Upholstery Fabric Choices and Options for Antique Furniture

In the world of upholstery, the choice of fabric can sometimes make or break the aesthetic appeal of one’s furniture. This is especially true when it comes to antique or vintage furniture.

While today’s aesthetics have a penchant to veer towards minimalism and sleek, simplistic looks, antique and vintage upholstery does not shy away from the ornate and the unconventional – in fact, vintage pieces are remarkable for their highly ornate and sometimes even flamboyant style.

If you are interested in restoring or updating some antique furniture with modern upholstery material, you may find it somewhat difficult to get the look that retains the most of its original aesthetics. Thankfully, with the sheer bulk of material that is now available in today’s current market, it isn’t at all difficult to restore or revamp antique furniture, especially with respect to its upholstery.

Here are some excellent fabrics that are available that might interest you:

• Velvet – this rich fabric used to be restricted to only the very rich. This is the reason why most antique furniture that have managed to retain their original upholstery will sport velvet, or a combination of velvet and some other fabric. True velvet is still somewhat pricey today, but alternatives like velveteen and rayon make for excellent (and more affordable) choices for upholstery for antique furniture.
• Damask – another good option for restoring or reviving antique furniture upholstery is damask – a traditional woven fabric that is notable for its ornate arabesque or floral motifs and the fact that it can be reversible. Originally very costly, modern damask can be made from a combination of natural and synthetic fibres to make it more affordable. It makes an excellent upholstery choice for ornate pieces that require an extra touch of class.
• Brocade – a relative to damask, but featuring embroidery that is typified by layers of colours instead of a singular colour of different tones, brocades is a fancier (and originally far more expensive) version of damask. Meant to upholster highly decorative pieces, they are now made more widely available today, thanks in part to mechanical embroidery. Excellent for period pieces, brocade adds a wonderful touch of elegance and flair to any furniture.

For more information on upholstery fabric choices and re-upholstering vintage and antique furniture, and how to go about it without breaking the bank, then visit us here at Absolute Upholstery – your number one resource for custom upholstery jobs.

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