Wills Furniture – Handcrafted and expertly designed and finished.

Recently a number of large furniture retailers have made claims to offering for sale ‘handcrafted’ furniture. It would be interesting to investigate the veracity of such claims. A glance, even with an untrained eye will immediately notice that this simply isn’t true. Manufacturers, both local and offshore are known to ‘cut corners’. The phrase originated where tailors and upholsterers gave ‘short’ measure of cloth/fabric to save money. At Wills Furniture you can be entirely confident that our skilled artisans and tradesmen genuinely hand craft all Wills Furniture in the traditional manner to produce the very best in superb Traditional and Contemporary Furniture – Sofas, armchairs, tub chairs, dining chairs and ottomans.

Where others now use robotics and mechanisation, we used skilled artisans plying the time honoured trade they have been passed down through generations. Each component follows rigid quality specifications and manufacturing processes.

Cushions

Cushions are offered with a range of fillings as standard offerings – feather and foam, premium foam and dacron (seating cushions) and holifil/dacron for firmer back cushions.

Optional choices include ‘Luxury Foam’, Enduro Foam, Spring Cells and Feather combinations.

Coil Springs and Contemporary Springing

All Wills Furniture designs include fully hand tied coil spring construction for extra comfort and durability. This includes the ‘front edge’ of a sofa or chair importantly. However if required the option of contemporary springing remains a selection option.

Frames and Finishing

All Wills Furniture Frames are made from high quality, kiln dried hardwood, corner blocked for rigidity and strength.

Wills offers a range of polishes and finishes. select a colour, provide a sample and our experienced Polishers will match it. Painted finishing and antique style polishing is also available on quotation.

Wills offers a range of studding which can be viewed here on our website. For Designers and Decorators this choice provides a great selection.

And the same wealth of choice applies to castors available in 4 finishes – Chrome, Brass, Antique Brass and Antique Bronze.

Nearly all furniture available in our Wills Furniture Collection is able to be modified to meet specific design requirements of Interior Designers and Decorators.

Wills Furniture carries a lifetime guarantee on all items manufactured. Quality is always delivered at the very highest of standards.

Call now on 03 9815 0111 and arrange a viewing of the Wills Collection at our Hawthorn Showrooms located at 6 Guest St Hawthorn or simply fill out our contact form and one of our staff will call back and arrange a visit or quotation.

So remember, always choose Wills Furniture. It is simply the best.

For Design, Luxury and Comfort – it has to be Wills Furniture.

Traditional Upholstery and Craftsmanship. From humble beginnings to modern workshops.

Wills Furniture takes great pride in producing hand built, hand crafted furniture, using time honoured skills and methodologies. All Wills Furniture is built, upholstered and finished in our modern Hawthorn Workshop and Studio – by hand. The methods, techniques and crafts have been passed down through generations of artisan tradesmen and women at Wills – Upholsterers, seamstresses, frame builders and finishers. It’s a team effort. But there is an interesting and intriguing history attached to the craft of furniture making.

‘Upholders’ become ‘Upholsterers’

Upholsterers used to be called ‘Upholders’. In the 18th Century it referred more to those who repaired furniture rather than the artisans who created new pieces.

‘Upholders’ often doubled as interior decorators, taking full responsibility for the overall look and feel of a room, providing the aspect/s desired by the home owner and householder. Such craftsmen were members of the ‘Worshipful Company of Upholders’. Originally these artisans provided upholstery, textiles and fittings for funerals (perhaps this may provide insight into some of the sombre interiors of the times).

As it was, generally a cabinet maker would pair or partner an ‘upholder’ to provide the service that came to be known as ‘Traditional Upholstery’.

Traditional Upholstery

Over the centuries, traditional upholstery evolved. The padding and covering of chairs, seats and sofas became recognised as an accepted craft, long before sewing machines, synthetic fabrics or various types of foam were ever available.

Traditional methodologies for upholstery involve using a solid wood frame or platform (webbed). It can also involve various kinds of springs, lashings, stuffing (animal hair and feathers), grasses and coir, wools, hessians, scrims, bridle ties, stuffing ties, blind stitching, flocks and wadding, all built up by hand.

By the early 17th Century, chair seats were being padded if in a somewhat basic fashion. The shapes and styles of upholstery we now consider ‘classic’ (both the shapes and manufacturing techniques) were popularised in the 17th Century, but remained the province of the very wealthy. New techniques gave greater control with the ‘stuffing’ enabling further definition in the upright and sloping lines of popular furniture.

The Victorian era saw excessive stuffing and padding pay homage to the fashionable opulence of the era.

And as the craft evolved with stainless steel springs and new lashing techniques, the seats, backs and arms were further built up, independent of the solid frame’s shape. More complex stuffings, elaborately shaped rolls and scrolls, with different fabrics allowing soft padded shapes by means of buttoning saw new styles and shapes evolve until we have the types of furniture we now feature in our exclusive Wills Collection.

The Wills team faithfully follow the techniques described, handed down over the centuries from the original ‘Upholders’ to today’s specialist upholstery artisans.

All Wills Furniture is handmade faithfully to those tried and true techniques, with the added advantage of modern equipment and studio fitting.

