150 year old chair restoration with AMAZING result

AT Restoration Plus channel: @atrestorationplus
My music channel: @TotuCool
00:00 Overview
00:24 Deconstruction
03:59 Wood repairs
11:29 Cleaning
13:20 Finishing
14:58 Upholstery
31:38 Reveal
#howtorestore #furniturerestoration
Title: Surprise inside the 150 year old chair/armchair restoration

[@ATRestoration]

How much $$$ would you have asked for this job?

[@outring]

It should be at least $2-3k I believe 🧐

[@lisahodges8299]

How many hours did you spend working on it? How much did you spend on materials and the original chair? What is your hourly rate? Birdy

[@Jen39x]

3k for 15 days isn’t a living wage in the United States Midwest. I would expect to pay $7500 for this quality of work especially if you were purchasing the chair in addition to the restoration.

[@Sam-ey1nn]

$15,000.

[@dshey6802]

$3000.00

[@royer_redos]

I watch a lot of different people on KZbin restore furniture, but nobody comes close to your skill and craftsmanship. It's a joy to watch.

[@W4iteFlame]

Whoever did the job on this chair deserves at least some credit. Even if not great, but they done it with what they knew and had back then

[@Sandra-mk3gm]

I was thinking the same, I also thought at least they didn't use a staple gun! the great master's would be very disappointed I'm sure

[@ginaburgess9759]

He said the last renovation was probably in the 1990s..not that long ago

[@capers72424]

AND their recovering mean the chair was here for Ahti to restore, instead of being dumped somewhere!

[@braedenbannister514]

@@Sandra-mk3gmdefinitely agree with the staple gun part. I dont like the hot-glued trim either.

[@DrTofu83]

​@@ginaburgess97591990 is 34 years ago by now. So, it's old, but not old enough to avoid using decent materials. Someone went DIY, and the people doing that couldn't afford or manage to buy the proper materials

[@buddhababeoz]

I grew up watching my grandfather make furniture and carve beautiful details within. My Norwegian grandmother made traditional outfits for my dolls and even as a child I used to stare at the perfection of her work...This is why I love to wait in excitement to see what sublime restoration you will do next. Your work is amazing. Thank you for keeping the art alive!

[@brianvittachi6869]

There is nothing more satisfying than watching a master craftsman at work.

[@olgak406]

Absolutely magnificent! The more I look at modern furniture the more I admire old chairs, cabinets, tables... Thank you, dear Ahti, for sharing your art wth us!

[@lfuentes4098]

So true. I’m lucky to have an upholsterer in the family. My dad! He had promised me a sofa for my wedding. But life got in the way. When he heard I was going to replace my sofa for one from IKEA he said, don’t you dare! I’ll make you one. He’s pretty much retired and in his 80’s. It took him about a year during COVID but he made me a beautiful couch. It was such a joy to see him craft it from a recycled 1960’s frame. Watching him hand-tie the springs. And change up the design from a modern square arm to a classic rolled arm to suit my tastes. He said back in the day upholsterer’s would put a handful of upholstery tacks and spit them out onto the hammer to tack everything in. Now he uses an electric staple gun of course. Some of the materials do change but he prefers coiled springs to what is used now. He’s working on another project now. A channel back sofa pretty much same interiors as this chair. It’s been fun to watch the process. 😊

[@lovingmayberry307]

​@@lfuentes4098 I envy you! Would love to watch your father do something like that.

[@mkdrivingzone]

I walked around a charity furniture store yesterday. Much preferred the old, hand built items compared the mass produced, cheap material items which showed a lot more wear.

[@lfuentes4098]

@@mkdrivingzone agreed. And when it’s a solid piece you can always restore or refuse it. The new stuff falls apart sand can only go to the landfill once it does. Even the compressed board of the 1970’s was better than the new stuff.

[@johannabezuidenhout4252]

Beautiful the old furniture is timeless and always in demand thnx for saving that lovely chair thumbs up sir well done!!!!

[@Clothis64]

My favorite furniture restorer! You are the one who pays the best tribute to the furniture you restore and those who made them.

[@cleopatracatra2097]

Well said!

[@melo-muse]

"Shellac, my love!" 😄 Your work inspires me every time. I'm grateful that you decided to have a KZbin channel to show us how you do it.

