Fell in love with an antique sofa at the Alameda antique faire, but not so much the greenish yellow of the original fabric. I bought it anyway. I had no experience whatsoever with reupholstery so was looking for someone who wouldn't only do the actual work, but advise me on fabrics and the refinishing options. The team of Valerie, Lee, Hayley, and Kriss were an absolutely joy to work with - and made the process from the start a total breeze. The final result was simply stunning. read more

Kay Chesterfield - Furniture Reupholstery Near Me - Oakland, California

Uh-oh; updating my review because the upholstery did not hold up! I had two mid-century chairs done about 4 years ago. The previous upholstery was done in the 70s. Despite some inconvenience (they don't pick-up for you), I trusted the good reviews, and the chairs initially looked great. Well over time the chairs have come apart at the seams! Stuffing is coming out, and the buttons have fallen off and been re-glued. The thing is the previous upholstery was worn where you would expect (the seat) and actually held up quite well for a few decades - these chairs are mostly sat in by guests and the fact that they are ripping at the seams (same places on BOTH chairs) means the issue is with the work, not the fabric. I did contact the business about this and have had no response at all. Don't give them your business. read more

I thought Kay Chesterfield did a great job with my couch. The fabric selection was very good. They also replaced the cushions. Lee Miller was very knowledgeable and helpful. I could have purchased a quality new couch for less, but I have yet to find one that I find as attractive, and hey, I'm recycling! No regrets! I had the reupholstery done in 2008 and it is holding up wonderfully. Overall a very positive experience. read more

Kay Chesterfield - New life for my favorite couch! - Furniture Reupholstery Near Me - Oakland, California

I had a good experience with Kay Chesterfield recovering my sofa and loveseat many years ago. So, I went back to them to have them recovered again and it was a total disaster. It cost $7,000 and we finally had to get rid of them because they were so stiff we couldn't sit down on them. In asking about it, the salesperson said that something was done in the upholstery and the fabric was installed incorrectly. There was NO OFFER to redo or to make amends. read more

This review is not for the quality of the work at Kay Chesterfield. My family has been using them for decades, and have always been thrilled with the results. Three stars today because I contacted them about reupholstering a mid-century recliner I own that they in fact were the last to reupholster about 10 years ago. I was told that they no longer work on chairs with moving parts. Fives stars for the very quick response time. I'm just sorry to see that things have changed like this with the company. I'll try them again in the future, hopefully with more satisfying results. read more

They are very professional and I was mostly impressed with how they handled things. I needed to reupholster my dining chairs so I emailed them, and their project manager Hayley responded right away, setting me up with their designer Lee quickly who understood what I was looking for and found the fabric that would go well with my carpet in the dining room. (Bring photos!) I had a certain deadline and they were able to guarantee it and got it done before that date. Upon noticing there was a small hole in one of them, I emailed Hayley and asked if they would redo that one because I was afraid it would tear from the hole as it was in the center of the seat. Hayley told me she would come and pick it up from my house which she did, and within a few days, she dropped it off again. Such service is very hard to find these days. Very happy with the quality of work too. read more

My beloved chair and a half came home yesterday after 2 weeks at Kay Chesterfield. I've had this chair for 5 years and loved it - nearly to pieces. The fabric was faded, my cat had scratched it, but I didn't care. However, I was going to be moving and my boyfriend and I had picked out an entirely new couch...that wouldn't match my chair. That's when my mom said, "Get it reupholstered at Kay Chesterfield" before rattling off a bunch of furniture in her and my grandmother's homes that had gotten the KC treatment. Included on that list was a chair I grew up with - a chair my mom had grown up with - that had been improved a whopping 4 times by the company. I decided to go for it. Communications with Lee began via email and photos and she estimated how many yards of fabric it would take to reupholster. Then I made an appointment to look at fabrics. Now if you're overwhelmed by having too many options, this part will be hard for you, but I made a choice quickly and Lee provided her expert, friendly and quite hilarious opinions throughout. I brought my chair in a few days later and as mentioned, it took 2 weeks and a couple of days to be completed. I arranged for delivery through their contract guy, Killian (if you have a large piece and don't have access to a truck, I recommend this and him), and now here it is...in all its glory. The fabric is gorgeous and the work is so impeccable it looks like I bought this chair in this print from a showroom. But I didn't - my chair is custom, there's no other like it. This was not a cheap venture, mind you, but it improved a piece I adore and will now use until I reupholster it with KC in 10 years. read more

