livenUPdesign
Announcement
**Follow along on INSTAGRAM: @livenupdesign
Specializing in custom, handcrafted UPholstered and grasscloth covered furniture.
Located in the eclectic, beach town of Leucadia, California, Liven UP design creates custom furniture with a unique flair and style. Each piece is designed to your specifications then handmade with great care and attention to detail by our talented craftsmen using only kiln-dried, solid hardwood. The result is one-of-a-kind, beautiful furniture that is built to last.
We love creating one-of-a-kind pieces at AFFORDABLE prices that look like the ones you'd see on all the best design blogs or in the pages of high-end design magazines! We can do it. We can do almost anything here...JUST ASK... ;0)
Announcement
**Follow along on INSTAGRAM: @livenupdesign
Specializing in custom, handcrafted UPholstered and grasscloth covered furniture.
Located in the eclectic, beach town of Leucadia, California, Liven UP design creates custom furniture with a unique flair and style. Each piece is designed to your specifications then handmade with great care and attention to detail by our talented craftsmen using only kiln-dried, solid hardwood. The result is one-of-a-kind, beautiful furniture that is built to last.
We love creating one-of-a-kind pieces at AFFORDABLE prices that look like the ones you'd see on all the best design blogs or in the pages of high-end design magazines! We can do it. We can do almost anything here...JUST ASK... ;0)
Items
All Items
Reviews
-
![]()
-
![]()
Alexis on May 23, 2022
5 out of 5 starsIt was a package of fabric samples for hopefully a future console table. Package arrived in a timely manner, beautiful grasscloth samples to choose from and a very nice personable note from the owner of the business was included.
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
Kim on Mar 26, 2022
5 out of 5 starsGlad I ordered the samples. Shelia sent me so many to pick from. It was well worth getting.
-
![]()
Carolyn on Mar 9, 2022
5 out of 5 starsSamples matched description and helped me decide on what finish selection to do.
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
pam on Sep 19, 2020
5 out of 5 starsSamples were delivered promptly and gave me a good idea of my options. Very helpful!
About livenUPdesign
This small business exceeded all expectations...
Liven UP Design is located in Oceanside, California – home of sea lions, surfers and eclectic neighborhoods. This up-and-coming, diverse area is the perfect location for liven UP’s workshop as we offer our own unique and extensive range of custom products.
It could be said that both Jenn and Paul were destined to have a business like liven UP. Jenn was raised by a single mom who was very well-versed in DIY projects and sewing was one of them. Jenn still remembers wandering through fabric stores and seeing endless bolts of fabric checking out the patterns and colors. But after countless attempts by her mom to teach her to sew, it wasn’t until adulthood that Jenn's interest in upholstery was sparked – some of those lessons must have rubbed off! In true DIY fashion, Jenn found a chair on the side of the road, taught herself to upholster and a tiny business was born (she admittedly enjoys the power tool part of upholstering much more than the sewing machine part. ;)
As Jenn was starting to refurbish furniture, Paul was considering a career change as well and knew his skills would be a good fit to the fledgling business. Paul's expertise in woodworking is the culmination of tutelage and finely honed talent. He started learning the craft as a toddler in his beloved grandfather’s workshop. Later, he could be found repairing boardwalks, building kitchen cabinets and shingling roofs at the family owned business, Ainsworth Cottages on Cape Cod. Paul's skills as a craftsman and his drive for perfection are showcased at liven UP; but to him it is another venue to pay tribute to the man who was his mentor, the man he proudly calls, “Grampie.”
After a few long and noisy years working out of their garage, liven UP moved to their new workspace in Oceanside, and not shortly thereafter, added another space to make room for the growing company. Although the space is bigger and the number of employees continues to grow, liven UP has not lost sight of its core principles. We create high-end, quality hardwood furniture for a fair price that is made by hand in the USA by skilled craftsmen.
Regardless of budget constraints or style choices, each project is treated with exacting attention to detail and built with the highest quality products. Our completed products include fabrics and grasscloth ranging in price from $6 to $300 per yard. No client project is too small; no client question is too insignificant.
We love what we do and the end results provide proof of that!
Shop members
-
Jenn Ainsworth
Owner, Maker, Designer
When I am not working (rare) at this happy accident of a business, I am busy being a mom to a spunky 12 year old boy and a ferocious golden retriever named Kip :)
-
Paul Ainsworth
Owner, Architect, Creator
Paul can build ANYTHING! He is our on-site Mac Guyver :) He is an amazing craftsman that takes quality VERY seriously. On the rare occasion that he is not in the shop, you'll find him at the beach stand-up paddle surfing OR working on home projects.
-
Jonas
Upholstery
Jonas is a second generation upholsterer with a keen eye for detail and pattern placement. His work can be seen throughout our shop- it is A-MA-ZING!
-
Amy
Right Hand Wo Man
Amy works closely with Jenn and is helping out with graphic design & marketing. She also works with our amazing clients. When she is not checking in fabric, she is hanging out with her 11 year old son and best furry friend, Gracie.
Shop policies
The custom design process is extremely rewarding for Liven UP design and for our clients. We encourage our clients to be a part of the process and are willing to assist them in any way necessary so that they end up with an amazing, custom statement piece to suit their home.