[@novembermiss]

I'd been waiting for a new video from you, and this one does not disappoint! Has to be in the top three of my favorite AT restorations. Much as I enjoy seeing you restore wood--and the birch here really does look like walnut--I enjoy your upholstering even more. You mentioned that you learned from the masters, and it shows. This was a labor of love, and you did a beautiful job saving this rare piece. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

[@nancyring8104]

Beautiful,as always!! My favorite part is the swatch of original fabric tucked in like hidden treasure!!😍❤️

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

That looks amazing!! I love it that the last person tried as best they could to do it right. They just didn’t have the skill or the materials that you have. That small piece of fabric you left inside will be a treasure to someone one day. Bravo!!❤️🐝🤗

[@167curly]

I really enjoyed seeing you dismantle that elegant old chair, repair its loose joints and replace the missing small wooden parts; then correctly re-springing and re-upholstering it. It made me appreciate your skills in this project. Many congratulations.

[@erikziak1249]

I remain in amazement every time you upload a video like this. The upholstery is simply on a level of an absolute master. Not that the woodwork would be any lesser than perfect. Thank you Ahti.

[@juliecullom6955]

No, it’s our honor to see a master restore this magnificent piece!

[@paisdjoiasjdf457]

Watching you bringing these old pieces of furniture back to what they once were meant to be is so wonderful. Nothing is truly broken. Your artistic skills and lovingly careful restorations give me both joy and hope. You are in a sense a saviour, Sir. All the best to you!

[@user-gy9ps2jc5c]

Здравствуйте, Ахти! Наконец-то новое видео! Как всегда приятно наблюдать за вашей замечательной работой!!! ❤ Очень соскучилась по вашим реставрациям)))

[@vbee3571]

What a gorgeous chair! It deserves that red velvet. The upholstery job was a pleasure to watch. Done right, it is a time-consuming, labor-intensive job, but I think you can claim perfection! 🌟 Beautiful restoration! 👏 Well done!

[@sixtenjohansson4246]

Aww, it's like an old car that someone loved and cared for to the best of their abilities, even though it was the string from bales of straw and whatever else they could find. ❤

[@Happiness-to-live365.]

Кресло изумительное! Работа, как всегда, прекрасная! Превосходных слов достоин мастер!!!

[@myraholmes8702]

The patience you must have to restore these pieces that look like they're better off in a junk pile, Ahti. I love watching the expert care you take in restoring what looks like it can't be done.

[@wendyhenschel.]

Beautiful job on this restoration! The red was meant to be. You are right, the upholstering part is tough to pick up. I watched my Grams do this for well over 50 years of my life. I helped where she needed help. But i have never attempted it myself. But seeing her rip things apart and redo them gave me an appreciation for what she did for a living. She started her business when she was 19. She made all the buttons herself like you just did but on a much older maker lol. This is hard on your hands and wrists over time. She stopped in her 80's. Passed just shy of her 101st birthday. Thanks for sharing these jobs. I know your clients appreciate your work as you are very talented at all aspects of the job. God Bless

[@annec781]

We have a saying in English, “practice makes perfect,” do it every day and it becomes knowledge to do it right. Beautiful job done!

[@xXVintersorgXx]

I like to say practice makes permanent. Anything you practice will be ingrained. So always be mindful of how you're practicing. Practicing guitar has given me many many bad playing habits heh

[@teresafabiano984]

A true MASTER!

[@deeskinner9014]

Wow....that was an amazing display of skill. Doing upholstery at that level is similar to an elite athlete or professional musician. Yes, anyone can do the basics, but to set up all the little details to make the upholstery come out so well takes a huge amount of experience and practice. Honestly reminded me of watching a concert pianist or elite athlete. Very, very cool. Thank you so much for posting!

[@autodidactin]

Ahti, this chair looks like it should be in a royal residence. What an epic job of restoration from repairing and recarving the joints to the beautiful reupholstery. I loved the shot of the finished, tied springs, it had a beauty all its own. Thank you for the extra work required for the filming, especially of some of those close up shots. Bravo!

[@sequero2747]

First class work! Thank you for letting me be there.

[@melodymacken9788]

Nicely said.

