Q. How did you get started doing this?

A. I got started in upholstery almost three years ago. In my first career, I was a photojournalist, traveling the globe shooting everything from popes to presidents. Upholstery sort of found me. My husband gave me an upholstery book for Christmas written by Matthew Haly of the Furniture Joint. In the back of the book it said that he gave classes, so I signed up and drove to New York every Saturday to take the class. I was hooked and knew that I wanted to continue to learn more, so I became a 44-year-old intern at BDDW in Philadelphia, working for free for four months to give me the skills I needed to head out on my own.

BEFORE: Mihalik found this amazing 1930s wingback chair on the sidewalk when picking up her daughter from a friend's house. It was in poor shape, but the classic silhouette inspired a makeover. She dragged it home, thinking she'd have it reupholstered for her own house. Now, after fixing it up herself, she's put it into her own inventory.

AFTER: The back of the chair is upholstered with Designer's Guild fabric; the front is covered with a British herringbone textile. The contrasting fabrics incorporate the masculine and feminine notes Milhalik wanted.

BEFORE: Mihalik bought this chair at an auction. She wanted to keep the frame intact and took her time finding the perfect fabric to complement the wood's color.

Q. What was the first chair you redesigned?

A. The first chairs that I ever redesigned were four Queen Anne dining room chairs that I sanded and painted black. I filled the seats with horsehair and cotton and covered them with vintage coffee bean sacks from South America. A client in Texas wanted to buy them, but I just couldn't sell them, because I didn't think they were good enough. I'm really picky about the quality of work that I do — it has to be perfect, or I won't sell it. I still have those Queen Anne chairs hanging on the wall in my studio to remind me of how far I've come.

AFTER: Now titled Paradise Punch, the chair has a brand-new look thanks to a bright Trina Turk fabric.

Q. What sets you apart from other designers and upholsterers?

A. My techniques are earth friendly and green. I use old-world techniques, like eight-way hand-tied coil springs, and I fill all of my chairs with horsehair instead of foam. Foam is sprayed with flame-retardant chemicals, which are carcinogens and cause cancer; it also doesn't last nearly as long as horsehair and sits in landfills for years before decomposing. Although my techniques are more time consuming and expensive, I feel good about protecting people and the environment.

BEFORE: Mihalik fell in love with this 19th-century Eastlake armchair at an auction. As with Paradise Punch, she knew immediately that she wanted to keep the chair's gorgeous frame exactly as it was.

Q. What are three things you'd suggest to someone who wants to reupholster a chair themselves?

A. There are a few tricks that you can do to make reupholstering a chair easier if you want to try it yourself. First get a book on upholstery or search online videos for a project similar to yours. Another great tip is to photograph the chair as you take it apart so that you can see how it was originally put together, and you can reference your photos while you work on it. Also, save the original fabric that was on the piece — you can use it as a pattern for your new material.

AFTER: Although it is now covered in the same Trina Turk fabric as Paradise Punch, this stunning chair has a black, white and yellow palette to better match the frame's original color. Mihalik also turned the pattern sideways to better suit the chair's shape.

Q. When should someone try to fix up a chair as a DIY project, and when should it go to a professional?

A. People should hire a professional to reupholster their chair if the springs are coming through the bottom of the chair or if the seat is dented in and saggy. You want your chair to offer comfortable support when you sit in it.