Transform Antiques Into Statement Pieces with Restoration & Refinishing

Why You Should Customize or Refinish Antique Furniture 

Are you sick of seeing the same greige interior design and flat-packed Ikea furniture in every home? 

Then, do something different! 

Refinish or even customize an antique or vintage furniture! 

You're probably wondering:

• How to refinish antique furniture into a statement piece

• How to mix old and new furniture

• Where to restore furniture in North Carolina

This guide will answer your questions, give you some ideas, and show you why Mumford Restoration is Raleigh's trusted antique restoration and furniture refinishing experts!

Mumford Restoration's Antique Restoration & Furniture Refinishing Services

For over 40 years, Mumford Restoration has specialized in expert

antique restoration and furniture refinishing. 

We help Raleigh, NC’s homeowners transform antiques into bold statement pieces that reflect their personal style.

Mumford Restoration can turn an antique or vintage piece of furniture into a statement piece that you’ll never find anywhere else. 

Our restoration services include:

• Antique Furniture
• Vintage Furniture
• Modern Furniture
• Upholstered Furniture
• Caned Chairs
• Radios
• Paintings
• Ceramics
• Lamps
• Chandeliers
• Antique Toys
• Mirrors
• And More!

How Can I Modernize or Customize Antique Furniture?

You have lots of options to make an antique piece feel fresh and truly customized for you and your home.

You can choose upholstery, hardware, finishes,

What are the safest ways to modernize antique furniture?

The most common yet dramatic way to modernize antique furniture is with new upholstery.

Love the ornate carvings of Victorian-era furniture, but don’t want it to look too traditional?

Why not reupholster it in a bright or patterned upholstery fabric? 

Can hardware be changed without damaging an antique?

Yes, in most cases, the hardware can be changed without damaging antique or vintage furniture.

If you choose new hardware that is exactly the same size as the original, we can simply change it out.

In some circumstances, it can take a bit more work to make new hardware fit.

For example, if your replacement hardware's screws are set wider or narrower than the originals, we will have to drill new holes. Hiding the original holes can involve significant touchup work. 

Additionally, you may notice that the wood under a larger piece of hardware is brighter than the surrounding wood. This is because light has naturally bleached the wood around the hardware.

This is no problem if we are refinishing the piece in addition to changing the hardware or if we are replacing the hardware with something even larger that covered the brighter area of wood.

While we are discussing the project with you early on, our restoration consultants will discuss the practical aspects of changing the hardware and provide you with options.

What finishes work best for turning antiques into statement pieces?

The right finish depends on the piece. Most furniture made after 1920 was lacquered, so it is safe to use modern lacquer to refinish it.

For an older, especially rare or valuable antique, we can French polish it, a historic furniture finishing technique used by museums and collectors for their most extraordinary pieces.

Can you paint antique furniture or use colorful lacquer?

Yes! We can give you a modern twist on an antique buffet with beautiful, opaque lacquer in red, black, white, or any other color you can imagine. 

At Mumford Restoration in Raleigh, NC, we specialize in transforming antiques into statement pieces. 

Your furniture should reflect your style.  

We can use to  traditional restoration techniques honor history and restore your antique pieces or we can work with you for a bold, contemporary reimagining that gives your vintage furniture or beloved heirlooms a fresh new life.

Above, Right: Mumford Restoration refinished this Asian-inspired cabinet from its original red-orange stain to a sleek black lacquer. We also kept the original hardware, but simply went with a gold finish. 

Above, Left: We reuphostered this fantastic mid-century modern couch and exchanged its earthy green-brown upholstery fabric to light and airy blue-gray. New upholstery fabric can completely change your furniture's character!

Why Antique Statement Furniture Pieces Matter in Modern Interior Design

Creating bold home decor doesn’t mean that every piece has to be bold.

Does antique or vintage furniture work in minimalist homes?

Yes, an impactful piece of antique or vintage furniture can keep minimalism from feeling boring.

 When you’re looking for statement furniture ideas, you can focus on one antique as your interior design focus. 

A truly impactful antique can easily be the star of the show and this single item will be enough to define the room. 

The rest of your decor can have quieter lines or less striking finishes. They are the supporting cast, after all!

