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Theodore Alexander is committed to being a premier resource for the interior design trade. To accomplish this,
The Alexa Hampton collection is available to custom order in 8 exclusive finishes designed by Alexa Hampton,
as well as the 45 Theodore Alexander Custom Palette finishes.
All Theodore Alexander upholstery fabrics and C.O.M. can be used on dining chairs, sofas, and accent chairs.
Available nail head options are below
AVAILABLE NAIL OPTIONS
SM-OB Old Brass
7/16"
S20H Old Brass
7/16"
S506A Old Brass
9/16"
7/16"
SM-FN French Natural
7/16"
SM-PT Pewter
7/16"
SM-PN Polished Nickel
7/16"
SM-PB Polished Brass
7/16"
SM-AS Antique Steel
LG-PT Pewter
7/8"
S550S Old Brass
1/2"
S1501 Old Gold
7/8"
SSF25 Old Gold
3/4"
LG-OB Old Brass
7/8"
MD-VB Vintage Brass
5/8"
MD-FN French Natural
5/8"
MD-OB Old Brass
5/8"
MD-PT Pewter
5/8"
LG-FN French Natural
7/8"
7/16"
SM-OG Old Gold
7/8"
LG-VB Vintage Brass
7/16"
SM-VB Vintage Brass
FRAMES
The typical Theodore Alexander frame is made with 11/16” thick rails and 11/4” thick back leg posts. However, rails are as thick as
21/8” when necessary. (Back legs feature one piece post construction. Both back post and front legs become integral parts of
the frame by being double doweled into the side and front rails and secured with glued and screwed corner blocks. This does not
apply to all legs in this collection due to the various options). All joints, braces and corners are double doweled and secured with
glue and screws.
SPRING UP
A quality eight-way hand tied seat construction is essential to the comfort of any upholstered furniture. Just as a quality box spring
is vital to the comfort of a mattress, the comfort that you experience from a sofa cushion is dependent on a quality eight-way hand
tied construction. While many companies claim to offer eight-way hand tied construction, extremely few produce a quality product.
Theodore Alexander produces a true high quality eight-way hand tied job which includes:
Only 7 ply nylon twine is used.
Coiled seat springs supported by propex webbing with steel bands under each row of springs.
Seat springs four rows deep from front to back where space allows. Across the width of the seat, there should be a row of coiled
springs approximately every 6 inches.
Coil springs are available in various gauges of firmness. In order to provide comfort and proper support Theodore Alexander
formulated each seat with up to five different gauges of springs in seats. In general firmer springs are used in the front and side rows
for support, while softer springs are used in the middle for comfort.
Edge wire extends around the entire perimeter of the springs. (Does not apply to this collection)
Springs are insulated with cotton to minimize noise.
Sinuous wire springs are used in the back as the support foundation for Marshall unit springs or the placement of a back pillow.
CUTTING AND SEWING
Every piece produced by Theodore Alexander is cut individually to ensure pattern match. Great care and thought is given to the
placement of the fabric pattern on your chair or sofa. Fabric is marked by pattern and cut in such a way as to leave a sew line on
the face of the fabric. This more time consuming process ensures that the sewing can be exact.
All welts are cut on the bias to provide the greatest strength and flexibility.
All seams are sewn to ensure that the fabric pattern matches. Seams on stress points are top stitched for added strength.
#5 YKK steel zippers are used in all cushions and back pillows. While this zipper is more expensive, it has proven to be trouble-free
during many years of service.
UPHOLSTERY
The art of upholstering involves more than simply stapling a fabric to a frame and is more than a list of specifications. It requires
finesse - finesse that understands subtleties such as how to hand sew welts together, when an extra layer of cotton is necessary,
and where to place a pleat. Below is a partial list of the highest quality upholstery standards which Theodore Alexander always
employs.
Over the last 20 years upholstering techniques have evolved away from the use of fibre and toward the use of more foam in order
to reduce the amount of labour. While Theodore Alexander uses high quality foam in arms and backs, we remain biased towards
the use of generous amounts of fibre batting throughout every piece we produce. These heavier layers of fibre provide a more
luxurious feel and look while allowing the upholsterer to shape the arms, deck, and back as demanded by the design. Furthermore,
fabric is never applied directly over wood, foam, other fabrics or webbings; there is always a layer of fibre immediately under your
fabric. This has the added benefit of reducing the wear on your fabric as fibre batting is not abrasive. (Cotton is no longer used as
it smolders and burns, we use fire retardant fibre batting).
Upholstered backs or tufted designs feature Marshall units (connected small soft coiled springs which are covered in muslin)
placed over no sag springs, a layer of foam and two or three layers of fibre. This labour intensive process ensures that even our
upholstered and tufted back styles offer support and comfort.
Wherever arms are pleated, a reverse pleat is used so any excess fabric can be removed.
Skirts hang straight and match on all sides. Pellon (stiffener) is sewn into each skirt panel and skirts are lined with sateen. There are
no staples or strips visible under the skirt.
THE ART OF QUALITY, STYLE AND COMFORT
