Years ago, I bought an antique Victorian settee for my living room. It served me well, but after several years of heavy use, the original red velvet upholstery was faded and threadbare and the springs had become misaligned.

I am never one to give up on an antique, so I decided to give this beauty a top to bottom makeover with the help of my local upholsterer. In the coming weeks, I will reveal the finished product; but for now, I’ll just say, it will be a dramatic change!

Antique settees can seem dauntingly formal, but they need not look stuffy or staid. Rigid designs and heavy wood frames can be beautifully offset by modern prints, bold colors, and contemporary accents.

Sources: 1) Jessica Helgerson Interior Design 2) Design Par Deux 3) The Yellow Cottage 4) Domaine Home 5) Old House Online 6) Style Me Pretty 7) Tokyo Jinja 8) reStyled by Valerie on Etsy