Details matter. They create depth, and depth creates authenticity.”
— Neil Blumenthal
Every stitch tells a story.
Rhonda has spent years helping people uncover theirs through the art of upholstery. What began as a love of fabric, family craftsmanship, and hands-on making has grown into The Whimsical Chair — a place where tradition, creativity, and connection come together.
With a background in fashion merchandising and a lifelong eye for detail, Rhonda restores well-loved pieces and teaches others how to do the same. Her joy lives in the process: laughter over fabric swatches, hands learning something new, and the quiet satisfaction of making something meaningful.
“I love Bringing Upholstery to Life. One Chair, One Story, One Student at a Time.”
The Journey Into Upholstery
Rhonda’s path into upholstery began in 2009, with a single class through an extension office in Wichita, Kansas. Her first project, a wingback chair, sealed the deal. What started as a restoration project for her own home quickly grew into a deeper curiosity about traditional techniques, materials, and the stories held within well-made furniture.
After moving to Colorado, she continued learning through hands-on practice, online education, and studying historic methods — including time spent exploring upholstery traditions in the UK. Along the way, friends began asking her to reupholster chairs and settees, and soon others wanted to learn alongside her. Teaching followed naturally.
Today, The Whimsical Chair is shaped by years of making, learning, travelling, and sharing, through studio workshops, invited classes, and ongoing exploration across the textile world.
A Foundation in Fabric & Family
Rhonda’s love for textiles started early. As a young girl, she learned to sew alongside her mother and grandmother, absorbing not just skills but a deep appreciation for making things by hand.
That early inspiration led her to earn a degree in Fashion Merchandising and spend years working in retail sales and visual display. Upholstery became her second career — and the perfect place where fabric, form, and function meet.
Today, she’s continually inspired by the people who trust her with their treasured pieces and by students discovering the joy of working with textiles for the first time.
The Whimsical Chair Today
At its heart, The Whimsical Chair is about giving new life to meaningful objects — whether that’s restoring an heirloom, teaching a beginner to thread a needle, or gathering makers around a shared table.
Antique and vintage furniture is built to last, and each piece tells a story worth preserving. Rhonda loves designing chairs that become conversation pieces — one-of-a-kind reflections of the homes and people they belong to.
Just as important is the growing community: workshops, travel-based classes, and connections with fellow crafters working across upholstery, sewing, lampshades, and textile arts.
The greatest compliment she receives? Students and clients who return and bring others.