Does antique or vintage furniture work in contemporary homes?

Yes, antique furniture can fit beautifully into a contemporary home with modern furniture. 

Remember, there are many, many styles of antique and vintage furniture. Not all antiques are "fussy."

If you prefer simpler lines, midcentury or even empire-style furniture have quieter silhouettes that can still fit nicely with contemporary decor.

Why do designers use antique furniture as statement pieces?

Many interior designers believe that a bold statement piece sets the tone for the room and can also help you tie together eclectic pieces that you love, but don’t know how to blend into the room. 

It will draw attention to itself, so that competing styles become less obvious. 

This is an excellent way to combine antique and modern furniture.

Since most modern furniture has simpler lines, the antique’s more detailed design will provide a contrast and will add more visual interest to the space. 

Above Right: Mumford Restoration's expert French polisher restored this beautiful roll-top desk! 

Above left: This vintage channel-back chair's owners wanted to stay with velvet upholstery fabric, but just wanted something more modern and sophisticated. We think this gorgeous blue velvet fits the bill!

How to Turn Antique Furniture into a Statement Piece

Does antique furniture need bold customization to stand out?

No, you don't have to modernize or customize an antique to make it stand out in your home. It can look striking just by restoring its original finish.

Many antiques don’t have to be made into show pieces because they were always show pieces.  

Even many mass-produced pieces were originally designed to be the center of attention. 

So, why not make your antique furniture back into the grand dame it always was! 

Can missing veneer, hardware, or wooden pieces be repaired?

Yes! Mumford Restoration’s expert antique restorers can replace veneer, source replacement hardware, recreate missing wooden elements, and much more!

If you fall in love with a piece whose finish is a bit shabby, don’t let that slight damage scare you away from the antique or vintage furniture that you love! 

Should I restore an antique’s original finish or choose something new?

It's up to you to choose a furniture finish that you love!

Our specialists can suggest finishes based on the age and style of a piece of furniture, but we ultimately want you to make it into something you can love for decades to come.

Not sure about your options?

Check out our blog entries on historic and modern furniture finishes!

These amazing pieces of antique and vintage furniture are absolute beauties! They just need a bit of help from experts in antique refinishing and restoration!

Above: Mumford Restoration immediately saw the potential in this 1930s Art Deco sofa. Our master carpenter removed the caster wheels and then custom-made a new, historically appropriate base. Then our upholsterers created new, plush cushions and reupholstered everything in a soft while upholstery fabric.

How to Customize Antique Furniture with a Modern Twist

How do you combine modern and traditional furniture ideas? You have tons of options.

If you work with an experienced antique restorer and furniture refinisher like Mumford Restoration, they can recommend ideas you’d never considered! 

That’s another perk of working with experts: we’ve seen it all!

Modernizing antique furniture can translate into a bold change, such as red lacquer, or a more conservative but still fun element such as bright green upholstery. 

• Darken or Lighten Stain:  We can stain wooden furniture lighter to cheer and brighten a north-facing room or darker to ground a room and make it a sophisticated retreat.

• Use Colorful Lacquer: Refinish your antique or vintage furniture in a completely different color, such as sky blue, forest green, or candy apple red.

• Use Fun, Modern Upholstery Fabric: Reupholster your furniture in a modern bright or patterned upholstery fabric.

• Use Unique Upholstery Fabric Combinations: Use colorblocking in your seats to combine traditional colors and patterns in new ways.

• Classic Upholstery Patterns in Modern Colors: Like traditional velvet or damask, but want a modern interpretation? Why not opt for a bright, unexpected color? 

There are so many ways to incorporate antique furniture into modern interior design!

Contact our restoration specialists to learn how we can make your antique furniture into gorgeous statement pieces!

Above, right: This bright green upholstery fabric adds a some fun to this funky MCM chair!

Above, right: Mumford's antique refinishers lacquered this Asian-inspired cabinet to give it an air of sleek sophistication! It feels simultaneously modern and traditional.

What are Some Statement Furniture Ideas?

How do you make antique furniture into statement pieces that are still practical for modern apartments? It has to fit the style and the square footage.

Antique furniture isn’t all oversized! Many antique and vintage pieces were designed to fit into modestly sized homes. 

