Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika DeMaria
Hi Erika, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
After graduating from college with a bachelors degree in marketing and a minor in art, I worked in the field for about 8 years. I felt unfulfilled in my role at the time and decided to teach myself how to do simple upholstery projects such as small side chairs and dining room seats. I enjoyed taking furrniture that was otherwise trash and revitalizing them. I then took an upholstery class at Fabric Farms and fell in love with the trade.
I reached out to the owners of Fabric Farms (an upholstery shop that also sold fabric by the yard) and asked if they wanted an apprentice. Bernie, the owner offered to teach me how to sew cushions. Since I was still working full time at my office job, I would go in early Saturday mornings and he would teach me how to measure, cut and sew. From there I bought my own industrial sewing machine and began to take several of the cushion orders that would come into Fabric Farms.
Soon after, I made the difficult decision to leave my safe corporate position as a Marketing Manager and began working at Fortner Upholstery. There I was able to learn the ins and outs of commercial upholstery as well as residential upholstery. After about six months, I decided it was time to create my own business, taking upholstery jobs as well as selling dorm room headboards on Etsy and to a wholesale vendor.
I am still self-employed, creating my own hours and working on upholstery jobs that come in as well as creating new products like headboards, ottomans, nursery and other home goods. I hope to continue broadening my service offerings as well as selling more custom upholstered products in the future!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t say it has been a smooth road, but it also hasn’t been too rocky either. Any of the hurdles I have had to cross have been easier with the support of my family and especially my husband. When deciding to leave the corporate world for good and move to the trade business, it wasn’t an immediate decision I made one day. I went back and forth, weighing my options and determining whether it was something I could truly make a career out of and support my future family. I always try to sort out the pros and cons when making a life changing decision and this was no different.
I had always been taught that to be successful you had to get good grades, to get into the college you wanted, then you needed to get good grades to get the internship and ultimately the job you wanted after graduating. I followed that path until I realized that maybe this straight path in business, wasn’t meant for me. When I moved back home to Ohio, I wasn’t in a creative business environment and I had a lot of extra energy that wasn’t being put to good use.
One moment I remember very vividly was when I told my boss at my office job that I was leaving to pursue a blue collar career at an upholstery company. He gave me a quizzical look and said, “So you really think you can support yourself by doing that?”. Yes, I was taking a significant pay cut, but my goals were a lot broader, long-term and I was confident I would be successful. I knew I made the right choice then and there because it gave me the extra chip on my shoulder to prove everyone that thought I was crazy, wrong.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Since being in the trade, I have learned that every project is a little different and that means I am constantly learning. I love that about upholstery and I enjoy being sustainable by giving old furniture new life. I also realized that by choosing this as my career, I am part of a sadly dying trade. I would love to pass on the knowledge that I have to future generations because there will always be a need for it.
While I like to do a variety of upholstery work, I would say that I specialize in tufted headboards and taking traditional furniture and making them unique by upholstering them with a wild fabric. I love the Victorian era and the ornate woodwork of that time. Pairing my boldly colored, organic patterns with the curves of the piece provides a unique look.
I have made over 400 headboards during my career and hope to make more. I like making headboards in general because they are a way to showcase beautiful fabrics and almost every bedroom needs one. I love bold and colorful patterns and a lot of the ones I am drawn to are made by specialty vendors out of the UK. I am also dabbling in surface pattern design by using Procreate to make abstract, organic designs. I use these fabrics to upholster ottomans, window valances, mirrors, pillows, cushions and more. I have more plans to build and upholster chairs and daybeds in the future as well. Making something from scratch is probably the most exciting part for me. You can make a big impact with upholstery!
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
It might sound weird, but I think my anxiety and work ethic might be the most important characteristics to my success. Most people find being anxious a negative quality, but I try to embrace it and use it to fuel my goals and constant desire to create. In addition, I am constantly thinking about the “next” new thing to make and taking a moment to relax does not come easy to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.swatchuph.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swatchupholstery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWATCHuph
