A woman with curly brown hair wearing a green baseball cap, a dark brown jacket with orange buttons, and checkered slip-on shoes, sitting on a concrete ledge outside a white building with large windows.

Bea Furnishings

A black shelf with a variety of stickers, signs, and objects including a California license plate reading 'J SHULTZ', a red emergency light, small figurines, a box labeled 'BAND-AID', a picture of a person, and several tools and containers.

A sign that reads 'Beer in the back!' in red letters, located above a storage unit with multiple drawers, each labeled with names.

Bea Furnishings was founded in 2017 in Santa Barbara as a service-based upholstery business, offering both residential and commercial work. From antique reupholstery to custom cushions, all work is approached with care, expertise, and precision.

Rooted in a deep respect and understanding of the upholstery trade, Bea Furnishings draws not only from hands-on work experience, but also from a background in interior design and collaborative work within the trades.

The next chapter of Bea Furnishings includes a retail collection of pieces made from rare, vintage deadstock fabrics. This includes a line of throw pillows, as well as one-off, upholstered pieces available for purchase online and in retail locations.

Looking forward, Bea Furnishings is evolving beyond traditional upholstery. The future is grounded in exploration, pushing the boundaries of what upholstered furniture can be. Through the use of unexpected materials, forms, and concepts, the goal is to create pieces that exist not only as furniture, but as art.

A woman with tattoos and curly hair works on assembling a wooden chair in a workshop or store, surrounded by various tools and decorations.

A woman with curly hair and tattoos on her arms wearing a black T-shirt with a cityscape print and the words 'Solvang California' on it.

About Joanna “Bea”

Named after her grandmother, Beatrice Joan Shultz, Joanna Beatrice works under the name Bea—an artist identity that carries both legacy and intention.

Raised in Solvang, CA, Joanna studied Interior Design at Santa Barbara City College and later earned her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from San Francisco State University.

After exploring different paths within the design world, she found her way to upholstery—drawn to its physicality, precision, and transformative nature. The trade itself held a deeper appeal: its rarity, and the level of long-term commitment required to truly be skilled. With no prior experience, she relocated to High Point, NC at the age of 23 to study at Guilford Technical Community College.

From there, her experience expanded across the country. While in North Carolina, Bea worked in factory production at Stickley Furniture, and continued developing her craft through a wide range of upholstery work, from antique restoration to new builds, in cities including New York City and Denver.

After seven years immersed in the trade, Joanna returned to Santa Barbara to establish Bea Furnishings.

Her work is driven by a desire to shift how upholstered furniture is valued and experienced. While her foundation is rooted in a self-driven, hands-on approach to learning the craft, her commitment to precision and quality reflects a much larger vision.

Joanna is not only an upholsterer—she is building toward a role as a curator of furniture. Through her work, she aims to push the boundaries of design, elevating upholstery as both a craft and an art form, and fostering a deeper appreciation for the materials, process, and presence of upholstered pieces in our lives.

A woman with curly hair wearing a teal cap, maroon cardigan, black pants, and checkered sneakers sitting on a concrete ledge outside a white building with large windows and balconies.

A large pile of assorted colorful pillows with various patterns, including stripes, floral, and geometric designs, stacked against a plain white background.

Close-up of a colorful patterned carpet with green, yellow, orange, and brown designs.

A woman with long dark hair and tattoos on her arms and legs, wearing a red and black cap, a patterned skirt, and holding a striped pillow, standing against a plain white background.

Three patterned throw pillows in shades of orange, brown, and cream on a white background.

A person in a brown Oakland Athletics cap and camouflage shirt working on a piece of furniture, with tools on the floor and various objects and furniture in the background.

Close-up of a yellow and gold floral-patterned fabric, partially rolled, showcasing textured woven details.

Close-up of multiple colorful pillows with a person's tattooed hand resting on a yellow pillow.

A storage cabinet with labeled drawers underneath a sign that says 'Be All in the Back!' in orange and white lettering. The cabinet contains various small containers and other items.

A woman with tattoos on her arms and legs is barefoot and standing against a plain white background. She is wearing a red baseball cap, a large green pillow, and a yellow plaid skirt, holding the pillow close to her chest and balancing various pillow

Close-up of an embroidered patch with the text 'LET IT BEA' on teal fabric, surrounded by scattered black push pins, white string, and a paper bandana pattern on a background with brown, orange, and black geometric carpet design.

A tattooed woman sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of a plain white background, wearing a red hat and red patterned dress, with a relaxed pose and slight smile.

A wooden chair with a cloth pattern on the backrest, holding a yellow bag with floral accents and furry white trim, placed next to a stack of books.

Close-up of a fabric with a multicolored intricate pattern in shades of orange, black, green, and yellow.

Stacked colorful pillows including yellow, orange, blue, green, and striped patterns against a white background.

A person with long dark hair, tattoos on their arms and legs, holding two colorful pillows with one hand on each pillow. The person is wearing a red cap, a black sleeveless top, and red patterned pants. The background is plain white.

A black shelf with various stickers, a California license plate, and small objects including containers, pens, and a framed picture. There are two wooden objects on the lower left and a grid-like organizer with small compartments on the lower right.

A tattooed woman sitting on a stack of colorful pillows against a plain background.

A young man with long dark hair wearing a green cap, dark sweater, black pants, and checkered Vans shoes sitting on a concrete wall outside a white residential building with large windowpanes.

A photograph of a retail store display showing a framed image of a red velvet sofa with green plants in the background. The frame is on a pink wooden shelf with small compartments, and there is a jewelry stand with rings and jewelry pieces in the low

Interior of a shop with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling and a large sign on the wall advertising upholstery services, featuring text about hand-crafted, custom, and bean quality items.

A tattooed woman sitting cross-legged against a white background, holding a red patterned cloth, wearing a red baseball cap and no other clothing visible.

A tattooed arm with black ink tattoos of various designs including flowers, symbols, and geometric patterns extending from the wrist to the shoulder, with the hand in a relaxed position against a plain light background.