The Artful Chair - Jenny Gifford Ellis Brings a Creative Twist to Chairs

Written by Rosa Linda Fallon 

“I love making things look more beautiful,” says Jenny Gifford Ellis, owner and creator of The Artful Chair in Asheville, NC. With a diverse 30-year background in fabric art, interior decorating, and upholstery art, Jenny is now a maker of upcycled chairs with a unique artistic flair. She collects furniture orphans, broken furniture frames that would otherwise be discarded and designs each chair as if she were making a beautiful dress. Fun, whimsical, and otherwise unexpected designs, her creations bring a long-lasting presence to any space they occupy. Jenny says her talent for constructing creative objects began to reveal itself at a young age. She knew she was really good at constructing things, as she always loved working with her hands; however, back then women usually didn’t go into fields of construction, so constructing clothing became her only option. Her parents, recognizing her talents, bought her a sewing machine so she could practice creating pillows. “I remember my very first project was a pillow with a monkey on it. It had a monkey with lace and trim” Jenny says, laughing. 

During her childhood, Jenny’s interest in creating clothing only grew. She says she remembers “riding her bike to the [local fabric store] just to go inside and feel the fabrics.” Jenny also recalls when she lived in South Florida, she would visit Lilly Pulitzer’s store: “I would go to her little store, which was near my house at the time…I would go [in there] because the fabrics were so bright, so colorful, and I was so drawn to that,” she says, reminiscing. 

As the time for college grew near, Jenny decided she wanted to become a dress designer. She graduated with her degree in Home Economics with a concentration in Dressmaking from Texas Christian University in 1980. Soon after, she realized that in order to be successful in the field, she would have to live and work in either New York or Los Angeles, so she naturally moved in a different direction. After buying her first house, she decided that she wanted window treatments for her home. As she began to explore window treatments for her own home, her interest in the trade grew, and she discovered that she could make a career out of it. Jenny then took the required classes and became a certified Window Treatment professional. She worked for Macy’s Furniture Homestore while also running a window treatment business on the side. 

After moving to Asheville, Jenny’s husband asked her: “what have you always wanted to do, but never had the opportunity to do so?” Her response was that she always wanted to upholster furniture in a more creative way than what she was used to seeing at furniture markets, like dress-making. Jenny enrolled in upholstery classes at A-B Tech; the rest is history. 

She has since been enjoying recreating upholstery for the past 10 years, capturing peoples’ imaginations with her “chair art.” Jenny says about her creative chairs, “there is such a variety, such [a unique thing]. I can do any themed chair; the possibilities are endless.” 

Earlier this year, Jenny sold seven of her beautiful chairs to the Biltmore Estate. The chairs can be found for sale in any of the several gift shops in and around the estate and the Conservatory. A few of the chairs to note in particular are the Jenna Rose Chair, the Blue Ridge Chair, and the Giant Tulip Chair. 

While she says she loves serving people by creating chairs that they love, Jenny admits that staying true to herself and her own designs is what brings her the most satisfaction. “I think what’s most important to me is staying true to what I love,” she expresses, wholeheartedly. “I love creating; I love coming up with new ideas and trying new things, even though they may not necessarily be what others might like.” 

This year, Jenny says she will be focusing more on creating her own designs to showcase in her studio, something she is really looking forward to. She is also excited to be offering creative upholstery classes sometime in the future. In the meantime, you can find Jenny and her lovely chairs at Marquee in the River Arts District in Asheville, NC. 

Jenny Gifford Ellis

The Artful Chair by Sittin’ Pretty 

36 Foundy St 

Asheville, NC 28801

(828)-335-4055