed to be stood up rather than at a computer. So when I started to upholster and realised it was a physical labour as well as a creative outlet I knew it was what I’d been searching for. I’ve always wanted to work for myself but I hadn’t found the industry. So starting my own business didn’t seem daunting at all.
What aspect of being an upholsterer do you enjoy the most? Any downsides?
I love how varied it is. Most projects are completely unique, it’s so rare to do the same shape again and never in the same fabric. So in that regard there is always something to learn and a new way to do something. As an interior designer as well I love working with fabrics and pattern and dreaming up new combinations for clients to ensure their pieces look bespoke. The downsides are quite often my hands are scratched by rogue staples and my nail varnish is chipped but it’s a very small downside!
What is your favourite piece you’ve ever made?
My favourite piece is the chair I designed from scratch for my collaboration project Studio Janettie with Charlotte Beevor. I designed the frame with scalloped arms and wanted to create something I hadn’t ever seen before so added raffles to the outside edge using a fabric Charlotte designed. The business is a lovely ode to our grandmothers, Janet and Ettie (which became our name, Janettie) who each taught us to sew.
What inspirational people have you looked to throughout your career?
I draw inspiration from a lot of my peers within upholstery, interior design and all creative mediums. Talking to creative people about their processes and inspiration often sparks something which can be applied in a new way. Charlotte Beevor is a super talented surface pattern designer. Siobhan Murphy is a huge source of inspiration for colour and art deco style. Kay Gasei is a very talented artist who I admire.
And your favourite interior designers?
I love Rita Konig, Beata Heuman, Sarah Brown, Studio Squire, Pringle & Pringle, Barlow & Barlow, Laura Stephens… the list goes on!
What advice do you have for anyone starting out?
Be bold! Making a bespoke piece of furniture is fun so don’t shy away from choosing bright fabrics and patterns and putting combinations together which show it isn’t a store bought piece. Let’s ditch the grey and be brave.
And finally, what’s your favourite fabric to work with?
My all time favourite fabric is Faria by Liberty. The floral design is unrivalled by any other as far as I’m concerned. I also love traditional stripes and ginghams but with pastels or with a contrast trim or piping. I like looking at smaller brands as well such as Bethie Tricks, Poodle & Blonde, Imogen Heath and Annika Reed.
Discover how to use fabric to transform your furniture with Micaela Sharp’s complete guide to modern upholstery.