I have a confession to make ... I used to compete in the octagon as a cage fighter. I could strike with the best strikers; grapple with the best grapplers and my endurance was second to none. Yet, I stand here humbled by the fine craft work of the artisans at Kay Chesterfield. After exiting a life in the thunderdome - brawl after brawl - I've turned my life over to antiquing. These same hands that would strangle a man with a choke hold now gingerly examine antique furniture. So, when I came upon a set of mid-century modern recliners I nearly judo kicked the dealer into the best price possible. I could really see myself sitting on one of them by a warm fire, drinking herbal tea with my cat and reading the latest issue of FIGHT! magazine. I brought this set over to Kay Chesterfield and the salesperson, a middleweight (5"10", 180lbs.) that assisted me was quite knowledgeable. After looking at the 1000's of fabric choices - I settled on one. The price wasn't cheap - It's a gritty reminder of the day-to-day workings of antiquing -- always full tilt, always full of potential for danger. A few weeks later, my chairs were complete and they looked great. So, I take this as a win. If you're satisfied with what you have, you're not going to go far, I'm never satisfied with what I have, so I always reach further whether I'm in the ring or an anitique shop. read more

I bought two chairs from a client who spent an obscene amount of money having Kay reupholster them. I'm in the furniture business, primarily Mid Century and high end. The chairs looked great but one of them tilted sideways instead of slightly back. Upon inspecting, I see Kay Chesterfields tag,and, the problem. They mounted the base in the wrong holes. Since I have bought fabric from them in years past. I just drove over and showed them their mistake and assumed they would spend 10 minutes removing the dust cover, rotate the base and right their wrong. Kay has a reputation for being very expensive ( 2-3 times their competitors in this area) and I don't know how they stay in business, but, hey, there are a lot of millionaires in the Bay Area. She acknowledged the mistake,and then told me she would have to charge me to fix their mistake. I was stunned. She was sitting on an opportunity to do almost nothing and be a hero, or, at the very least, act like a professional. A worker standing nearby looked at it and said he could do it right then and there. But since I was in a hurry I told she could do it at her convenience, and I would come back. When I returned today she demanded I pay to fix their mistake. Then when I reminded her of our conversation, she went into revisionist history and pretended she never agreed to do that. I told her that this was an easy opportunity to make a something right, and, I said, "I promise it will feel good to do so." In my business things occasionally go sideways and I make sure I do everything possible to fix a mistake, even if it costs me all of my profit on a piece. My name and brand is gold in my industry and I would not throw it away for $35 or any amount of money. At this point, the woman wasn't seeing anything from anyone else's point of view. Then she started saying crazy things like "I don't even know if that is our tag on the chair" I replied, you mean the one with your Logo, name, work order number on it?" I guess she would have me believe there is a conspiracy in Oakland where someone is going around putting her tag on random chairs? All purpose and reason left the room. (sigh) It was like arguing with a 12 yr old who had never been taught right from wrong. The arrogance,entitlement and pure stupidity of how businesses work just was shocking.. I then made is clear and in very plain terms (so she could understand) what was going to happen, ( I wanted her to know what that $35 is going to cost ) "I'll pay so I can leave with my chair, but I know everyone in the industry, every furniture dealer, every Vintage and Antique store owner, every Auction house, every picker and every collector. They WILL hear this story... and when I get asked (3-4 times a week) who to go to for a reupholstery job, I will say ANYONE BUT Kay Chesterfield. Expensive, Marginal work and in their business, "The customer is always someone to be fleeced' There are 4 very good upholsterers within 3 miles of this business, Yelp guidelines do not allow me to mention them by name. Best of luck hope my story helps. read more

We called a number of places to look into reupholstering several pieces of furnitures. We ended up going with Kay Chesterfield and had a positive experience! Sunny was always quick to respond, very adaptable, and positive! They worked hard on making us satisfied customers! Kay Chesterfield completely transferred our living room experience thanks to their amazing work!! Thanks so much! read more