[@karavalle12]

What a colossal job! But what a great result! The red goes very well for this chair! Professional work! Perfect👏👏👌

[@vikik4714]

Master! You are one of those people who make the world a better place! ❤ You build, you restore, you preserve! You will have a special place in Paradise and Peoples' Hearts! Thank you!

[@user-rc5zb9qv3z]

You did a fantastic job. I love seeing people restore old things, whether furniture, cars, tools, toys, houses or whatever.

[@redman9pablo]

My father was a master upholsterer who learnt his trade in the 50's in the UK and he passed 4 years ago. Brought back many memories watching this video and you restored the chair brilliantly 👏🏼

[@igor28pomachak28]

Це найскладніша й найпрофесійніша реставрація, яку я бачила. А коли пан майстер вкладав шматочок оригінальної оббивки в середину сидіння я відчула глибоку повагу до цього талановитого чоловіка. Дякую за чудові емоції та бажаю вам всякого доба.

[@josephinehogg3629]

yes, leaving that little piece of the original upholstery fabric was truly inspirational and a beautiful thought of the Future. Let's hope Arti's work endures into the future ❣❣

[@igor28pomachak28]

@@josephinehogg3629 thank you

[@Nidia-ds9cj]

Mis respetos son muy hermosos, pero solo entiendo español

[@svetlanaziatnina1514]

Очень шикарно в этом цвете, хорошо, что вернули каретную стяжку на спинку этого кресла. Предыдущий ремонт был непрофессиональным, но человек старался и кресло дожило до лучших перемен.

[@user-hi6mi6xu7v]

Щира подяка пане майстер за вашу роботу !!! Оцінити можу тільки емоції від перегляду . Браво !!!

[@user-xs3td4zw3x]

Шикарный получился стул! Вот настоящий профессионал, восхищаюсь!!!

[@shirleyannconfer9651]

The velvet is both forgiving and absolutely gorgeous. The color looks beautiful with the wood stain and shellac that you chose. I love your attention to the details. It’s one of the many reasons why I love your videos.

[@sandysmith6883]

What a pleasure it is when you post a new video. It simply makes my day a whole lot brighter.

[@peztopher7297]

This chair has such lovely lines. I was impressed with the boldness of the new fabric! The braid is very elegant. I think my favorite thing to watch you do is upholstering seats. Or caning them!

[@TheIvalen]

If I was a teen I’d approach you to be an apprentice - this sort of skill should never be forgotten

[@cecoya]

That wood looks like warm honey how beautiful. The red velvet makes that chair look like royalty. You always make it look so easy and I know it is not. That stuff takes lots of practice to do it right. Have a great day

[@EuelBall]

Dang! A thrift store chair turned into one fir for a royal court. As usual, you rock! 🪑

[@user-bx6dm7xo9u]

it was an honour watching a master at work, truly beautiful.

[@raytaaffe6588]

I have watched countless furniture restorations but this has to be the BEST. This guy's carpentry, and particularly his upholstery skills, are MAGNIFICENT!. He doesn't take any shortcuts and does everything with the upmost skill which all makes for an amazing result. I was spellbound throughout by his magic.

[@irinawolnaya]

Красивая работа!!! Смотрела с удовоолствием!!!

[@lynnyoung1059]

A confident and graceful restoration! The Old Masters would be very proud of you.

[@cleopatracatra2097]

This glorious piece now deserves to be displayed in a glass case in an art museum!

[@mdc3148]

But it was already worthy of being in a historical museum sadly

[@patriciahatton8292]

I couldn't believe the surprise either! What a beautiful restoration, I loved the red velvet, it really was the type of fabric that was probably common for those chairs in palaces, etc. You are, in my opinion, the absolute best on You Tube for restoration and upholstering. I love your additional comment about how long it took you to learn and perfect upholstering. Those little tidbits are so interesting!

[@WoodenItBeNice27]

Spider-Man would be proud of the weaves you did on the springs looks beautiful

[@stevenbryant4718]

How about someone adult like, a sailor.

[@WoodenItBeNice27]

@@stevenbryant4718 Spider-Man is an adult , 🤫

[@stevenbryant4718]

OK kid whatever you say.@@WoodenItBeNice27

[@JerroldKrenek]

this is by FAR the BEST ONE YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@mlaiuppa]

That is absolutely gorgeous. I had no idea the chair needed that much repair until you started. And the upholstery! Every time I watch you reupholster a chair it is like a master class.

