Before and after
By Xander Thomas
The Clear Lake Area is one of the largest boating centers in the U.S. With the number of crafts that take to our waters most of the year, given our lengthy warm season, someone must tackle the task of helping maintain these boats. Judy Olsen’s Boat Décor LLC is exactly the kind of place that can help these captains-at-their-own-leisure with all things canvas and upholstery for their boats.
“This line of work is definitely challenging but it is very rewarding to see the final product and that my customer is happy.” Olsen said, “We take pride in our work and provide excellent customer service.”
Judy has been in business for eight years, but she has been working with her mother as a seamstress since she was 15, and using a sewing machine since she was five-years-old. She has experience with all different sorts of items and even used to make wedding dresses.
“I could not make any money making the dresses, I had maybe two orders” she said, “They were both very happy, but you cannot compete with China.”
Olsen’s current location opened in the summer of 2018. She moved to this specific building because before her, it was another canvas shop and was already set up in a good way for her business. That made it easier to open shop right away, as there were already cutting tables and other items set up usefully for sewing. But getting her business set up in the exact spot that she wanted proved to be no easy task.
“As soon as I found out that they moved, I immediately called to get this spot, and was told that it had already been leased,” she said.
Business continued and Olsen secured a different location. Days later, she got a call that the deal on her preferred location had fallen through! Luckily enough, she was let out of her lease without a fee, and was able to move into the space that was already partially set up for her work.
She starting selling out of what used to be called “Sundowner Canvas” and that has helped her business.
“Sometimes people call the owners of Sundowner, and they say go to Judy, she does good work, she will take care of you,” Olsen said.
Before attaining a place to open business, Judy worked out of her own house, but that was not ideal.
“There was stuff everywhere. I only really had the master bedroom and kitchen for myself.”
She had a four-bedroom home at the time. She was even having to cut materials out on the driveway.
Olsen does mostly work for boats, but she will make custom canvas pieces and even re-upholster regular furniture, if that is what the customer wants. She makes her own custom pattern for every item she does.
Boat Décor LLC crafts screens, furniture upholstery, custom covers for any part of the boat imaginable and bedding, such as sheets, pillows and even high-quality mattresses. They use top of the line marine products such as sunbrella, stamoid, strataglass, tenara thread, dot stainless steel snaps, and more.
A full list of the services Judy Olsen offers can be found at www.BoatDecorLLC.com. Call 281-928-8548 to chat about your boat or visit her at 900 Anders Lane Suite 11 in Kemah.
