The Rusted Roan Design Co. - Western Upholstered Furniture

06/07/2026

Upholstery is one of those skills that can actually pay you back.

Finished pieces, resale, customs, heirlooms, workshops, western interiors… there are a lot of ways this skill can be used.

Comment LEARN if you want beginner resources.

06/07/2026

One of the reasons I love teaching upholstery is because this is a skill that can actually pay you back.

You can redo pieces for your own home.

You can sell finished footstools, benches, dining chairs, and statement pieces.

You can update ugly pieces.

You can restore heirlooms.

You can eventually take custom work.

You can build a side income around western interiors, leather, cowhide, and one-of-a-kind pieces people cannot find in a big box store.

But the skill has to come first.

Pretty fabric is not a business plan.

Learning the process is.

Comment LEARN if you want beginner upholstery resources.

06/07/2026

Old fabric, padding, repairs, springs, webbing … teardown shows you what the piece really needs.

This is where the work starts. 💪

Want to come learn to upholster with me online or in person? Comment LEARN for more info.

06/06/2026

The teardown tells you the truth.

That is where you find the old repairs, broken webbing, disintegrating padding, sooo many tacks, sometimes layers of fabric and staples, and all the little surprises hiding under the old fabric (this one originally had a squirrel tail hiding in it).

The reveal is fun.

The teardown is where the education starts.

When you take a piece apart, pay attention.

Take photos. Take videos.

Look at the order of the layers.

Notice how the corners were folded.

Look at what failed.

Look at what held up.

That piece is teaching you before you ever start putting it back together.

Upholstery is not just the finished photo.

It is the whole process.

I'll drop the BEFORE photos of this one in the comments.

06/05/2026

Before you pick the leather, cowhide, fabric, fringe, or nailheads, look at the bones of the piece.

Is the frame solid?

Are the joints loose?

Does the seat need a new foundation?

Is the padding shot?

Does the shape of the chair actually work for the design you have in your head?

A lot of beginners start with the fun part, and I get it. The pretty dsigns are exciting.

But upholstery starts before the pretty part.

If the frame is weak, the finished piece will still have problems.

If the padding is wrong, the shape will be wrong.

If the piece is not worth saving, you need to know that before you spend money on materials.

Upholstery is not just decorating furniture.

It is learning how to read the piece before you ever start covering it.

Comment LEARN if you want beginner upholstery resources.

Commissioned art by [email protected]_ taken at Valley Horse Center.

06/05/2026

Before you pick leather, cowhide, fringe, or fabric, look at the bones.

A pretty finish will not fix a weak frame, bad padding, or a piece that should have been repaired first.

Upholstery starts before the pretty part.

Comment LEARN for beginner resources.

06/03/2026

This is what hard work pays off looks like. 🏆 Enter the 2026 Western Horseman Trade Craft Showcase by July 19 for your chance to win. 🔥

For more information >> whmag.co/trade-craft-showcase

06/01/2026

05/31/2026

Otto is my upholstery and retail shop helper today. 🐶
Do you have any pets? Share in the comments!
We have a whole herd of critters 😆.