Cushions and pillows
Cushions and pillows in Kaneohe
Any size or shape, cut to the frame and sewn by Ryan's wife: Auntie's pune'e, the koa set, a single seat.
Where a cushion gives out
Cushions go first because they take the weight. The foam compresses, the cover wears at the seams and corners, and the closure starts to fail, long before the frame under it does.
A flat seat on a sound frame is one of the simplest things to put right, and it fits the shop's rule of restoration, reuse and reduce.
A pair of bamboo and cane barrel chairs re-covered in aqua coral-print fabric with piped seat and back cushions
Cut to the frame, not a catalog size
Cushions come in any size or shape: the long, deep ones for Auntie's pune'e, the seat and back set for a koa chair, a single seat cushion for one tired chair, and covers and pillows to go with them.
Each one is cut to the piece it sits on. The measurements come from the frame, which is why a photo with dimensions is enough to start. The closure is zip or sewn, and the piping is matched to the cover, as on the pair of cane barrel chairs in aqua coral print.
Ryan's wife is the seamstress at the shop on Kahuhipa Street, and Rocky Rawlins singled out her work on cushions and pillows. Ryan handles the fabric questions.
Foam, cover and what to ask
Firmness is chosen for how the seat is used. A dining chair sat in every day wants something different from a lanai lounger used on weekends, so say which one yours is.
Wrapped foam keeps a cover full instead of puckered, and a cover sewn to the cushion's own size does not slump. Send a photo with dimensions to johnsupholstery@hawaii.rr.com, or bring the old cushion in. Once the fabric is chosen and here, the average turnaround is one to two weeks.
Google review by Rocky Rawlins: "His seamstress is also his wife, she does amazing work with cushions and pillows." Call (808) 236-2218.
Samples and the foam behind them
A cushion cover starts as a sample on the wall. Browse the designer fabrics, ask about foam cut to size for the inside, or re-cover the whole chair while the cushions are out. To start, send a photo with the seat measurements.
Koa chairCream palm leaf
Koa-arm loungerSeat and back, palm frond
The sample wallTropical prints on bamboo