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Where to find vinyl upholstery fabric, with the vintage naugahyde look

pam kueber - June 2, 2009, Updated: November 10, 2020

vintage-retro-vinylI RECENTLY STUMBLED upon this company, C.F. Stinson, which seems to carry upholstery weight vinyl in about 2000 styles and colors. I am not kidding. For example, this very classic, retro-style “Avant” line, which reminds me of vintage naugahyde, comes in 110 colors alone. Surely one is just right to reupholster your vintage Daystrom or Arvin dinette? In addition, there are many other more ‘decorative’ styles.

Interestingly, I also seem to get questions from folks renovating their canned hams (trailers) about where to find vinyl or naugahyde. The catch, however, is that this C.F. Stinson supply is all “contract” – that is, sold only to designers, “the trade.” And I fear you may need to order 30 yards or something. To check this out, I suggest you work directly with an upholstery shop. The website is pretty terrific – lots of fun to browse around. There’s also an outlet store with smaller yardages available (contract only).

vinyl-in-110-colorsIf you’re looking for vinyl and want to try other routes… Well, I have not done any more research on this question, but I think that you can have some luck at very large upholstery stores. Every region seems to have at least one. There’s a really big one an hour from me in Springfield, Mass. Osgoods. Blinding inventory. Be sure to eat protein beforehand or you will pass out from the exhaustion of it all. We also used to have a big Waverly outlet about 45 minutes north. They had GREAT stuff. It went out of business but I think that the chain still exists. If you’re looking for a specific fabric – vinyl, or vinyl in a specific color, best to call first before driving an hour. I’ve generally found the folks who work at these stores very nice and helpful – but alas, quite overworked. So, sometimes, you just gotta get in the car and drive and see what the retro decorating gods want to send you.

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34 comments

Comments

  1. Dan says

    Does anyone know if they still make the Naugahyde “contemporary” boomerang pattern upholstery vinyl?

    • Pam Kueber says

      I do not know of any source for this and am pretty sure that if it were available, it would be at places like Heffrons and Bars and Booths — which it is not.

      You can still get cracked ice laminate, though!

  2. Jefferson says

    I found a great vintage color chart for Chromecraft dinette furniture. (link below)
    I took the vinyl off of my vintage Cosco pull-out ladder/seat combo in prep to replace it, and saw it had “Hasland Duran” printed on the back of the vinyl, which led me to that link. I’m wondering if the ‘Cracked Ice’ others here mentioned might be the Hasland Duran Mother-of-Pearl #509 Grey? (4th photo is the vinyl fabric) It does sorta look like cracked ice. lol.

    https://blog.retroplanet.com/1950s-chromcraft-dinette-furniture-color-chart/

  3. Marie Luchaco says

    Hi
    I have a old carriage seat covered in vinyl
    I’m trying to match the original red and black modeled to reupholster the seat

  4. Virginia G. Shea says

    I have a 1959s Cosco highchair that needs reupholstered. Any idea where to get the material?

  5. Mary says

    Thanks for the tip! I recently got a retro Formica table and chairs for $10! I am planning to reupholster the chairs but I’m having trouble getting the backs off. They are the ones where the metal frame actually goes into the seat back, not just screwed on the back. Any suggestions?

  6. marvin says

    I am in need of green cracked ice vinyl. Any lead as to a source would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help.

  7. Stacey says

    I am trying to find 1950’s quilted peppermint kids vinyl! Do you know where to buy this or how much it is because I want to redo a toy box I have.

  8. Rick says

    I recently picked up a pair of fifties wire/metal rod ice cream or patio chairs with vinyl seats that I’d like to recover. Found this site,
    http://www.pastense.com/surfaces.html
    but it’s more than I’d need & was hoping to find a boomerang or Sputnik type pattern.