We've been around for over 35 years, so we'd like to think we know a thing or two about quality home furnishings at affordable prices. Save on a wide range of furniture from sofas and beds, to dining and bedroom furniture from some of the biggest brands in the furniture industry and all under one roof. Your local furniture co-operative As the UK's largest employee furniture co-op, AHF is infused with the ideals and integrity of any other co-operative as we are dedicated to offering the finest products and providing our customers with the very best customer care. Previously part of the Anglia Co-op, we've since rebranded our website and furniture stores - shop online from the comfort of your own home or visit us in-store for the expert advice and service we've been recognised for since 1979.– Age of Elegance –TIME TO GET COMFYInspired by 1930’s pincushion sofas, this elegantly crafted design mixes contemporary lines with a classic hand-tufted exterior in rich, sumptuous fabrics.– Beat Generation –SOULFUL CLASSICSGive your home character with some core classics: Viscount William sofa with Axel tables in reclaimed vintage boat wood.– Viscount William sofa –TRADITION REINVENTED– Cave chair –PRIMAL CHIC– Full list of –STORES– Newsletter –The Inside Storystay informed about all our latestnews and events.
– Order our latest publication –A SURPRISINGLY GREAT NIGHT IN– Winter Glamour –COSY UP YOUR HOME– Zig Zag lighting –GALACTIC BEAUTY– Sheepskin rug –SINK INTO SHEEPSKINI have recently developed an obsession with ugly furniture. The unloved pine sideboard and the dowdy shelves in the charity shop, wouldn't they look so much better with a coat of Chatâu Grey or Antibes Green? As I learned on a recent weekend upholstery course, there is no such thing as dead wood (or metal or plastic for that matter). Customising and upcycling furniture is easier than you might think. The course took place at the Bedruthan Steps Hotel in Cornwall, where, in a sunny workshop overlooking the beach at Mawgan Porth we painted, upholstered and deep-buttoned a footstool, all under the expert and unerringly patient tutelage of the folks from Tresithick Upholstery training. It was the perfect location to learn: no neighbours to complain about the incessant hammering, and the opportunity to watch the waves while the paint dried.
What's more, upholstery is an utterly absorbing, occasionally painstaking and almost meditative craft, and ideally suited to the unhurried Cornish pace of life. It takes time and total concentration to place your tacks right, to slew your hessian straps correctly and to tension your fabric until it pings. The tutors at Tresithick pride themselves on their traditional techniques and students on their longer courses can spend days stitching hessian pads stuffed with hoghair and coconut fibre. We, on the other hand, took a shortcut and used foam pads. They were recycled, mind you. The painting stage, however, required no shortcuts. This part requires minimal time, and more importantly, minimal skill. The only mildly troubling aspect was the colour selection: hours of frowning at a colour chart. We used chalk paints by Annie Sloan, which you can paint straight on to any kind of wood – varnished or unvarnished, metals, plastic, or even the dreaded MDF. No priming or rubbing down is necessary, just pick your colour and slap it on.
And if you want to achieve an aged, scuffed look, what the furniture world refers to as French or Swedish (shabby-chic if you must), this is easily done. You'll need two: one principle colour, and another one underneath. The undercoat will show through on the parts that you sand. There are no rules here, although they should be vaguely complimentary. On our course everyone tried a different combination, some with a darker colour underneath, and they all looked great. I used Annie Sloan chalk paints, with Emile underneath and Paris Grey as the main colour.When using chalk paints you don't need to prime or rub down surfaces first, although you might want to get rid of any old flaky paint. Oh, and you may want to check for woodworm (which is not a worm at all, but a beetle) and treat accordingly before you paint. You might want to pick the areas where scuffing would naturally occur, at the corners and edges. You're about to cover this with another coat of paint so don't forget which bits you have undercoated!
It should take about 20 minutes. We had a tea break at this point and watched the Cornish waves, but if you're in a hurry use a hairdryer. Experiment with different brush strokes to create texture. I tried swirling and stippling on my footstool and liked the effect. Once this is dry (more tea), apply a coat of soft clear wax with a soft, lint-free cloth. This seals and protects the paint. Take a piece of medium-grade sandpaper and rub gently on the areas you want to expose, revealing the colour underneath. Don't go overboard here: less is more, and you can always do more later on. Apply more clear wax and leave to dry, preferably overnight to get a good seal. Take a lint-free cloth and buff to give a lovely finish. This part is really satisfying. 10. If you want to give your piece a really aged look you can add dark wax to some areas, and then buff as before.Maitland-Smith is proud to offer our line of fine luxury dining furniture, including dining room chairs,
tables, lighting and more – all with the exquisite craftsmanship and unique European-style design you’ve come toOur collection of beautiful dining room pieces draws inspiration from the height of the British Empire, and reflects the relaxed, yet distinctive style of the 18th and 19th-century upper-class British Maitland-Smith’s luxuriously-appointed dining room chairs are available in multiple styles,Our skilled artisans have meticulously designed and hand crafted these dining chairs using the finest woods & materials, delivering pieces that accent any fine dining room. Our unique decorative torcheres, lamps, and fine lighting pieces are made from a variety of high end materials and are the perfect addition to your home. From a full-length floor torchere to a small decorative table lamp, no formal dining room should be without a piece from our collection of premium dining room lighting & lamps. For high end pedestal dining tables and other unique dining room tables,