About Time Upholstery in Baltimore: Custom Reupholstery for Vintage and Mid-Century Furniture
About Time Upholstery is a single-craftsperson reupholstery shop in Baltimore that specializes in restoring vintage and mid-century furniture with period-appropriate techniques and fabric sourcing. Owner and upholsterer Mark Orban has built the business around jobs that require structural repair and historical accuracy, not speed or volume, making it a deliberate fit for collectors and homeowners unwilling to sacrifice detail for convenience.
What About Time Upholstery actually is
About Time operates from a small workshop where Orban handles each piece personally from intake through delivery. The scope is narrowly defined: reupholstery of chairs, sofas, ottomans, and benches where the frame is sound or can be repaired. Jobs involving frame rebuilding, spring replacement, or specialized materials like horsehair or hand-tied springs fall within the expected workflow. The shop does not do slipcovers, curtains, cushion repair alone, or rapid turnarounds. Most pieces take 8 to 12 weeks, with priority status available for an additional fee.
Services and pricing
Standard reupholstery pricing runs between $800 and $3,500 per piece depending on frame condition, complexity, and fabric choice. A basic wingback chair with a sound frame starts around $1,200 in house fabric. A mid-century sofa with wood frame repairs and pattern matching can reach $2,800 to $3,500. Fabric costs are separate; Orban sources from fabric houses in New York and Philadelphia and can accommodate client-supplied material, though he charges $150 to $200 extra if the fabric requires special handling or creates waste. Consultation is free, and estimates are provided after an initial inspection that typically takes two days to one week depending on the shop's schedule. A 50 percent deposit holds the job; the balance is due upon completion. Rush work (6 to 8 weeks) adds 20 percent to the quoted price.
How it compares to other Baltimore reupholstery options
Baltimore has two dominant reupholstery models: chain operations like Furniture Medic and independent upholsterers. Furniture Medic offers faster turnarounds (4 to 6 weeks) and lower entry pricing ($600 to $1,800 for simpler pieces), but uses a standardized process and contemporary fabrics, making it better suited to functional updates than period restoration. Local competitors like Charm City Upholstery operate at a middle ground, handling both speed jobs and detailed work, with pricing and timelines more flexible but less specialized in frame repair or historically accurate reconstruction. About Time is the choice when the piece has sentimental or collector value, the frame needs significant work, or the client wants to source specific vintage or European fabric. Choose Furniture Medic or Charm City Upholstery if you need a sofa reupholstered in eight weeks and are not concerned with preserving original construction details. Choose About Time if the piece is pre-1970, the frame has issues, or you want input on period-appropriate color and texture.
Who it suits and who it does not suit
About Time suits collectors of mid-century modern furniture, owners of inherited pieces with family significance, and design-forward clients who view reupholstery as a restoration project rather than a practical refresh. It also fits clients who have sourced or plan to source specific vintage fabric and need an upholsterer who will work with unusual materials. The shop does not suit anyone with a tight deadline, a tight budget under $1,000, or a piece with a compromised frame that Orban assesses as structurally unsalvageable. Orban declines jobs he considers beyond repair to avoid wasted time and customer disappointment.
What the first visit involves
Schedule a consultation by phone or email; the shop does not accept walk-ins. Bring photos of the piece or arrange a home visit if it is too large to transport. During the consultation, Orban examines the frame, tests springs if present, checks for woodworm or structural cracks, and discusses fabric options. He will point out any repairs needed before reupholstery and explain whether they affect cost or timeline. If you proceed, you leave the piece or arrange pickup. About Time does not hold work in the shop; pieces must be collected within 10 days of completion or storage fees apply at $20 per week.
Hours, parking, and logistics
About Time operates by appointment Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shop is located in Canton and has street parking; no lot is available. Large pieces can be picked up from the customer's home for $75 to $150 depending on distance within Baltimore City. Delivery is $150 to $200 within the city limits. Confirm current hours and pricing directly, as Orban occasionally takes extended jobs that shift availability.
About Time fills a precise role in Baltimore's furniture ecosystem: it is the place to bring a piece when the goal is restoration, not replacement, and when the upholsterer's judgment matters as much as the finished product.
