Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Evans
Hi Ana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m an experienced and creative upholsterer formally trained in the UK in both modern and traditional upholstery, with a Bachelors degree and career in 3D design. After emigrating from the UK, our family of five have been enjoying life in the beautiful South Bay area of Los Angeles.
I have always been passionate about design and in particular furniture and mid century design and wanted to find something that fitted with family life but still gave me a creative outlet so decided to retrain as an upholsterer.
This provided the balance I was looking for, time to enjoy my family and also work for myself. I started a business in 2012 which became successful really quickly, mainly just through word of mouth and then life threw a curve ball at us – we were offered the opportunity to experience life in LA. Never shy of an adventure we emigrated to California in 2015 and my tools came with me
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To begin with, the focus was on getting the family settled, then after meeting people and chatting about my business in the UK I was able to keep my skills alive by working on projects for friends, and when we completed our green card process last year I was able to launch upholstery by ana.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a fun and enjoyable journey.
Juggling children, family and work schedules can be a challenge for anyone, luckily I have a really supportive husband and children.
Waiting for the moment I could launch the business took a little longer than anticipated but it was worth the wait.
I’ve met some amazing people, my clients are great fun and adventurous, I thoroughly enjoy the work I do and am really grateful for the varied projects that come in and the wonderful pieces of furniture that I get to work on.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Specializing in both traditional and modern upholstery I collaborate with my clients to inject a new lease of life into their pieces of furniture. Being formally trained in the UK in traditional upholstery techniques means I am able to strip the furniture back to the frame and restore it to its original form as it was originally constructed. Whether springs need to be replaced and re-lashed, a wobbly leg needs repairing or a cane rocker needs to be rewoven, I have the tools and expertise.
My clients know that the restoration is not just what is seen on the surface, I take pride in restoring the ‘bones’ to ensure that the structure of the furniture is just as resilient as the fabric it is covered with.
The benefit of coming from a design background as well as being an upholsterer means I am able to source fabrics that work with both the scheme the client has and the piece of furniture – the transformation of one accent piece can breathe new life into the space it inhabits.
I take time to source fabrics from a vast range of companies, it’s important to me that the clients are happy with their choice and are able to enjoy and be proud of their furniture.
Good design brings joy and I am so lucky to be able to share my passion with my valued clients.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I’m passionate about rescuing furniture, due to high demand a lot of furniture is mass produced and has a short lifespan, but LA is full of stores selling pre-loved and vintage furniture that is just waiting for a new life.
Once properly restored and cared for, these pieces will last for another generation and also prevent excess items going to landfill. I love peeling back the layers on a vintage chair, revealing its previous lives either in the form of numerous cover fabrics from different eras, or a rice sack from the 1800’s used as a platform support covering one hundred year old horse hair – imagine the stories it could tell!
I am lucky to have connected with specialists in vintage furniture and am very grateful to be able to use my knowledge and expertise in the restoration of amazing, mid century items. There’s nothing quite like taking an old discarded frame, restoring its former shape and beauty and making it functional for someone else to love again.
Pricing:
- free consultation and estimate
- pick up and delivery included, bulky items on request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.upholstery-by-ana.com
- Instagram: @upholstery_by_ana
- Facebook: upholstery_by_ana
Image Credits
Los Ageless Art
Shaun Laughlin
