THE JOURNAL
IN CONVERSATION WITH...

WILLA GRAY

We sat down with London-based upholsterer, Willa Gray to find out more about her love for fabrics, upholstery projects, rejuvenating classic furniture pieces, and of course her favourites at The Roost!

WHAT FIRST DREW YOU TO UPHOLSTERY, AND HOW DID YOU BEGIN WORKING WITH FABRICS & FURNITURE?

"I’ve always had a huge love for interiors but I’ve never had the knack for visualising how a whole room will come together. During the first lockdown, when I was furloughed from my PR job, I signed up for a weekly upholstery course and completely fell in love with the craft. It suddenly felt like the perfect way into the interiors world I’d always dreamed of being part of." 

IS THERE A PROJECT OR PIECE YOU'VE WORKED ON THAT CARRIES A PARTICULARLY SPECIAL STORY?

"It has to be my Granny’s old nursing chair, which I’ll never be able to part with. It was one of my very first projects during my upholstery diploma and it absolutely confirmed my decision to pursue a new career in upholstery."

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT GIVING A PIECE OF FURNITURE A SECOND LIFE?

"The best part has to be the joy it brings my clients. Many of them inherit or source beautiful, timeless pieces of furniture that don’t quite work in their homes as they are. A new fabric will completely transform a piece and quite often an entire room."

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE BRINGS TO A HOME BEYOND COMFORT?

"Upholstered furniture is not only about comfort, it’s about longevity and sustainability. Traditional frames are built to last for generations, unlike many mass-produced pieces that quickly wear out and end up in landfill. Reupholstering can often cost the same as buying new, but you end up with a totally unique piece of furniture that will last decades longer."  

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE FABRICS & PIECES FROM THE ROOST'S COLLECTION?

"For many clients, the hardest part of upholstery is choosing fabric, so The Roost has made it so much easier with their beautiful, curated shortlist. I especially love Sophie Harpley’s Oxalis Oak in Toffee, it would make the most gorgeous lumbar bed cushion. For high-traffic pieces, such as a kitchen banquette or an armchair, I’d go for Studio Humbug’s Modern Ticking or Parker & Jules’s Birdlip. For me, the perfect home is a mix of antique finds with history and character, paired with new pieces from thoughtful, sustainable brands like Kalinko and Chloe Stewart Collective." 

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE FABRICS & PIECES FROM THE ROOST'S COLLECTION?

"For many clients, the hardest part of upholstery is choosing fabric, so The Roost has made it so much easier with their beautiful, curated shortlist. I especially love Sophie Harpley’s Oxalis Oak in Toffee, it would make the most gorgeous lumbar bed cushion. For high-traffic pieces, such as a kitchen banquette or an armchair, I’d go for Studio Humbug’s Modern Ticking or Parker & Jules’s Birdlip. For me, the perfect home is a mix of antique finds with history and character, paired with new pieces from thoughtful, sustainable brands like Kalinko and Chloe Stewart Collective."