Instead of Tossing the Old Sofa, Consider DIY Reupholstery

Amanda Brown encourages creative types who are looking to upgrade their furniture to think outside the box — big-box retailers, that is.

In this photo provided by Storey Publishing, reupholstering furniture can be done with a few simple tools, patience and time, according to Amanda Brown, author of "Spruce: A Step-by-step Guide to Upholstery and Design" (Storey, 2013), which takes readers through six projects including several of the chairs featured here. Ryann Ford/Storey Publishing via AP

Amanda Brown encourages creative types who are looking to upgrade their furniture to think outside the box — big-box retailers, that is.

“I’m not the same person as 1,000 other people with the same sofa, so why should my furniture be?” asks the furniture upholsterer and owner of Spruce, an Austin, Texas, furniture-redesign studio.

She sees potential in outdated, neglected furniture. But before reupholstering a family heirloom, she says, learn the basics of the craft with an inexpensive thrift-store find. A smaller, less time-intensive piece such as an armchair is a great place to begin.

In this photo provided by Amanda Brown, Brown updated this chair for a tutorial, "Upholstery Basics: Picture Perfect Backs," for the design blog Design*Sponge. (Storey, 2013). Amanda Brown via AP