Making custom furniture requires a LOT of time and communication and we do our best to thoroughly and effectively communicate during the design process with all of our clients. We try to spell out every detail of the custom order so there are no issues and/or design miscommunications along the way.
GRASSCLOTH:
Imperfections and slight variations of color are inherent in natural materials, but that is part of what makes the finished product so beautiful. Don’t expect the materials that grasscloth to be uniform in color.
We will send a tested sample to you prior to beginning a project, so that you know what your finished piece will look like. However, it could look slightly different on a table- vs. just a small tested piece. On larger pieces, the fibers and threads can vary greatly- and that might not be represented in your sample piece.
we inspect the paper prior to starting a project, but we are only looking for flaws that are not "normal"...
slight imperfections can and will appear on the finished piece.
We apply 3 coats of clear sealer/top coat to our grasscloth items. This offers a good amount of protection, BUT it is not foolproof. Your grasscloth furniture should be treated as you would a piece of stained wood furniture. We suggest sourcing a glass top for high traffic areas.
WARNING:
Do not place your grasscloth furniture in direct sunlight or near a heat register.
Please make sure your grasscloth furniture is stored in a cool, dry room (lower than 86 degrees fahrenheit.)
Accepted payment methods
Returns and exchanges
I don't accept returns, exchanges, or cancellations
Returns and exchange details
There will be a 15% order cancellation fee.
If drawings have been sent, there is a $75 charge to cover our time.
WE cannot accept cancellations if an item is in the process of being built or has ben built. In the event that this happens, you will lose the deposit for the order.
Clients are responsible for shipping any unused materials back to them.
REFUNDS:
Refunds are given at the discretion of Liven UP and must be addressed within 30 days of receiving the item.
In the rare event that you wish to return your custom item, please know that Liven UP will not assume responsibility for shipping charges. The customer is responsible for all shipping fees.
All of our furniture is custom made to unique specifications and tastes, therefore we charge a 45% restocking fee for returned items.
ISSUES/PROBLEMS after 30 days:
We will review the issue and determine what compensation, if any will be given. We stand by our furniture and will be fair in our assessments.
REPAIRS:
If there is a repair that needs to be made, if it is determined that we are responsible, we will compensate for up to $50/hour in labor for non-local orders.
Payment
Once we receive your deposit, we add your project to the roster. Lead times are typically quoted from the time we RECEIVE your fabric, not when the order is placed. We complete projects in that order. Liven UP strives for quality, not speed. Rush orders are taken at our discretion.
Liven UP has a strict policy NOT to ship any items until full balance and shipping payments are received.
PLEASE NOTE: We require payment in full for a project within 2 weeks of completion. We function in a small shop and CANNOT store large, boxed items for longer than that. WE like to keep things moving through at a quick pace to stay on track with lead times, etc.
**IF THERE IS A DELAY IN YOUR PROJECT- PLEASE NOTIFY US IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE CAN ADJUST YOUR CUSTOM BUILT ITEM IN THE TIME-LINE ACCORDINGLY.
Shipping
Our clients are responsible for shipping charges. Quotes will be given BEFORE the project is underway and are based on the zip code provided at that time.
Any changes to the original order or the addition of items after purchase incurs extra shipping charges. Change of destination zip code could mean an increase in shipping / freight charges.
Our larger, custom built items require custom made boxes or crates.
We can ship to a receiver or residence. Residential delivery is more costly.
Please disclose all information about residential delivery. We must be made aware of all delivery details. LivenUP will not assume responsibility for extra charges associated with any impediments to deliver your item.
Please provide all the necessary info: Is this an apartment building? Is the driveway long and narrow? Are the roads windy? Is it a one-lane road? Etc. etc…
DAMAGES:
*In the sad event that something happens to your item during shipment, PLEASE NOTIFY US RGHT AWAY! The more time that passes, the less likely we are to be able to file a claim.
ALL shipping companies require that you retain ALL the packing materials associated with the order. ***PLEASE DO NOT BREAK DOWN OR THROW AWAY ANY BOXES OR MATERIALS THAT YOUR ITEMS WERE PACKED IN UNTIL YOU HAVE THOROUGHLY CHECKED THE ITEM FOR ANY DAMAGES, ETC.
Additional policies and FAQs
We do our best to complete projects within the time-frame we quote; however, all items are custom made to order and sometimes things take a little longer than planned. We promise to keep you updated during the process and aware of any changes related to your order. Happy clients are what we strive for!
*****We do not guarantee completion dates. Please inform us of install dates, etc. and we will do our best to work with you to meet the deadline. But no promises will be made.
If our lead time is an issue, please do not place an order with us. We work as fast as we can without compromising the quality of our goods.
More information
Frequently asked questions
Sizing details
We can customize the size of most pieces we offer in our shop.
The dimensions and information in the listings is a starting point for size/cost.
Wholesale availability
We do not sell to retail shops or furniture manufacturers.
Care instructions
Grasscloth items:
Wipe with damp cloth.
Do not use commercial cleaning products on grasscloth furniture.
Fabric:
Contact the fabric manufacturer for cleaning instructions.
Custom
Everything is made to order. WE do not stock items that are ready to ship.