More involved than constructing a slipcover, upholstering furniture means giving an item a new identity that it will wear like skin. Understanding the layers of fabric, trimming, padding, and webbing that give a chair or a sofa its curves and contours can seem like learning a new language. How do you handle the practicalities of repairing the old innards, calculating new yardage, cutting pieces to fit properly, and achieving smooth coverage, let alone the aesthetic considerations of determining the appropriate fabric and trim choices? Simply Upholstery takes the guesswork out of all these problems and more, in straightforward, thorough, step-by-step instructions, supplemented by excellent color diagrams. Since individual furniture pieces vary so widely in design and dimension, the general directions are geared toward solid basic technique that can be applied to many styles of sofas and chairs. To show the entire process in action, the final section offers detailed color photos tracking all 50 steps of reupholstering a traditional wing chair. Like other volumes in Sunset's winning how-to series format (see also Simply Window Treatments and Simply Slipcovers), this pragmatic, careful approach brings a somewhat complicated subject down to a level that even newcomers can understand. --Amy Handy
