Tilton Fenwick is a New York-based interior design firm founded by Anne Maxwell Foster and Suysel dePedro Cunningham. They are best known for layering colorful textiles and giving a modern twist to traditional patterns. I have been secretly lusting after this Tilton Fenwick pattern at Duralee for some time now, so I was super excited to discover that the design firm has put out a line of upholstered furniture at Target. They offer a range of settees, pictured above, as well as skirted chairs, headboards, and ottomans. This is high end style without the high end price tag.
My Victorian settee is ready for its final reveal! The original piece was in a sad state, with lopsided springs and worn upholstery. I wanted to give the settee a fresh identity, so I chose an off-white fabric with embroidered black tufts. I love that this fabric is a bit irregular and freeform because it provides a nice contrast to the settee’s formal frame. Here is a close-up of the upholstery: Springs are much higher quality than foam padding, but they are also more expensive to replace. Luckily, loose and lopsided springs can often be repaired; they are simply retied in tight, orderly coils. One more reason to appreciate the excellent craftsmanship of antiques! This settee’s springs were able to be retied, and now it has an even, comfortable seat once again. The high contrast between the new off-white upholstery and the dark wood stain accentuates the frame’s intricate detail. I especially love the serpentine carving along the top edge of the frame back. I hope you all …
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