The Wills Furniture team return to work on Monday, January 6th. Wee look forward to seeing you then. For any urgent enquiries please call 03 9815 0111 and leave a message. Alternatively, you can contact us here for a prompt response.

A Happy and Prosperous New Year to everyone from the Wills Furniture team. See you in the New Year!

Select from the world’s most exclusive fabrics with Wills Furniture

For Interior Designers and Decorators, the ability to make the absolute best decision in terms of colour schemes, layouts and texture is dependent on access to a comprehensive range of first class fabric and leathers. It is the imperative when having selected the very best in either Classic or Contemporary Upholstered Furniture, a designer then has the choice available on the very best in both current and traditional fabrics to dress selected furniture as desired. At Wills Furniture we offer an extensive range of exquisite fabrics and leathers from the world’s leading suppliers.

Take the time to meet with our team and discuss your needs and requirements with Wills’ Manager, John Sharkey, at your convenience. Please feel comfortable to bring floor plans, Interior Design concepts, photographs and any fabric or leather samples you wish to match.

The Wills Collection offers a stunning range of beautiful upholstered furniture, both traditional and contemporary for selection. The Wills Furniture range is often the preferred selection of Interior Designers and Decorators. It offers distinctive choice and unique and different styles from which to make selections appropriate to particular projects.

Wills Furniture work with leading fabric and textile suppliers. These include:

• Domestic Textiles – https://www.domestictextile.com.au/
• Warwick Fabrics – https://www.warwick.com.au/
• Elliott Clarke Textiles – http://www.elliottclarke.com.au/
• Milgate Fabrics – http://www.milgate.com.au/
• Mokum – https://jamesdunloptextiles.com/brands/mokum/
• Seneca – https://www.senecatextiles.com/
• The Textile Company – https://www.textilecompany.com.au/
• Unique Fabrics – http://www.uniquefabrics.com/
• Zepel – https://www.zepelfabrics.com/
• Wortley Group – https://www.wgshowroom.com.au/
• Boyac Fabrics – http://www.boyac.com.au/

Each company has a website with extensive images of fabrics, textures, colours and designs available. Take the time to visit and browse their sites. There is a world of colour and texture available in a myriad range of fabrics. Your designer or decorator will select the right fabric to suit your individual taste, and achieve the look, the style, the comfort you wish to achieve.

Featured this week are some examples of selected furniture from our Wills Collection dressed by various fabric companies.

Lyon Sofa and Byron Tub Chair dressed by Warwick Fabrics

Georgian Chairs dressed by Domestic Textiles

For further enquiry don’t hesitate to call Wills Furniture on 03 9815 0111 and arrange an appointment to discuss your needs. Manager John Sharkey is highly experienced and can offer accurate and informative advice on whatever your furniture requirements are. Alternatively leave your details here and the Wills team will get back to you promptly.

Wills Furniture – Design, Luxury, Comfort

It’s simply the best

Occasional Chairs, Dining Chairs, Chairs for Every Room – The Wills Collection.

Sometimes a home just simply isn’t complete without strategically placed comfortable chairs. The occasional chair, whether it’s in the bedroom, the living room or the sunroom, often completes both the look and genuine comfort of your property’s interior design.

At Wills Furniture we often see some delightful pieces dressed by highly talented creative Interior Designers and Decorators. This week from our archives we feature the Sheffield Chair as prepared for the Window Workshop of 946b High St, Armadale, in March 2018.

The Fabric is Sanderson Fabrics Rosalie parchment/yellow, contrast piped in the Romo Linara company’s Taragon.

A beautiful occasional armchair – inviting and comfortable.

The Wills Furniture Collection features:

• Classic Chairs
• Contemporary Chairs
• Dining Chairs
• Tub Chairs

From our Contemporary Chair Collection, this week we feature some of our favourites. A stunning array of designs is available and can be viewed on our website here. Today we focus our attention on four of our most popular chairs.

The Avoca

This elegant, art deco style chair features sweeping rolled arms with piping detail. The studio look chair with polished Ash timber legs can be upholstered in leather or any fabric chosen. Comfort is assured with its sprung lumbar support, upholstered back and hand tied coil sprung seat.

The Barrington

A classic, club armchair with polished tapered, timber feet. This style works well in a relaxed lounge room, billiard room or study. A chair to sink into and relish its comfort with a sprung fitted back and hand tied coil sprung seat. A matching Barrington sofa is also available in the Wills Furniture Collection.

The Chicago

This sleek, armless chair features twin needle stitch detail to create a tufted effect on the seat and inside back. It is nicely finished with fine piping detail to the edges. Its highly polished timber base and legs complement the unique style.

The Tecoma

This stylish design is well suited as an ideal bedroom chair or stunning occasional chair. The highly polished balloon back with padded seat and arms and featuring double piping detail lends an air of elegant grace. The timber frame is made from low grain Beech which, once polished, leaves a smooth, uniform finish.

Please feel free to call us on 9815 0111 and book an appointment to visit our showroom at 6 Guest St Hawthorn. We have an extensive display of furniture available for your inspection. Or browse the Wills Furniture Collection here and leave your details on our contact page.

Wills Furniture – it’s simply the best – Design, Luxury, Comfort.