About the Studio
A Brooklyn workshop dedicated to the traditional crafts of upholstery and textile work. Est. in a living room, refined over two decades.
Origin Story
David's Custom Slipcovers began in 2003 when David Martinez couldn't afford to replace his grandmother's sofa but couldn't bear to see it deteriorate further. He borrowed a neighbor's sewing machine, bought too much linen at a remnant sale, and spent six weekends teaching himself basic upholstery techniques from library books.
The slipcover wasn't perfect—the corners bunched, the seams didn't quite align—but it worked. More importantly, friends noticed. Within a year, he was taking commissions. Within five, he'd quit his graphic design job and rented his first proper workshop space in Sunset Park.
Twenty years later, the work has changed. The techniques are more refined, the equipment more professional, the understanding of textiles deeper. But the philosophy remains the same: furniture worth keeping deserves expert care, and most pieces are worth keeping.
Philosophy
We believe in the intelligence of old furniture. In the way a well-built frame telegraphs its quality through joinery and heft. In the economy of repair over replacement. In the satisfaction of using something daily that your grandchildren might also use.
Our work serves three purposes: protecting what you already own, extending its useful life, and making it beautiful enough that you want to keep it in service. Sometimes that means a washable cotton slipcover for a family room sectional. Sometimes it means reconstructing a Victorian settee from the springs up. The techniques differ, but the goal is the same.
A Day in the Workshop
Home visits and measurements. We arrive with fabric swatches, measuring tape, and a notepad. Every piece gets photographed from six angles. We note wear patterns, structural issues, how the piece is actually used. Measurements are taken three times.
Pattern work and cutting. Patterns are drafted on paper first, refined, then transferred to muslin for a test fit. Only after the muslin confirms the pattern do we cut into the final fabric. Nothing is eyeballed.
Sewing and assembly. The industrial machine runs for hours—seams, piping, hems, closures. Each piece is pressed at multiple stages. Corners are mitred by hand. Zippers are set with surgical precision.
Final fitting and adjustments. The completed work goes back on the furniture for a trial fit. We check for pucker, pull, drape. Most pieces need minor adjustments—a seam taken in by half an inch, a corner re-pinned. Perfection is iterative.
Workshop Glossary
Terms we use daily in the workshop, translated into plain language
Bias Cut
Fabric cut at a 45-degree angle to the grain. Gives piping flexibility to curve smoothly around corners without puckering.
Welt / Piping
Decorative cord covered in fabric, sewn into seams. Adds definition and hides the joint between two pieces of fabric.
Pattern Repeat
Distance before a printed or woven pattern starts over. Affects how much fabric we need and where seams can fall.
Railroading
Running fabric horizontally instead of vertically to avoid seams on long pieces like sofas. Only works with non-directional patterns.
Eight-Way Hand-Tied
Traditional spring system where each spring is tied to eight neighbors with twine. Time-intensive but lasts 50+ years.
Drop
How far fabric hangs below a table edge or cushion. Important for calculating lengths and proportions.
Tuck Allowance
Extra fabric built into slipcovers that gets pushed into crevices between seat and back. Keeps the cover from riding up.
Break
The point where drapes rest on the floor, creating a slight bend. Different from puddling, which is intentional pooling.
"We don't make furniture. We make furniture last."
— David Martinez, Founder