Bargain Finds
Fabric & Upholstery
Best Slipcover
Hidden in an industrial area of Van Nuys is one of our very best finds…Best Slip Cover. Immediately, you’ll see the style, quality and workmanship at this factory direct source where you can slipcover your cherished heirloom or have it tailored or loosely slip covered at 30%-50% less than department stores and better chic designer showrooms.
Designers’ Bloopers
Love high-end furniture but not the prices. Then head to Designers Bloopers where you find higher-end home furnishings at 30%-65% below original retail. Since 1990, Designer Bloopers has been a regular stop for savvy, shoppers in search of something unique, top quality and of course… way below retail. From sofa’s and oriental hutches to traditional dinning sets, chairs or sectionals, you’ll find it here in the nicely arranged showrooms.
Big Y Yardage
Savings of 15%-50% on name and designer upholstery fabric. Large selection of Tapestries, chenille’s, chintz, cottons, damasks, wools. Designer consultation available. Full service.
Deals in the Downtown Textile District
With our new home comes new décor, new window treatments and new upholstery.
After getting most my curtains through Villa Firenze Warehouse, I went to the wholesale textile district in downtown Los Angeles to search for more fabric for other drapery, pillows and some furniture I was having reupholstered. The deals were plentiful….
Foam Mart
An old time favorite for upholstery stuffing, crafts and construction projects is Foam Mart in Burbank. Around since 1963, daughter Andrea has taken over this family run business and is making this place a one stop destination for extremely hard to find products in a large selection of foams as well as fabrics, feather inserts to latex mattresses, insulation, craft and memory foam.
Home Fabrics Inc
After our big move, we discovered we needed different furniture for our living room.
With budgets getting seriously tight, I dug up an old saved love seat and old chair that had originally belonged to my mom and sent them in for re-upholstery at Valley Upholstering. Not having fabric yet, I headed one more time to downtown LA textile district.
Hughes Estate Sales
If you like to treasure hunt for furniture, great buys on upscale stylish home furnishings will surprise you at the Hughes Estate Sale in Altadena. Savings here are 50% -75% off market or retail prices. If you get on their mailing list they’ll notify of estates sales they do from San Diego to Ventura. But, it’s at their monthly warehouse sales that they sell furniture that’s been pulled from storage units or estates that didn’t have time to arrange a formal sale. And the prices are so low ….their stupid!
King Richards Antique Mall
One of our favorite Holiday traditional pastimes is visiting local antique stores & malls. Most antique malls, stores and dealers have been hard hit by the recession and have lowered prices or a more willing to bargain.
The market has dropped and if you love antiques and can afford to buy, this is a good time.
Our Home Renovation Sources
Our new home renovations are finally finished. We spent a lot, but saved a lot on quality workmanship and goods. Here’s who we used and where we bought stuff:
Al Menendez - Contractor.
We used him for everything from our new wood patio cover ($1200) to re-roofing ($6900- half was Spanish tile), garden cement pathways $3500, electrical, garage conversion w/ new foundation and new office finishing.
SAS Fabrics
In this recession, many of us are looking to save on everything…. Looking for rock bottom deals, choosing to become crafters by “doing it ourselves”. Instead of buying pre-made, we’re now sewing curtains, garments and home décor items. If you’re anywhere near the South Bay area, SAS Fabrics is just about the cheapest place on the planet to buy fabric and notions. Savings here are 60%-95% off original retail.
Sterns Drapery and Fabrics
During our home renovation this last Winter, I headed back and forth to fabrics stores in downtown L.A. about 10 times to shop for upholstery and window treatment fabrics. Though the selection and prices were great, driving into downtown and paying for parking each time, got a bit old.
I felt kinda stupid when I completely forgot about long time, tried and true fabric outlet, Sterns Drapery and Fabric in Sherman Oaks. So I went to visit.
Valley Upholstering
Finding an Upholsterer who is well priced, consistency does quality work with exceptional levels of workmanship and design, isn’t easy. But not anymore…
Since 1978 Valley Upholstering has been the source used by chic interior design firms, large retail stores to do “their” upholstery work and custom designed upholstered pieces. Why pay those inflated prices when you can go directly to the source and save 40%-70% on the exact same service.


