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The Book

Spruce: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upholstery and Design is exactly that: the most fundamental how-to book available today on upholstering. The book covers five key projects—a Louis chair, slipper chair, wingback, sofa, and tufted ottoman—with 900 step-by-step photos to guide you as you go. The techniques you will learn in Spruce will carry over to every raggedy piece of furniture you find on the curb, every hand-me-down from your aunt, and every flea-market treasure you somehow stuff into your backseat. Finally, you’ll have the tools—and skills—you need to render something old into a beautiful vibrant new.

Book Specs

8×10 hardcover
400 pages
Full color throughout
900 step-by-step photos
5 reupholstery projects

Publishing Data
Storey Publishing
Pub date: October 2013
ISBN-10: 1612121373
ISBN-13: 978-1612121376

Wholesale Orders
Storey, a division of Workman
800-722-7202
800-865-3429 fax
sales@storey.com

Foreign Rights Inquiries
Maribeth Casey, Rights Director
413-346-2135
maribeth.casey@storey.com

The Reviews

“Brown, a professional upholsterer in Austin, TX, knows how to breathe life into tired old furnishings. Her style is hip, eclectic, and delightful, and she injects her personality into the projects, showing off her upholstery prowess. Brown rounds out the manual by offering interior design options. Accompanying photographs demonstrate technique and illustrate each step. Readers will find information on skills requiring much more detail, such as the sewing and stripping furniture, in the appendixes. VERDICT Though the author only covers five projects — a sofa, an ottoman, and three chairs — she does so in such great depth that quality wins out over quantity. Upholstering is for the brave, and there are a lot of specialty tools here that might intimidate would-be DIYers. Despite these limitations, this is a wonderfully readable volume that speaks to current style. Very highly recommended for any DIY collection.” — Library Journal

“Amanda Brown believes that one-size-fits-all furniture makes for a dreary, unfitting living room that drains energy rather than provides comfort and familiarity. In Spruce, she shows DIYers how to make design decisions—like selecting fabrics based on practicality, functionality, and aesthetics—and how to transform undesired items into coveted collectables.” — ForeWord Reviews

“This book was very impressive. Nice & easy steps with supporting pictures. We will certainly be purchasing this book for our library.” — Melissa Searles, reviewer

Amanda Brown

Amanda-BookIn 2007, Amanda Brown left her day job and started Spruce, a furniture redesign studio in Austin, Texas. Her fresh aesthetic for interiors has garnered acclaim from publications including the New York Times, Metropolitan Home, and Southern Living. She produced her first instructional DVD, Spruce at Home, in 2011, as the first in a series. She is also the author of the “Upholstery Basics” column for Design*Sponge and writes regularly for HGTV.com. She lives in Austin, Texas.