[@Samdegraff]

I love 19th century furniture. Cabriole legs make me happy. And I wholeheartedly agree with your colour choice for this piece.

[@esterventer9119]

Before it was just a chair... now it is a throne fit for a king!

[@CLABEJARES]

The chair ended up looking just like my grandmother's. It brought me back in time. I've never seen anyone do such an excellent job doing a 19th century chair restoration. AMAZING!

[@supajenn312]

The chair is now fit for royalty. The cording trim is a beautiful statement. You are very talented in your skills and artistry!

[@KilgoreTrout4343]

Ahti, a new video from you is the highlight of my day. Never would I have called velvet "forgiving", but in your hands it is magical. Beautiful work!

[@DyviniD]

I will never get tired of watching Ahti do this masterful work. This was magical, entertaining, and instructive. Good job as usual, Sir.

[@anthonystark6379]

Not me over here thinkin "Huh, wonder if he'd like to have a go at my antique spinning wheel" And promptly discarded the thought as rude 😂 Lord thats a pretty chair. And the glow up is *unreal*!!

[@guellrich]

The wood repairing was great, but I found the upholstery part absolutely fantastic. Just wow!

[@user-bg2dr6uo6n]

Как интересно наблюдать за Вашей работой! Золотые руки!

[@avivat3010]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. You have a such a good eye for pieces that deserve the work you put into them. The wood always looks like you honoured the builder by bringing it to a suitable finish. It occurred to me the first time I saw this method, that it is completely compostable. It is work intensive, but would save our planet if we went back to using natural materials. This would also encourage us (due to cost) to not throw so much away. I really appreciate your posts. Thank you!

[@schoensangalli6972]

This belongs in a museum. Impressive!

[@colleenmccarthy-evans3149]

Astonishing and not surprising that it took 15 days, with your amazing attention to detail. Gorgeous.

[@ceb964]

Marvellous restoration, repair and immaculately elegant upholstery. Hats off once again.👏👏👏👏👏

[@adi654]

Wow! Thank you! I love the new detailed work with extra zoom on the sewing and other fine details!

[@TheCraftyMagnolia]

I LOVE the color choice in velvet. It looks plush and fit for a king!

[@skylark1250]

The attention to detail and respect for how each piece was originally built is amazing. Time consuming commitment. Something of a perfectionist, I’d say. Master woodworking here. I’ve never seen this done and your video is a stunner. I love antiques. Nice to see the pieces being saved for the next generation to enjoy.

[@dannraff]

Ole magic fingers yeah love this channel .

[@user-fm5ni3xt5m]

Нарешті я дочекалась нове відео! Дякую за отримане естетичне задоволення від вашої неймовірної роботи, Майстре!❤️ Браво!👏👏👏

[@drcarter1229]

The end result was just exquisite! I think I would be hesitant to even sit on this chair. Bravo, Ahti, Bravo!!!

[@channelsixtysix066]

You're right, Ahti, that is an amazing result. Simply stunning, Mate, it really is. I'd loved to have seen the reaction of the owner when they first laid eyes on it newly restored. The piece is good for another 150 years.

[@sharontrujillo]

Soooooooooooooo many staples....YIKES!!!! 😮

[@kellyherman9985]

Amazing job! Even the grid for the string work around the springs is an artful masterpiece! Beautiful!

[@Kristina_Sundkvist_Sweden]

You mad that chair a great favour saving it from it's misery. Good job, well done.👍

[@wmperkins25]

A master craftsman doing absolutely stunning work - a pleasure to watch!

[@claudianagel7402]

Your upholstery skills are magical!

[@mrkraymnd]

Thanks for the great content! Cheers

[@josephinehogg3629]

This restoration is so beautiful, I cried with joy. Thank you for sharing ❣

[@franceshurt3517]

All I can say is that you have truly mastered the skill of restoring furniture, this was an absolute pleasure to watch, thank you!!👍👍👍

[@richardnedbalek1968]

Tucking a piece of the original fabric inside for a future restorer to discover was thoughtful.

