Riana LeJeune, owner of Renewable Furniture Inc. and the Re-Pinned Workroom, is bridging the gap between a centuries-old skilled trade and futuristic technology. While many perceive upholstery as a dying art, LeJeune argues it is actually an essential industry suffering from a lack of visibility and accessible educational pathways. “Upholstery is a centuries-old skilled trade; it’s just that we lack visibility because what is a room without furniture?” LeJeune noted, explaining that the push for four-year degrees has led to the closure of trade schools, leaving a significant skill gap. To address this, she developed the first-ever upholstery apprenticeship registered with the U.S. Department of Labor—a three-year, 6,000-hour program designed for neurodiverse individuals who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college structures.
Revolutionizing Design Through “Vibe Coding”
Beyond training the next generation of artisans, LeJeune is disrupting the home furnishing market with “Renewable,” a global SaaS platform she developed using AI and “vibe coding.” Frustrated by the high cost of traditional software development and the difficulty of helping clients visualize finished projects, she leveraged thirteen years of expertise to prompt-engineer a design tool now used in 20 different countries.
The app allows users to upload a photo of their furniture and apply any designer fabric swatch in under 60 seconds. “I leveraged 13 years of expertise in upholstery and home design to program this to be an industry-specific tool, not a generalized AI,” LeJeune explained.
The platform is more than a visualizer; it includes a robust estimator that uses international business math to help artisans set profitable rates. LeJeune remains committed to the human element of the craft, viewing technology as a partner rather than a replacement. “I love the history aspect of it and I love becoming part of the story,” LeJeune said, describing how her team signs the inside of every furniture frame like a time capsule for future generations.