Give your chair a professional finish
Pick your chair and follow my professional method step by step, in photo and video. Whether it is your first chair or your hundredth.
Or €99.99 for a full year. Cancel anytime.
For beginners
New to upholstery? Start with one of these
Real pieces, finished with the same method I use in my workshop. If you have never upholstered before, begin with the first one.
For upholsterers
Already an upholsterer? Refine your method
This is not only a beginner’s resource. The advanced projects go into the details that separate good work from a professional finish, with the method I learned through four years with the Compagnons du Devoir and use every day in my workshop.
- AdvancedClub chair covering projectA full change of fabric on a club chair with removable parts, step by step.
- AdvancedThe bergère, from frame to finishEvery stage of a complete bergère, in the order of the work.
- Traditional or foamThe Voltaire armchairThe same classic shape, worked in traditional padding or in modern foam.
- Core techniquesSprings, padding, covering, finishingEach technique on its own, to rework one gesture without redoing a whole chair.
How does it work?
The same order I follow on every chair in my workshop, broken down so you never have to guess the next step.
1
Pick your chair
Start from the shape of your seat. Its page tells you what it needs and where to begin.
2
Follow the method, stage by stage
Prepare, webbing and springs, padding, covering, finishing. Do the whole chair, or only the stage you need.
3
Finish it like a professional
Clean corners, a taut cover, neat trim: the details that make a chair look done by an upholsterer.
What is inside a tutorial?
Numbered steps, real workbench shots and the exact gesture you need to see, in photo and video.
Numbered steps on the workbench, not a single before and after.
Hand position and tool angle, the details that are hard to guess on your own.
The finished result alongside the technique that got it there.
Membership
Every chair, every step, in photo and video
90+ step-by-step tutorials with the professional method behind each one. New tutorials are added regularly.
- A clear path for each type of chair, in the order of the work
- Photo steps and video for every technique
- Materials and tools listed for every tutorial
- Premium Membership: send me your questions on WhatsApp
€9.99/month or €99.99/year. Cancel anytime.
Who is The Girl With a Hammer?
Hi, I’m Céline! I’m a French upholsterer, and you may know me as @the_girl_with_a_hammer on Instagram.
I learned my craft the traditional way, through four years of apprenticeship with the Compagnons du Devoir, and opened my own workshop in 2012, on the shores of Lake Annecy. When I started on my own, I had no master at my side to ask, just my books and a lot of questions. This is the resource I wish I’d had back then.
90+
Photo and video tutorials
15+
Years of professional experience
480+
Students taught
136k
Followers on Instagram
As seen in Architectural Digest
“Want inspiration for all those ‘DIY reupholster chair’ searches? Check out Celine Vanier, an upholsterer and fabric dealer based in France who shares her creations on her Instagram account, @the_girl_with_a_hammer, which has more than 100 upholstery chair transformations to make you beeline to the fabric store.”
Architectural Digest, Nov. 11, 2022
Questions before you start
Do I need any upholstery experience?
No. Each chair path starts with preparing the frame and goes stage by stage, in photo and video. If you have never upholstered before, a foam pouf or a dining chair seat is the easiest way in.
What can I reupholster with your tutorials?
Stools, simple chairs, bridge chairs, cabriolet chairs, modern chairs, Voltaire chairs, bergères and club chairs, as well as headboards, with new projects added regularly. Choose yours by its shape above.
I am already an upholsterer. Will I learn something?
The advanced projects, such as the club chair, the bergère and the Voltaire, and the core techniques go into the details of a professional finish. Each technique has its own tutorial, so you can rework one gesture without following a whole project.
Do you teach traditional upholstery or foam?
Both: traditional methods with webbing, springs and traditional padding, and modern foam upholstery, so you can choose the right approach for each piece.
How much does the membership cost?
Memberships start at €9.99 per month (about $11), or €99.99 for a full year. You can cancel anytime.
Can I do only part of a chair?
Yes. Tutorials are grouped by stage, so you can follow only the covering, for example, if the rest of your chair is in good condition.
Your chair is waiting
Ready to give it a professional finish?
Find your chair, join the Membership and follow the method from the bare frame to the last braid.