Things We Like

We are asked regularly where to find a good throw, the right furniture polish, a linen we would recommend, or a brush that actually works on velvet. This page is our answer — a short, honest list of things we use ourselves, have recommended to clients for years, or have come to trust through the work.

We have no commercial relationship with any of the makers listed here. We do not stock their products. We recommend them because they are good.

Throws & Textiles

Abraham Moon & Sons — Wool Throws

Abraham Moon have been weaving cloth in Guiseley, West Yorkshire since 1837. Their wool throws are made on the same looms as their upholstery and suiting fabrics — heavy, warm, and durable in the way that only a wool cloth made by someone who knows what they are doing can be. The Shetland and Tweed weights in particular work well draped over the back of a sofa or folded across the foot of a bed. Available direct from their website at moons.co.uk.

The Tartan Blanket Co. — Recycled Wool Blankets

Made in Scotland from recycled wool, these are unpretentious, washable, and genuinely warm. Good for a spare room, a dog blanket, or anywhere that needs comfort without ceremony. Available at tartanblanketco.com.

Fermoie — Fabric & Cushions

Fermoie print their cotton and linen fabrics by hand in Cambridge, using original block and screen printing methods. Their cushions — made in the same workshop — are some of the best ready-made cushions we have encountered: properly filled, well sewn, and in patterns that sit naturally alongside traditional upholstery. Available at fermoie.com.

Furniture Care

Fiddes Supreme Wax Polish

The wax polish we use on show-wood legs and frames in the workshop. Made in Cardiff, it feeds and protects hardwood without building up a sticky residue over time. Apply sparingly with a soft cloth, leave to haze, and buff off. Available from most good timber merchants and at fiddes.co.uk.

Liberon Beeswax Paste

For antique and period furniture, Liberon's beeswax paste is our preference — softer than Supreme Wax and better suited to delicate or patinated surfaces. Good for the legs of older pieces being reupholstered, and for any painted or limed wood in the room. Available from most hardware and decorating suppliers.

Leather Master Leather Care Kit

For any leather-upholstered pieces, Leather Master make the most reliable cleaning and conditioning kit we have found. Clean first, condition second — and do not use anything oil-based on aniline leather. Available at leathermaster.com.

Upholstery Brushes & Tools

970 Upholstery Brush — any good hardware supplier

A stiff-bristled upholstery brush with a short handle. The most useful tool for day-to-day care of fixed upholstery — removes dust, lifts the pile on velvet, and works crumbs out of tufting far better than any vacuum attachment. Available from most hardware shops; the Lion brand is reliable and widely stocked.

Hoover Upholstery Nozzle

The flat, wide-nozzle upholstery attachment that came with your vacuum cleaner is more useful than it looks. Use it on low suction across fixed fabric panels to lift surface dust without disturbing the filling. On velvet, always move in the direction of the pile.

Fabric

Ian Mankin — Linen Union & Ticking

The best source for plain and ticking linens in the UK, in our view. Their fabrics are well priced, widely available, and handle beautifully under the needle. Particularly useful for squabs, banquettes, and any piece where you want a clean, unshowy cloth. Samples available from ianmankin.co.uk.

Bennison Fabrics

Bennison print their fabrics on linen in a palette of faded, aged colours that are very difficult to replicate with digital printing. They are expensive and worth it. The Roses and Aubrieta patterns in particular have clothed more Black Barn sofas than we can count. Samples from bennisonfabrics.com.

Hodsoll McKenzie — Plain Cotton Velvet

The reference for plain cotton velvet in Britain. Their standard velvet is available in an extensive range of colours, handles consistently, and wears well on traditionally upholstered pieces. For a velvet sofa, this is almost always where we start. Available through interior design trade accounts and selected retailers.

Paint

Farrow & Ball — Estate Emulsion

We specify Farrow & Ball paint for show-wood legs and painted frames more than any other. The pigment depth suits the colours we work with — particularly the mid-tones like Mole's Breath, Elephant's Breath, and Purbeck Stone — and it takes wax well as a top coat on wood. Available at farrow-ball.com.

Little Greene — Intelligent Eggshell

For a harder, more durable painted finish on legs that will take knocks — in a kitchen or hallway, for example — Little Greene's Intelligent Eggshell is our preference over Farrow & Ball's equivalent. Tougher when dry and easier to clean. Available at littlegreene.com.

Books

The Upholsterer's Step-by-Step Handbook — Alex Law

The clearest practical guide to traditional upholstery techniques currently in print. Not a coffee table book — a working manual. If you are curious about how a piece is made, or considering learning the craft yourself, this is the right place to start.

Howard & Sons: Upholsterers — David Skinner

The definitive reference on the Victorian makers whose work has influenced more of what we do than any other source. Beautifully illustrated and meticulously researched. Out of print but available secondhand — worth seeking out.

This page is updated occasionally as we encounter things worth recommending. If you have a question about any of the above, or would like our view on something not listed here, please get in touch.

01672 600006 · hello@blackbarnsofas.com