Michelle McClennan’s intricate childhood dollhouse may have set the scene for her professional path. Since those early days, she has blended her passions for furnishings and historic preservation to carve a distinctive niche in upholstery and vintage furniture–and become a go-to for designers and discerning consumers.
McClennan always enjoyed working with her hands, throwing herself into rehabbing and redecorating a succession of living spaces. The Birmingham, Alabama native moved to New Orleans for graduate study in architectural preservation at Tulane but found herself drawn to furniture. Having grown up around antique furniture, she enjoys not only the design but also the historical record of upholstery – beauty with a bit of sleuthing.
“As a preservationist I like to make sure every piece is indicative of the time
that it came from,” says McClennan. “That involves research for every piece
that I do, kind of like archaeological work, when I’m going through a piece to see
how it’s been changed over time, what somebody would have done originally to it.”
In the interest of historical accuracy, McClennan retains original materials (like stuffings) when possible, rather than replacing them with foam or other contemporary substitutes with a shorter life span. “To me, a quality piece should last 100 years-plus,” she says.
McClennan also emphasizes that while reupholstering a vintage piece properly might seem costly, it’s often more affordable than buying a new, equivalently made piece: “People making that kind of furniture [today] are charging tens of thousands of dollars for it.”
In addition to the upholstery business, McClennan has parlayed her affinity for vintage furniture into the resale space as a partner in vintage furniture and design market Left Bank. There (and through Instagram), McClennan sells take-home-ready vintage pieces that she has painstakingly reupholstered – like the standout tuxedo sofa she covered in a jungle print accented with navy velvet piping.
McClennan believes these kinds of high-quality statement pieces can make a room – any room: “To me, if you love something, I don’t care what colors are in it. You can put any colors, any fabrics with it – you’re always going to love that piece.”