I am absolutely thrilled with how Kay Chesterfield transformed two family heirloom pieces with their excellently reupholstery and inspired a beautiful new room design. Everyone was so professional and helpful and the quality and service are outstanding! read more

See all

The finished bench seat in our kitchen nook is beyond our expectations! We're new to the world of furniture upholstery and bench seating, and we could not be happier with our decision to work with the team at Kay Chesterfield. Lee and Kevelynne walked us through all the steps in a fun and informative way. Our family has three young active children, and the team at Kay helped us choose a fabric and cushion that's modern, durable, matches our surroundings and is made of environmentally responsible materials. read more

Kay Chesterfield - Kitchen nook bench seating - Furniture Reupholstery Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Lee was fabulous to work with - patient about showing fabrics and gave excellent advice. The chairs look terrific. The only reason this is not five stars is because of the terrible experience with the receptionist, who was not polite when we needed help bringing in our chairs and when were paying. For this price, I expect better customer service. read more

I was referred to Kay Chesterfield by the folks at Newman Hall who recently had their sagging and pathetic couches transformed into perky, welcoming perches. I have a chair that I love, but the cover was torn and it needed to be replaced. I couldn't find a suitable replacement anywhere! I emailed Kay Chesterfield with pictures and measurements of my own pathetic chair and got a response right back from Lee Martin. She gave me a quote on the labor and invited me in to look at their fabric. As it turned out, I used my own fabric, but Lee was fabulous about walking me through the process and helped me "think out of the box." I was able to find a fabric that updates my chair and makes me very happy. I delivered the chair (and fabric) and two...yes, I said TWO! weeks later, I get the call that my chair was done. WoW! My chair had been transformed! They added some oomph, which I didn't have to pay extra for. And they even made me pillows with the extra fabric. I love it ! The cost of everything was less than buying a new chair and I got exactly what I wanted. I appreciate this place and all the people that make it great...especially Lee, who has a keen eye for design. read more

From start to finish Kay Chesterfield exceeded my expectations. I have never had a piece of upholstery re-upholstered before, always purchased new. I chose KC for two main reasons (1) they do not use foams with flame retardants (http://greensciencepolicy.org/topics/furniture/) and (2) Kay Chesterfield came highly recommended so I trusted my investment in an older but solid sofa. I am so so so happy that we chose Kay Chesterfield - they are fantastic! Lee is a gem and extremely knowledgable on fabrics, she will help guide you to what you are looking for if you do not already have a COM. She knows fabrics like no-other. Kevelynne was my Project Manager and made sure everything went smoothly through the re-upholstering process. When there was an upholstery decision that needed my opinion towards the end of the process Kevelynne alerted me and of course I came in to the shop to take a look. The end result is awesome! Our sofa is more comfortable (we chose to get rid of the down cushions for something with more firmness), the cushions look better in the fabric we selected because Lee helped us pick the right one for our frame AND the talent at Kay Chesterfield has the experience and skill-set to make it all happen. And the sofa has a awesome new personality going from a 3 seat & setback cushion to a bench cushion with 2 seat back cushions. And the nailheads are perfectly placed. Totally Impressed with Kay Chesterfield and will go back. read more

This review is about the attempt to do business with them. I contacted Kay and was told to send someone an email. After I sent my first email, a lady replied asking for pictures of what I wanted done. I sent each picture with descriptions. Then she emailed me asking me alot more questions about the items I wanted serviced. I felt this was too much work on my part as the potential customer. I figured that they would come out and do an estimate since they are the pros at this, not me. Seems like they wanted me to do all the initial foot work and then they would proceed to do the job. No thanks, I went to another company who made this project much easier. read more

After searching for a new sofa and loveseat, without finding anything we liked, my husband and I decided to have our current set reupholstered. Based on the Yelp reviews, we went to Kay Chesterfield. There we were helped by Lee Martin who patiently assisted us in choosing fabric and piping and offered us a reasonable price. They picked-up the pieces as scheduled and returned them to us as promised. We were very impressed with the quality workmanship- everything was well-fitted and they looked new. Unfortunately, within 6 months, the fabric started to "pill". I called Lee who was surprised as this fabric (cotton duck) was advertised by the manufacturer as being particularly sturdy. She asked us to bring in a seat cushion, took one look at it and agreed that the fabric was not wearing properly. She contacted the fabric manufacturer who refused to take any responsibility but I'm happy to report that Lee and Kay Chesterfield did. She found matching fabrics from another manufacturer, had both pieces picked-up and reupholstered without any charge to us. She even had us come down today to take a look at them before sending them back. This company stands behind their work- it's no wonder they've been in business for so many years. We're very happy to recommend them. read more

