Out with the old, in with the old

By Nicole DeCosta

The Lake Oswego Review, Jul 13, 2006, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Vern Uyetake / Lake Oswego Review and West Linn Tidings

Using new striped fabric in soft caramels and maroons, this chair has been given a new life — comfy, cozy and begging for sitter.

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A rainbowed row of colors greets visitors at Rosewood Upholstery. Different patterns – striped, polka dot, plaid, flocked – garnish sample fabrics. And in an oversized back room, Mi and Sam Kim give torn up, forgotten furniture a new life.

“Each item is really important and really special. When they bring in their old furniture and when it goes out and it looks bright, it makes the customer happy. And that makes me really happy,” said Mi Kim, co-owner.

After spending 15 years at their Gresham location, the married couple says they have enjoyed their two years in Lake Oswego, reupholstering local items to transform nearby homes. The company repairs, restyles and refinishes furniture.

While usually homeowners bring in chairs and couches for a facelift, sometimes just freshening up outdoor furniture or pillows can transform a living space into something new.

“(Sometimes) people bring in a photo of what they want to be recovered. We work together for what style and pattern,” said Kim. “I find out the mind of the customer and we can work together.”

Altering the height of a chair or sofa is also an option when recovering furniture.

“People want a different design. Like our last customer (had) a low back couch and wanted to make it six inches higher. We can do that,” said Kim.

The Kims use their residential and commercial experience when approaching new jobs, they say. Previously the upholstering duo recovered the dining chairs at the downtown Embassy Suites Hotel. They have also recovered 3,000 chairs when the Keller Auditorium – originally known as the Civic Auditorium – was remodeled in Portland.

But, what about right now?

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