Deep button tufting is one of the most admired decorative techniques in furniture making. VAMA Divani’s craftspeople have always practised it with skill and close attention to every detail.
This distinctive technique has a long history. Some trace the first examples to the 1800s, although the existence of beautiful Chesterfield sofas in earlier centuries suggests its origins may reach further back.
Deep button tufting is the most recognisable feature of the timeless Chesterfield, an undisputed icon of classic furniture that remains a favourite among lovers of traditional interiors. On this leather sofa, the deep button tufting covers the entire backrest and arms.
Chesterfields are far from the only furniture to feature this technique. It also embellishes double beds, particularly their headboards, as well as pouffes, armchairs, chaise longues and many other pieces.
Deep button tufting requires considerable manual skill and painstaking work. It is hard to imagine achieving a truly fine result without handcraftsmanship.
What is deep button tufting?
Deep button tufting is a decorative technique that creates a softly sculpted surface on a sofa, armchair or other upholstered piece. It accentuates the softness of the padding and gives the furniture its distinctive visual depth.
Using a marking template known in Italian as a “dama”, the craftsperson places buttons at equal intervals across the upholstery to create a grid of softly padded sections.
The template can form squares or diamonds, with a similar overall effect.
The buttons usually match the upholstery colour. For a different look, you can choose decorative alternatives such as “Swarowski buttons”.
The technique demands the utmost precision. At VAMA Divani, we follow the most traditional and also the most elaborate method.
Our craftspeople relish this work: it is in such intricate details that you can appreciate their skill and experience.
Watch our videos to see each stage of deep button tufting in the VAMA Divani workshop. Precision and care are essential, and the results speak for themselves.
How deep button tufting is made: our most popular video
Making a fully button-tufted pouffe: the most demanding technique
A baroque button-tufted headboard, made in time-lapse
How a button-tufted Chesterfield sofa is made
Discover the quality of our Chesterfield sofas
