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Yes, you can reupholster antique furniture, and it’s a great way to extend the life of your pieces and keep them looking fresh and new for years to come. In fact, since reupholstering furniture is significantly more affordable than replacing it, reviving antique furniture can be a cost-effective way to keep that family heirloom usable for much longer. It’s usually a good idea to leave antique reupholstering to a professional, as they will have the tools and expertise to ensure the piece isn’t damaged and looks professionally finished.

The average time it takes to reupholster a piece of furniture is around eight hours, but it varies significantly based on the piece. A professional can usually reupholster smaller furniture units like dining chairs or small ottomans in two to three hours, while an entire sofa might take several days or up to a week. Antique furniture tends to take longer to reupholster because greater care needs to be taken to preserve the piece. Your timeline might be a bit longer if you need other repairs done, like sanding and refinishing wood components.

When deciding whether to reupholster, repair, or replace old furniture, consider its age, level of wear and tear, and overall value. It’s usually better to repair old furniture because older pieces tend to be made out of hardwood, like oak and maple, whereas newer furniture is more often made out of plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and other less durable materials. When determining whether it’s worth the price to repair a furniture item, calculate the price of buying a new, similar piece and compare that to quotes from local furniture repair services.

Part of the beauty of academia decor is that most textures and materials will feel right at home, provided they’re dark. Some common textures include natural wood, dark metals like iron, velvet, and leather. Incorporating these into your dark academia decor will make them look right at home. Glass is another option in some cases, so fill in gaps in your decor with small glass jars, or really lean on the gothic roots of dark academia with stained glass.