About Helen Smith
Giving new life to old furniture for over 15 years.
Photo by Peter Stevens Photography
A granddaughter of antique dealers, Helen Smith has been dabbling in upholstery since she was a teenager. Word-of-mouth recommendations along with her clearly-evident attention to detail led to more and more business. Tired of having tacks and staples scattered around her living room, Helen started working out of a Hamilton Avenue space next to Fabricate before moving Helltown Workshop to it’s current location four years ago.
You’ve probably sat on her handiwork at one of the numerous Northside restaurants or bars like Melt and Northside Tavern for which she’s done upholstery. Or you may have seen some of her work featured on DIY Network’s Sledgehammer, a demolition home makeover show which is filmed locally. Helen’s ever-growing client base and great reputation has even led to an exciting brush with fame. Last year, Helltown Workshop was recruited to upholster historically-accurate furniture for a new Miles Davis biopic called Miles Ahead.
Helen’s not afraid to take on a challenging piece of furniture, and seems to truly relish the process of transformation that happens through upholstery. When pieces come in, they might be damaged, with old foam cushions that have turned to dust, or springs that poke out at odd angles. Upholstery keeps these pieces out of the waste stream, and helps their superior craftsmanship to live on.
If there’s a piece gathering dust in your attic in need of a makeover, Helltown Workshop provides free estimates on labor and fabric yardage.
Text courtesy of Kamal Kimball, The Northsider Monthly
Request a
Free Quote
Free estimates on labor and fabric yardage.