Really as good as it gets! Sensational in every way. Finding a good upholsterer is as challenging (and as important) as finding a good tailor. Thanks to Kay Chesterfield, I can cross one off my list. They are my one stop upholsterer from now on. I had an old Goodform 1950s office chair and a dentist's stool reupholstered in their stock leather. I'm in the retail trade & aspire to offer the highest levels of customer service. Kay Chesterfield's staff set the bar very high: they are incredibly fast responders, unfailingly polite, and underpromised and overdelivered on the turnaround time. The work matches the quality of the customer service. The pieces turned out beautifully and the stock leather they used is of a very high quality. They're not the cheapest out there, but very, very reasonable considering the impeccable work. You could save a few bucks perhaps, but the quality would definitely suffer. And you could pay twice the price elsewhere for the results you get here. Cannot recommend highly enough! read more

Kay Chesterfield is a godsend. We had two antique couches that were so antique they were unusable. They needed either to be thrown away or restored. As fans of design heritage, foes of the toxic chemical industry, stalwart landfill avoiders, and people operating on a tight budget, we found an ally in Kriss (Kay Chesterfield's owner). She sources only flame-retardant-free foam for cushions. Over the course of our project she also diligently held the fabric companies' feet to the fire, doggedly forcing them to disclose info on their use of flame retardants and stain-resistant chemicals. (We ended up at KC because other local upholsterers knew nothing and cared even less about these issues.) Our first fabric selection turned out to be doused with toxic chemicals, and she patiently worked with us to find a second selection. In the meantime, she has also begun to set up a non-toxic fabric section to make life easier for people who are concerned about this. KC finished the first of two of our couches yesterday. The final product is gorgeous and comfortable. It's a wonderful feeling to sit on a sturdy, lovely, 75-year-old piece of design history, knowing that it'll be here long after we're gone. They're now working on couch number two for us. Thanks, Kriss, Patricia, and the rest of the Kay Chesterfield family, for breathing new life into our worn treasures, for helping us avoid toxic chemicals and the landfill, and for saving us the money we would have otherwise wasted on crappy, disposable, toxic furniture. read more

These folks have now re-upholstered two items for me -- a mid-century modern chair by Knoll (and they actually had in stock some Knoll fabric!) and a contemporary 3-seater couch. They did a fabulous job in both cases. The chair is restored to the look I remember it from my parent's 50's home, and the couch was done with wonderful attention to detail (such as the way the simple bold print pattern matches on skirt pleats and across the separate cushions). I am extremely pleased with both. Lee Martin, who tends to residential (as opposed to commercial) customers, really knows her business and was very helpful. The whole process took just one month. Note that they also somehow refurbish the underlying cushions and invisible parts of one's furniture, so that not only does it look good, but it "sits" good too. read more

We recently had an antique Stickley chair from the 1870s that needed to have some reupholstering done for the back & seat cushion area. The person who refinished most of our wooden furniture recommended this company, and in particular Lee Martin. We are glad that he did, as we had no previous experience with any type of reupholstering, and Lee held our hand every step of the way, always giving a solid opinion when we asked for advice, and giving excellent customer service all the way. The chair turned out beautiful, the fabric we chose (with Lee's help) was beautiful, the price was fair, and everything was done in a timely fashion. We will not hesitate to recommend this company to anyone & look forward in the future to working with them & Lee again on future projects.. read more

I have an antique chair that my cats had tore-up over the years. I wanted the job done and done well. As this was my first reupholstery ever in my life, I proceeded with caution. I did my research and at the top of every list was Kay Chesterfield. I took my chair to them - although they do ppick-up - and within a week, two weeks tops, my chair was done. Key Chesterfield did such a phenominal job that my boy friend did not even recognise the chair when we went to pick it up. Not only did they reupholster the 100 year old chair, they also touched-up the scratches made by my cats. I found their pricess accetable and what I would expect for the work they do. read more

