by DKP

We had the opportunity to conserve the wonderful Eastlake style sofa-bed by A. Hansen Co., Chicago, Ill., below.  Our client restored a Victorian in NE Portland, and this sofa-bed will grace her office.

This is the seventh post in a series on this project, and the “buildup” series will take you through the buildup of both the mattress and the seat, back and arms — the last three being the more traditional parts of a sofa.  This post continues from the previous post: East Lake Sofa-Bed Upholstery #4B: Seat Spring Buildup.  To begin at the beginning go to Eastlake Sofa-Bed Upholstery Conservation #1: Excavation.

This post will continue the buildup for the sofa-bed mattress through to application of the show cover.  We continue filming Mitchell treating the pieces, allowing him to explain the solutions he created to the problematic areas of the piece.  I apologize in advance for my shaky filming; this is our first attempt and some videos are better than others.

EAST LAKE SOFA-BED BUILDUP #37 MATTRESS ENHANCEMENTS (8:46):  Mitchell discusses his decisions to enhance the mattresses upholstery design, in order to rectify the issues inherent in the original design and thus allow the piece to function properly:

• Creating a bottom band that does not bind the stuffings when the frame is deployed;
• Creating a working hinge, or active forms from passive structures using chambers or segmented baffled topper;
• A proper edge roll to ensure that the mattress does not tear away from the frame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuN8S_Yv33M

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EAST LAKE SOFA-BED BUILDUP #38 MATTRESS (5:06): Mitchell demonstrates carding the coir, algerian (palm fiber), and laying the original pod on top of the new materials.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfqy7CwvI9M

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EAST LAKE SOFA-BED BUILDUP #39 (5:18) +#40 (2:34) MATTRESS:  In these two films, Mitchell discusses the benefits of the structure of the mattress, how it flexes, how the enhancements are working, a discovery he surmises is true after sitting with the same issues the original upholsterer must have faced when he was presented with this frame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmaOHaYo3-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N58yPxQFNZs

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EAST LAKE SOFA-BED BUILDUP #41 MATTRESS (6:23):  Mitchell demonstrates the final phase of the buildup, showing the structure, the thin layer of horsehair hand-carded to fill the dimple from the stitching, and a layer of felt to ensure the hair does not work itself through the layers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_ZbxP0q30s

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EAST LAKE SOFA-BED BUILDUP #42 MATTRESS SEGMENTATION (1:59):  The buildup is complete, 14oz linen dust cover installed, and Mitchell shows the piece moving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_FjEoDLu5w

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EAST LAKE SOFA-BED BUILDUP #43 MATTRESS SHOW COVER FINISHED (3:27):  The mattress is completed, and the show cover upholstered.  All that is left to finish the mattress is the application of the passementerie (trim) and decorative nails, which will be installed just before delivery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2HtdB7H4Sc

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A lovely, level mattress.
Yes we laid on it, and yes, it is comfortable, possibly for the first time in years!

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We still have the buildup of the arms, and the upholstery of the seat, inside back and outside back before completion; will post when written!

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