Antique Furniture Restoration in New York City
Antique furniture restoration in New York City using the methods the piece was built with: hand tied coil springs, horsehair and cotton stuffing, hand stitched edges, tacks instead of staples, and hide glue on the frame. NYC Reupholstery restores Victorian and Edwardian seating, French and Italian chairs and settees, American Federal and Empire pieces, Arts and Crafts oak and mid-century classics for apartments and estates across the five boroughs and Westchester. Restored this way, an antique keeps its value and its shape. Recovered with foam and staples, it loses both. We document what is original before any work starts and have been doing this in New York for more than 25 years. Text photos of the piece, including the underside, to (914) 449-4334 for a written restoration quote.
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When to call for antique furniture restoration
- Springs have dropped and the seat is uneven or sits far lower than it should
- A previous recover used foam and staples on a piece that was hand tied
- Carving, molding or veneer is missing, lifted or broken
- The finish is alligatored, flaking or has been painted over
- You inherited or bought the piece and want it restored rather than replaced
- An appraiser or dealer has told you the piece is worth restoring properly
Antique Restoration in New York City, done properly
New York apartments hold more antique furniture than almost any city in the country, and much of it has been recovered badly at least once. A Victorian settee stuffed with foam sits wrong. A Louis XV bergère stapled instead of tacked loses the line of the frame. When an antique comes into our shop we take it back to the frame, document what is original, and rebuild the upholstery the way it was built: webbing, hand tied coil springs, burlap, stuffing, stitched edge rolls, muslin, then the show cover.
On the woodwork side we repair loose and broken joints with hide glue so the piece can be worked on again in another fifty years, replace missing carving and molding, repair veneer and marquetry, and refinish with shellac and French polish or a period appropriate varnish. We do not strip a piece that only needs cleaning and a fresh coat of wax, because the original surface is part of what makes it an antique.
We work on Victorian and Edwardian pieces, French and Italian chairs and settees, American Empire and Federal furniture, Arts and Crafts oak, and early twentieth century club chairs, as well as mid-century classics that are now old enough to need the same care. Period fabrics, horsehair, tufting and nailhead trim are all in-house work. Inherited pieces arriving from an estate elsewhere in the city are a large part of what we do.
How it works
- 1Call or text (914) 449-4334 with photos of the whole piece, the underside and any damage.
- 2We assess what is original, what has been altered, and quote a restoration that respects the piece.
- 3Blanket wrapped pickup across the five boroughs.
- 4Upholstery is removed layer by layer and documented. Frames are repaired with hide glue and traditional joinery.
- 5Springs are hand tied, stuffing rebuilt in horsehair and cotton, edges hand stitched, then the cover applied with tacks where the piece was tacked.
- 6Woodwork is cleaned, repaired and finished with shellac, French polish or wax. Delivered and placed.
Why New Yorkers choose NYC Reupholstery
- Traditional methods: hand tied springs, horsehair, stitched edges, tacks and hide glue
- Original surfaces preserved wherever possible
- Carving, molding, veneer and marquetry repair in house
- Period fabrics, tufting and nailhead work
- 25+ years restoring antiques for New York apartments and estates
From a New York customer
More reviews“Marcos is as professional as it gets and truly a hard worker. I was given consistent updates about the progress of the job and photos along the way. I was so nervous to see the final product for no reason at all. My couch and loveseat turned out spectacular.”
Antique Restoration questions from New York customers
Does reupholstering an antique lower its value?
Not when it is done with traditional methods. Rebuilding with hand tied springs, horsehair and tacks preserves value. Foam, staples and stripping an original finish are what hurt it. We document what is original before any work starts.
What is the difference between hand tied springs and modern springs?
Hand tied coil springs are tied to each other and to the frame in eight directions so the seat moves as one surface. Modern sinuous or zigzag springs are cheaper and faster but sit differently. Antiques were built with coils, and we rebuild them the same way.
Can you find period appropriate fabric?
Yes. We source damasks, velvets, horsehair cloth, needlepoint and reproduction prints suited to the period of the piece, and we work with your own fabric from a designer showroom.
Should an antique finish be stripped?
Rarely. An original finish that is dirty or dull is usually cleaned, repaired and waxed. We strip only when the finish has failed or has been painted over, and we say which before starting.
Do you pick up antiques from estates and storage units?
Yes. We collect pieces from estates, storage facilities and dealers across the five boroughs and Westchester, blanket wrapped and insured in transit.
Ready for antique furniture restoration in NYC?
Text photos for a same day quote. Pickup and delivery in all five boroughs, 25+ years of upholstery in New York.