Gold Ridge Design: CLC Vintage Vendor

Local performers, artisans, DIY engineers, chefs and crafty innovators come together for the 10th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival at the Gallivan Center. This-three day weekend, Aug. 10–12, will encapsulate the craftsmanship that our city cultivates while celebrating Utah’s movers and shakers. Spread across the breadth of these pages are peeks into some of what this year’s DIY Festival will feature. Bring your family, friends, lovers to enjoy what this year’s festival has to offer! Visit craftlakecity.com to learn more about this community enriching event!

Through innovation and hard work, Will Simmons (goldridgedesign.com) of Gold Ridge Design can upholster any item—from modernized couches to transformed, ’60s-diner RV interiors. Simmons’ interest in enhancing products through upholstery began in his teen years when he decided to create the ideal paintball wear. With his grandmother’s sewing training, he completed the paintball armor and also honed the skills he uses in each upholstering job today.

Simmons is inspired by working “out of the norm.” “It’s exciting when someone brings in something unusual to work on,” he says. “I have a personal soft spot for mid-century modern furniture, and I love building custom motorcycle seats.” Simmons’ knowledge shows when it comes to addressing unexpected upholstery callings, such as “vintage furniture, boats, motorcycles and airplanes.” Full airplane interiors are the most challenging, says Simmons, “since there are so many components … It’s cool to see how modern and fresh the airplane looks after a full upholstery job.”

Simmons holds his company to a standard that is leading him to success. “At Gold Ridge Design, we try to be as easy to work with as possible,” says Simmons. “I bid my projects as transparently as I can so that customers don’t feel like they are being taken advantage of.”

Atop the admirable artisanship and patience required for upholstery work, Simmons finds the romance in this classic artform, referencing one of his latest projects. “It’s a vintage settee,” he says. “This chair has so much character. It is so old that it has vintage, square nails and was stuffed with moldy straw … The arms on one side had been broken, the chair was left in an attic and had water damage, so we had to strip the old finish sand and reapply new stain. It was amazing how great it turned out after some TLC.” No one can look at a kitchen sette like Simmons does, and it would be a lost opportunity to not witness the artform for yourself.