[@RomantiCynic]

It is amazing to me that you have the skill to repair all those details and re-carve them by hand! Wonderful work, Ahti. Your work honoured the original craftsmen!

[@patriciarivera2271]

Absolutely amazing. I love how you put a piece of the original fabric inside

[@hofmangj]

Ahti, you must really love your job to have so much patience and care. True perfectionist.

[@AdamWeber-pi1gs]

Mind blown. I had no idea what it took to build/restore upholstered furniture. Beautiful job, Sir.

[@RamonaAnne]

This brought back a lot of memories for me. My mother used to make covered buttons like these, although with more primitive equipment. She had all those different curved and double-pointed upholstery needles, too. This was back in the 1950s - I had forgotten all about it until I saw this video. I have to say, I am more interested in the woodworking than the upholstery, but you are a master at all of it. You deserve a million subscribers!

[@805Coastal]

Outstanding! My grandma Diaz would have loved to see this video. She took a class in the late '60s and made a sectional sofa. I never "really" appreciated her work until I saw this video. Thank you, sir! You are a Mastercraftman, and I look forward to spending time watching more of your videos!

[@Sonia-ju6po]

It is more than obvious, to me, that you LOVE what you are doing and your expertise is right on point. Whatever you charge, you more than deserve it! Excellent work!!

[@blindkimberly1360]

Ahhhh. Did you hear that? This wee one cried tears of joy just knowing someone cared enough to make it whole again! Finally! Tying springs was my favorite part! Thanks for showing it. Hubby said halfway through this chair reminded him of the couch I’d done way back in the day. Full of red velvet buttons. Then you covered this beauty in red velvet! So sweet! This is one happy chair now! Awesomeness! 🫶🏼🤗😎

[@nityaram4]

Such a perfect mix of techniques from the old master, the most modern equipment and Ahti’s craft, creativity, workmanship!

[@miroslavapobjecka330]

Your respect and care for each piece is outstanding. The chair looks magnificent 🎉

[@alidamontanez-salas6706]

It so always a pleasure to see a master craftsman at work and knowing that he's doing the restoration the right way. ❤

[@michelez715]

I don't always follow exactly what you're doing, but the result is always magical. It's a joy to watch your sureness and skill.

[@WD1271]

Well I don't know anything about furniture restoration but I know a master at work when I see one. Top notch, thank you

[@beverlyness7954]

Absolutely amazing job! The wood restoration is gorgeous! You brought it back to life and kept the original look. I loved watching the upholstery and re-springing of the chair, it was amazing. This chair will last a very long time because of your work. It looks a lot like a chair my grandmother had in her living room (I'm 71 - she passed away when I was 10). It was a very comfortable chair. I don't have a clue what someone would pay for this fabulous chair, but whatever you charge, it's definitely worth it!

[@TopCat2021]

The sign of a true master craftsman is you made it look so easy. Great Job Sir! Thanks for sharing with all of us.

[@teresaewers8522]

Loved watching this, I repair, recane, and reupholster chairs. It was nice watching someone else do it. ❤ It’s so relaxing to watch you work, especially with no talking. 😊. You gave me great ideas on clamping!!!

[@kathleenr.3508]

This is a masterclass on chair restoration! Absolutely fascinating. Woodworking and sewing skills of the highest order! That Red velvet picked up the glow in the wood - would love to see that chair next to a lit fireplace!

[@nickp3173]

You're a master of sewing these old beautiful chairs back together. Great job!

[@joannfuhrer3114]

I cannot imagine the sense of accomplishment you get when you finish a restoration like this. Beautiful. Thank you.

[@oceansodium]

I really like that you kept a swatch of the original fabric. Good on you mate.

[@user-kb3qj1dm3s]

Золотые руки и светлая голова.Дай Бог тебе крепкого здоровья.😊

[@Ladybug-uf7uh]

I could hardly swallow watching this video. Do you remember upholstery tacks (in your mouth) with an upholstery hammer? Of course you do. The air gun you have is amazing, but your work outshines anything mechanical. Amazing, Amazing! Thank you for sharing this piece of work. Look forward to the next (but this one really shines).

[@anniewisecarver744]

Absolutely stunning craftmanship. Amazing. Was hoping for a gorgeous William Morris type of fabric with a beautiful pattern. Beautiful work.