These smaller, more compact pieces of antique and vintage furniture can still have a big personality! 

• Repurpose It: What about using a small, ornate antique sewing cabinet as a side table? 

• A Storage Piece as a Centerpiece: An antique trunk can double as an eye-catching coffee table AND storage. It’s a convenient place to keep blankets and other items for couch-surfing guests

• Find Extendable Furniture: Antique and vintage drop leaf tables can be set against the wall when their leaves are down. When you need them, just pull them out and extend the leaves. 

Above: Mumford Restoration refinished this antique trunk with a combination of paint and stain. We love the juxtaposition of lacquered hardware, green paint, and gorgeous wood grain!

How to Choose & Customize Furniture for Your Home

There are lots of ways to incorporate antiques into your interior design ideas! 

Take a look at Pinterest and other sites with inspirational photos. Download the app or just save a few pictures to your phone, so you can reference them when you’re on the hunt for the perfect piece. 

Inspiration photos will help keep you focused when you might otherwise feel overwhelmed at estate sales or thrift stores. 

“How do I choose statement furniture?”

There are a few things to look out for in statement piece furniture.

• Unique Shapes or Silhouettes:  A piece with curved legs, intricate carvings, unusual forms, or distinctive hardware will naturally draw attention. 

• Quality Craftsmanship: Look for solid wood, dovetail joints, and hand-carved details, which indicate a piece will age beautifully.

• Historical or Sentimental Value:  Does the piece of furniture have an interesting story?

• Size Matters: Oversized pieces like a grand buffet or a tall armoire can anchor a large room, but will overwhelm a smaller space. Smaller antique or sentimental items, such as a music box or antique sewing cabinet, can be just as impactful.

• Potential: Don’t be fooled by a little wear! If a piece has a beautiful silhouette or striking details, restoration or refinishing can make it a stunner!

Photos above, right: Love your family heirloom, but feel as if it doesn't quite "fit" with your style? Why not lacquer it for a completely new look that still feels familiar.

How to Make a Statement Piece“Fit In” with Modern Furniture

After you’ve chosen your piece, you get to make it your own!

But you do want to keep your other furniture in mind. 

You are aiming for an interior design that blends all of your pieces together–your furniture, your wall art, decor items, lighting, etc. 

• Start with One Statement Piece: Don’t overwhelm the room. Let one piece shine, then layer complementary textures or colors around it.

• Coordinate Colors and Textures:  Even wild upholstery can feel intentional if you repeat a color in other elements of the room, such as pillows, rugs, or artwork.

  

• Mix Old and New :  Pair a restored antique with modern furniture to create a curated, eclectic look.

• Consider Room Scale and Layout : Ensure the piece fits naturally and doesn’t block traffic flow or other design elements.

• Neutral Backdrops Amplify Bold Pieces: A bright lacquered sideboard or patterned chair pops against muted walls or flooring.

• Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment:  Bold upholstery or paint choices can turn traditional furniture into a modern centerpiece.

  
  
  

Photo, Top: This antique settee's owner wanted to keep with a traditional velvet, but decided on an unexpected, modern color. It's still one of our favorite projects!

Photo, Bottom: This chair's owner elected for a sophisticated combination of patterns and solid accent. The solid blue upholstery fabric frames the printed back and seat cushions so beautifully! And just look at that expert pattern matching!

Work with Mumford Restoration

to Create Your Dream Furniture

A statement piece is a reflection of your style. It can be a find from an estate sale or a treasured family heirloom made new again. 

Mumford Restoration can bring your vision to life, whether you want a classic restoration or a daring reimagining with vibrant upholstery or lacquer.  

With over forty years of restoration experience, Mumford Restoration is Raleigh’s trusted resource for antique restoration and furniture refinishing. 

Our clients travel across all of the Carolinas to bring their antique and heirlooms to Mumford Restoration.

They know that our experts are up to any challenge!

Let us transform your antiques into the show-stopping centerpiece your home deserves!

Call our restoration specialists today at 919-510-6310 to learn more about our custom furniture refinishing and upholstery services. 

Or you can submit your photos via our online form and we'll reach out to you soon!