Nicole Crowder Design Studio

Meet Nicole Crowder Upholstery

 Nicole Crowder Upholstery is a Washington D.C-based modern furniture design and upholstery studio that creates custom and statement furniture

For the past 2 years it has been my joy to use an affinity for color and mixing prints to design furniture for clients ranging from hotels and restaurants, to embassies, to design studios, schools, homes and apartments.

As a black woman upholsterer I've had the unique opportunity to bring new energy and fresh designs to a traditionally older and male-dominated craft thanks to partnering with a diverse range of clientele across the DMV and neighboring cities who invite my vision to play and collaborate in their space.

With that growth, however, has come a need for a larger, more dedicated studio through which to continue producing current and new furniture products, and hosting my monthly upholstery workshops, in which to date I have taught more than 520 people introductory upholstery techniques since the workshops began nearly six years ago.

The Space Constraint

Nicole Crowder Upholstery started in a 300 square-foot dining room that I converted into a makeshift studio out of my apartment, and operated from for the first year and a half.

In late December 2018 I received an opportunity to move into a larger 650 sq ft commercial studio space located on vibrant George Avenue in Northwest DC.  However, with that growth also came a squeeze in terms of square feet. 

Just four months into that new space, my projects and opportunities had already expanded at a pace faster than I anticipated, thanks to the support and continued growth of the community around me. Because of the lack of sufficient space to accommodate the quantity and diverse sizes of client projects in the studio, I have been in the position of having to turn down work. The lack of space has also been cumbersome in trying to accommodate more dedicated team members who can work alongside me. There is a whole vision for new products and designs I have already began sketching. But the lack of space is stifling them from growing into fruitful, tangible products. 

But with these growing pains comes an opportunity for dreaming bigger. And so I find myself casting out my net once more to find a larger, more dedicated and long-term space that can accommodate the infrastructure of my business as well as its growth.

For the past few months I have been actively seeking a 1000-1300sq ft ground level space large enough to accommodate the following:

- upholstery equipment and supplies

- storage for fabric and chairs

- tables for upholstering, cutting and sewing

- a production area to develop and construct new products

- an office are to handle administrative tasks

- space to continue hosting workshops for more members in the community

- showroom to showcase new works and host events.

Your Generous Contribution

As a fully self-funded small business, operating from a large commercial space around the District can be an audacious ask with a significant price tag . But I like to lean into the reminder that the universe loves specificity, and so I am reaching out to my wonderful community of friends and supporters (you!) to ask for your help.

With your generous monetary support, I will be able to solidify and sustain a multi-year lease where I can continue to expand my business,  and have the infrastructure to continue designing and creating new products. This new space will also provide me the ability to continue teaching upholstery workshops for the community. The asking $30,000 will help to cover the move-in deposit and rent/utility expenses for the first year. Funding will not be used towards any expenses related to client projects or personal expenses.

Gifts of Gratitude

In return for your generous contribution I am excited to offer several gifts of gratitude, which include custom designed throw pillows, registration that you can use towards a future upholstery workshop, a custom upholstered chair designed by yours truly, and my upcoming Upholstery Guidebook! That's right. For the past year I've been writing and culling information for a comprehensive guide to upholstery around the DMV, and I truly cannot wait to share these custom gifts with you.

Thank you so much in advance for your donations and support.  And if are not able to support monetarily, I am grateful for your shares, retweets, reposts, likes and any help in spreading the word. Thank you again for supporting this business over the past two years, and I look forward to being able to share this future era and future space with you!