I did my homework when looking for someone to reupholster my wing back chair and one name kept coming up over and over- Kay Chesterfield. (This was from interior designers and other trusted friends.) I brought my own fabric and they did a gorgeous job with my chair. The price was very fair and the service was speedy and immaculate. Loved working with Lee- she was very honest and professional. I would definitely recommend them... Don't be dissuaded by the lack of reviews here on yelp. read more

My experince at Kay Chesterfield was flawless. I purchased two old, but solid, club chairs which I would typically get slipcovered to avoid the cost of reupholstering. I contacted Kay Chesterfield and learned that for not much more I could have them rebuild the seats and reupholster the chairs. I met with Lee Martin (who has the patience of a saint) to look at fabrics and was eager to pull the trigger even though I wasn't "in love" with my choice. Lee encouraged me to take my time and I eventually found a fabric that I loved elsewhere. Lee assisted me with ordering the correct yardage and her advice kept me from rushing the project and making costly mistakes. The chairs look and feel amazing. I am already working on another project with Lee's help. I can't say enough about Lee and the workmanship at Kay Chesterfield! read more

We took some old dining room chairs here for reupholstering. They have a huge selection of fabrics (although we ended up getting ours at Poppy Fabrics). Lee was really nice to work with and our chairs look great. We're really satisfied, although it was maybe a little pricey. read more

Ah, Kay Chesterfield! I have used these wonderful craftsmen for both personal and professional projects. The best part about working with Kay Chesterfield is the patience and creativity with which Lee helped me choose some incredible fabric to reupholster a cute chair for my bedroom -- and we made pillows with eyelash fringe for the living room in case the chair ended up in there! I recommend Kay Chesterfield to folks moving into the assisted living in which I work because there are bay windows which can hold wonderful bench style pads! We have had furniture in the common areas reupholstered -- chairs, couches, built in benches done also. The key is finding fabric that withstands a high volume of use without looking institutional -- TA DA! read more

I was so very pleased with my experience with this upholstery company. I needed to re-upholster two living room chairs and two little silk pillows. They gave me a reasonable price and I provided my own fabric. I was given a time line and needed the chairs sooner, when realizing I was having houseguests and needed the chairs sooner than expected. Not only did I receive the chairs and pillows ahead of schedule, but they were beautifully upholstered. This is a gem of a company and I highly recommend them! read more

Reupholstering furniture seems fun at first, but with so many choices the process quickly becomes paralyzing. Lee Martin at Kay Chesterfield makes reupholstering painless. With decades of design and customer experience, Lee quickly discovers your design style, project requirements, budget, etc. narrows down your choices, and sets you on the path of success. The crew in back does an amazing job of putting your furniture together, so that it's much better than "new". I had such a great experience that I'm hunting for my next makeover project. read more

We were referred to Kay Chesterfield by Knoll in San Francisco to reupholster a Knoll Pfister loveseat and club chair. We received superb assistance from Lee Martin on their staff. They have an excellent fabric selection, and the final results are simply superb. read more

I recently had two 40-year-old stuffed swivel chairs reupholstered here. They belonged to my mother-in-law and had sentimental value. Lee gave us a great price and they now look brand new! We are very happy with the end result, as well as the service. Lee is awesome; very responsive and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend! read more

Talk to Lee. She has a lot of experience and excellent design sense. Lee will help you pick out fabric and take care of all the details. The quality and workmanship is excellent at very reasonable prices. Our Heywood Wakefield sofa, chair, and ottoman came out better than new. We are looking forward to having more pieces done by Kay. Best Regards, Don, Julie and the dogs read more

I had an $12000 Baker sofa reupholstered at Kay Chesterfield - they were recommended by a local fabric shop. Their cost was $2400 and the cost of the fabric which I purchased from Calico Corners was another $2800. The workmanship by the Chesterfield team was really sub-standard. The sofa was delivered and returned 3 times because of various problems - the pattern did not match correctly, the skirt was a different style from what was ordered, the cushion fastenings were missing etc etc. Joanne Jones was our sales rep and she was very cooperative and each time we reported a problem she brought the sofa back to have it corrected. This process took about 3 months. The last time it was delivered, there were portions of the skirt that were different lengths than other portions by 1/4 to 1/2 inch. We decided to let it go because each time they had taken it back to fix one thing, the workers managed to screw up something else. We were TIRED! Now, about a year later, we noticed that the lining on the skirt has drooped and shows all around the bottom edge about 1/2 inch. We pursued this with the company and so far we have received a letter telling us too bad, not their problem, and they won't fix it. They say it is the weather that is making the lining sag. Oh! Well, that would mean everyone in Half Moon Bay has sagging lining - but, no! I checked with all my friends, and their sofa lining isn't sagging. Perhaps it is just the weather over my house???? So my best advice is do not use Kay Chesterfield. While I believe the owners may be people with integrity, the workers who do the upholstery work are careless and seemingly have no sense of pride in their work. read more

About 30 years ago my husband and I acquired his Grandmother's 1930s era couch. Two teenagers (with attendant friends), grandchildren and a couple of cats later the couch needed some serious attention. After much research I determined Kay Chesterfield was the best place to restore this much loved piece of furniture. Working with Lee Martin was an absolute dream! We communicated via phone, email and in person when my husband and I met with her to pick the fabric. I was pleased with two fabrics I'd selected, but they weren't as close to the original as I wanted. Lee went into a back room, came out holding a sample book and said "I've found it!" She had found an almost perfect match to the original! I was elated...not only had she found the fabric and color I wanted, she'd intuited I was not really "jazzed" with the two selections I was considering. Lee discussed with us everything from the reupholster process, the firmness of the cushions, the wear of the fabric, the material used to fill the cushions and padded areas of the couch, the time frame required and the cost. She also answered the many questions my husband and I asked, and she was always ever so gracious and friendly. When the couch was finished and delivered to our home we were amazed at the transformation! The 1930s look was beautifully preserved, the fabric was gorgeous, the craftsmanship outstanding, and it was once again comfortable. What a magnificently stupendous restoration! Would I recommend Kay Chesterfield and Lee Martin? In a fast, hot heartbeat! If what you're looking for is personable, friendly service, superior craftsmanship and dedication to quality - this is the only place to take your furniture. read more

Over the past few months I've had a chaise and two chairs re-upholstered by Kay Chesterfield, and what a fabulous experience. We did it all by email and by phone, so it was super easy, and their work is exceptional. Each of the pieces had its own challenges: the chaise was tufted; and the chairs were very small and had tricky curves and angles. They each came back looking perfect. I can't recommend this place highly enough. (Also want to give a shout-out to Killian, who picked the pieces up and brought them back. He did a great job as well.) read more

This morning, Kay Chesterfield delivered a Danish modern chair they reupholstered for us. They did a beautiful job, as they did previously on another midcentury modern chair. Lee Martin is a pleasure to deal with, the prices are fair and their craftsmanship is outstanding. I won't hesitate to call them again the next time I need something reupholstered. read more

These guys are great. I had them make pillows covered with old oriental rug scraps and fabric on the back. They were very good about helping find fabric patterns that worked with the rug patterns. The pillows came out stunning. Highly recommend. read more

My two chairs look even better than I could have dreamed! The project includes a consultation with Lee the fabric specialist who was familiar with my style of chair and looked at photos of my living room to really get a feel for what would work. Every part of the experience working with Kay Chesterfield was great. read more

we love lee!!!

Peninsula resident now in East Bay looking for a reputable upholstery shop....called on Saturday morning and received frosty and unwelcoming reception. "we don't ...we don't..." "call back on Monday and maybe.." Clear they do not need new business or care about cordial phone manners. Ripe market for a competitor to step in who does not rest on perceived laurels. read more

Kay Chesterfield is an amazing find for those of us wanting a new look for our tired upholstery or pillows. Kay utilized space in our home we didn't even realize we needed! They came out to measure and help with fabric recommendations to create custom window bench cushions in our living room and bedroom. Not only were they professional, courteous and timely, the quality was fabulous. I highly recommended them to anyone who needs this type of resource and its in Oakland! read more