Founder of Eclectic Boogaloo, Jen fell in love with the upholstery craft after being introduced to it by the amazingly-skilled Adrian Padgham; Master Upholsterer. So much did Jen’s passion & natural ability show, Adrian offered her a job in assisting his upholstery classes back in 2015. With Adrian hanging up his tools in 2019, Jen vowed to keep the craft alive with her own version of upholstery education.
Now with over 500 students & 80 courses, Jen, her knowledgeable teaching staff & collaborators have expanded her course range from traditional upholstery, to modern upholstery, masterclasses, various upholstery sewing courses & fabric tours.
We'd love to pass on our skills to you to help our mission to save the world one chair at a time.
Garage Project - Starting February 2nd
Chair Amnesty upholstery - Starting February 20th
Sew-What Project - March 20th
Incredibly welcoming & absolutely full of knowledge & enthusiasm
Jen & Jan were incredibly welcoming & absolutely full of knowledge & enthusiasm. I did the footstool modern upholstery class & thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Thanks so much! I look forward to being a return customer
Nicki Powell
Upholstery Student
Well worth it. 100% recommendation!
Did the footstool upholstery day long course. Excellent combination of complexity, challenge and achievement. At a time when there are various stressors in my life this workshop enabled me to be mindful in the creation of a rather beautiful piece of furniture. The tuition was comprehensive, the materials and tools great. Well worth it. 100% recommendation
Helen Macqueen
Fantastic place with lovely friendly skilled staff!
I have done two workshops with Jen now and I will certainly do another. Jen is a very patient and generous teacher who guides you through the steps of making your special chair or footstool special. I love her inspirational workshop/warehouse where there are comfy lounge chairs to sit on and connect with other upholstery fanatics. Fantastic place with lovely friendly skilled staff! I thoroughly recommend this creative business!
Gwen Scott
The course was rejuvenating and inspiring!
Thank you Jen and Jan- for an amazing three days. I was seeking a course where I could learn some practical skills and the three day Chair Amnesty course taught me a lot! You were both incredibly patient, knowledgeable and generous with your time and guidance. We had a wonderful group of people in our course and it was rejuvenating and inspiring! I look forward to practicing my skills further - what an amazing hobby! Big shout out and thank you to an amazing small business!
Sherryn Tobin
Amazing experience!
Amazing experience! I did the Amnesty course after rescuing a chair from the verge. Jen and Jan took our class of 8 through the process step-by-step, tailoring to each of us along the way. They were knowledgeable, patient and encouraging. One tip: if you have a chair like mine with lots of fabric and staples to remove, consider trying to get this part done before the course. It easily saved me a day and I actually finished my chair right on the dot on the last day!
Tracey W
I will be back to do some chair-apy soon.
Thoroughly enjoyed learning upholstery with Jen and Jan. I will be back to do some chair-apy soon.
Eva Burgess
Cannot recommend it enough
I’ve just done my second course, this time the chair amnesty course, to rehabilitate a family heirloom. I’d previously done the one day chair & chat resulting in a gorgeous dining chair for my sister. I know I’ll be back for upholstery club, as I rescue more pieces. Jen and Jan are incredibly helpful, lovely, and fun. Cannot recommend it enough!
Ange Ferguson
Jen is an amazing teacher, highly recommend!
absolutely loved the Upholstery Course, Jen is an amazing teacher, highly recommend!
Katie Graham
Very inclusive and welcoming
This is the best place to be on a Friday Morning. Tools, a chair to strip down and refurbish within a friendly, fun, light filled environment/ awesome arty warehouse - a fabulous she & he shed (very inclusive and welcoming)! Thank you for sharing your skill and knowledge Jen and crew!!!
Claire Regan
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General
Definitely, no experience is needed for most courses — they're designed for beginners and enthusiasts alike. The Garage Project is tailored to a wide range of skill levels, and all courses aim to leave you confident enough to continue practising at home.
That will be a "depends" answer on that one. We have a variety of course; including Chair Amnesty (traditional skills), Garage Project (most flexible projects), Sew-What Sewing (box-cushion sewing), Modern Footstool Course (modern skills) and our popular Fabric Tours.
You can check out our other FAQ page for some more details, or alternately take a look at our blog post on our courses.
All chairs are different and take a varying amount of time to strip, rebuild & upholster - so it is not uncommon that our students don't finish during the course time. We do offer a complementary Upholstery Club day for those who are unable to finish, and in the case that still more time is required, you are able to join us at Upholstery Club (fees apply) until you do!
When you send us a picture of your chair prior to the course, we do try to set expectations when we think the chair will take longer than the allotted time.
You certainly can if you feel inspired! Have a chat with us in class or shoot us an email if you'd like some direction.
For weekend days (Saturday to Sunday), no problems - but unfortunately we are chockers at the warehouse, with limited storage space & an operational upholstery business during the week. As such, you will need to take your project and supplies home with you through the week.
Warehouse
All courses are held at Eclectic Boogaloo, 37 Capella Crescent, Moorabbin VIC 3189. Our warehouse is an operational Upholstery Business with a dedicated class area.
The Fabric tours usually start and end at our warehouse, however you are able to meet us at the first location if pre-arranged.
There is a heap of free parking on Capella Crescent during class times (weekends and evenings).
Chairs
Not all chairs are suitable due to bench size, condition, and techniques required. Our Chair Amnesty course covers traditional techniques, so the chair must be coil-sprung. Our Garage Project has some more flexibiilty in the types of chairs, including mid-century chairs.
It is not possible to work on sofas due to the size of the workbenches.
Please email a photo of your chair to hello@eclecticboogaloo.com.au before booking to confirm suitability.
We can manage a variety of restoration activities within the class such as fixing joints & of course the rebuilding & reupholstery of the chair itself. If you are concerned about more structural damage, then please reach out with some photos - as it may be a better idea to select a different chair.
It may be possible to work on the show-wood in your own time. We recommend reaching out for advice prior to commencing the course.
Fabric
We'll send you through some guidance on choosing fabric as your course approaches. Having fabric selected prior will depend on the course you have signed up.
Garage Project has some more flexibility with timing given lead-times.
For inspiration, you can peruse our fabric explorer which includes links to our favourite fabric warehouses & some fabrics available directly via our website. We are able to order on your behalf (as most fabric houses don't sell direct to public).
You are also very welcome to BYO fabric.
The meterage of the fabric required will depend on the style & dimensions of your chair and the pattern of the chosen fabric. We can advise the meterage required prior to the course, or in the case of the Garage Project, you'll learn how to work this out yourself in the first lesson!
For the Garage Project, you can wait until the class starts.
For any other courses, we recommend that you ideally commence your fabric exploration journey a month before your course. This gives you a chance to order samples prior to placing an order.
Although some fabric gets shipped from overseas, a lot is also available locally - so it is best to order your fabric a couple of weeks prior to the course.
Don't fret, we have a reasonable collection of fabrics in the warehouse that we offer for sale on the day for a nominal cost.
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37 Capella Cres, Moorabbin
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