Introduction: Why Antique Furniture Needs Modern Conversion
Antique and vintage furniture has beautiful veneer, graceful design, and so much character.
That's why you kept your grandparents' antique bedroom set!
There's just one problem...
The bed is just so small!
According to a 2011 U.S. Census Bureau study, the median square footage of a single-family home built between 2005 and 2009 was 2,200 square feet.
Meanwhile, the median square footage of a single-family home built in the 1960s or earlier stood at 1,500 square feet today. This square footage includes any additions and remodeling that occurred after the home was originally built.
That means that many of these homes were even smaller when they were first built.
Beds were made smaller, dining tables often seated fewer guests, and storage pieces were less spacious in order to fit into this more modest square footage.
While these family heirlooms are cherished for their craftsmanship and history, they often need thoughtful updates to work for modern life.
At Mumford Restoration in Raleigh, NC, we specialize in making your heirlooms and other sentimental antique furniture work for you.
We resize, repair, and refinish antique furniture carefully, modernizing beds, tables, and more so they fit elegantly and naturally into today’s homes without losing their timeless character and craftsmanship. We can even create custom furniture to match your other antiques!
Above: Twin-to-queen bed conversion. We combined two 1920s twin footboards into one queen footboard and widened the headboard with extensions that blend into the original.
A Quick FAQ:
Will conversion damage my heirloom’s value?
Professional work that preserves your heirloom's original design will typically help maintain its sentimental value and improve its usability. That increases the piece’s real-world value to you.
If you have a rare or highly collectable piece, we would advise that you speak to a reputable appraiser before proceeding with any work.
Antique Bed Conversion & Restoration: From Full to Queen
One of the most common resizing requests we receive: enlarging full-size heirloom antique beds into queen size.
Quick size guide
Full: 54" × 75"
Queen: 60" × 80"
King: 76" × 80"
You might love the family heirloom bedroom set you inherited from your grandparents.
Most antique and vintage beds are beautiful, but they were built for full-size mattresses, the standard mattress size for over a century.
Today, however, most families prefer the comfort of a queen-size mattress, which is a comfortable size that still fits nicely in most modern bedrooms.
You don’t have to agonize over deciding between a sentimental full-size bed versus a comfortable queen size.
Mumford Restoration can give you the best of both worlds!
Full Bed to Queen Bed Conversion: Expanding antique frames while preserving the original craftsmanship and details.
Modern Mattress Support Systems: Retrofitting antique frames with hidden supports for box springs, platforms, or adjustable bases.
Additional Frame Adjustments and Reinforcements: Creating new side rails and slats to fit your queen size mattress
Above, Right: Our client needed this maple bed turned into a queen size. Our master carpenter turned an extension to the detailed footboard on the wood turning lathe, added extensions to the side of the headboard, and created new side rails.
Above, Left: Our client love their beautiful 1930s Art Deco headboard and wants to expand it and make it more of a statement piece. We created two design options for her to choose from. One even has additional storage in the platform!
A Quick FAQ:
Can you convert an antique full bed to a queen without changing the look?
Yes. We color-match extensions, preserve the original material, and blend finishes so the bed looks original (just sized for queen).
Will my antique bed work with a platform or adjustable base?
We can integrate support systems for box spring, platform, or adjustable bases while keeping the historic appearance as much as possible.
Dining Table Extensions & Refinishing
Because older homes were a bit smaller than their modern counterparts, dining rooms had to economize space.
Antique dining tables had to share the dining room with antique buffets, china cabinets, and perhaps even a grandfather clock.
They had to fit a lot into a comparatively small room!
Even dining tables that expanded with leaves may still be too small for today’s large dinners.
Homeowners need the flexibility to seat more guests for holidays and celebrations.
You have options!
An antique restorer such as Mumford Restoration can walk you through all of the possibilities!
Common solutions we offer:
Custom leaves that match species, color, and style.
Extended table slides for a safe, smooth opening.
Structural reinforcement (pedestals & legs) to support added length.
Our artisans specialize in areas of antique furniture refinishing, so we can make these new elements look as if they’ve been there all along.
When you bring your antique and heirloom furniture to Mumford Restoration, we can handle it all: restoring the luster of original finishes, blending new wooden elements into the existing furniture, and ensuring that your pieces are strong enough to last for many more decades!
Above, Right: If you need a table extension, we can create a new leaf and add longer table slides.
Above, Left: Our client's family heirloom chair set had lost the original armed chair. She tasked our master carpenter with creating a captain's chair that was an exact match for the original set's design.
A Quick FAQ
Can you make matching dining table leaves for an antique table?
Yes. We will match style, color and wood species, so the leaves blend beautifully.
How do you reinforce an extended table?
We assess pedestals/legs and rails and add structural support so the table can safely manage the added length and weight.
Modernizing Storage & Seating (Drawers, Desks, Sofas & More)
Storage and entertainment furniture is another area where antique furniture design sometimes falls short for modern use.
We have far more clothes than our grandparents did, so our chests of drawers are packed full!
And we tend not to have a separate formal living room with delicate furniture that no one touches.
Our furniture has to work hard to keep up with us!
Popular upgrades:
Soft-close/hidden drawer slide retrofits while still preserving the original hardware and style.
Structural reinforcement for heavy daily use (kids or high-traffic spaces).
New feet or custom bases for sofas and case pieces.
Desk upgrades: Hidden compartments, lock systems, and cord management for modern tech.
Creative conversions: For antique radios, bar cabinets, media consoles, and more.
Above: Our client's beautiful 1930s Art Deco sofa got a custom, period-correct base and crisp new cushions!
A Quick FAQ
Can you add soft-close drawer slides to an antique dresser?
Usually, yes. We often retrofit slides and still keep the original drawer fronts and hardware intact.
Expert Antique Furniture Restoration & Repair in Raleigh, NC
Mumford Restoration is Raleigh’s trusted
Are you wondering "Do you ship or work with out-of-state clients?"
Yes! We routinely accept projects from clients across the United States and help them coordinate shipping.
Our clients tell us they don't mind shipping their items, since they know they can trust our excellent craftsmanship and customer service!
Ask our specialists about shipping your furniture, heirlooms, or other collectables to us.
Ready to give your antique furniture new life?
Call our specialists at 919-510-6310 to learn more about restoring heirlooms and resizing antique furniture.
Or you can submit your photos via our online form and we’ll get back to you soon!