How to Reupholster a Duncan Phyfe Sofa

Duncan Phyfe was an American furniture designer that created a wide variety of furniture pieces, most commonly in classical French and English styles. Many Duncan Phyfe pieces are highly collectible and should only be reupholstered by a skilled, qualified craftsman familiar with the details of the original piece. However, there any many Duncan Phyfe-style sofas available, all of which can be reupholstered without lowering their value.

Instructions

Before Reupholstering

1. Inspect the sofa to see if it is an original Duncan Phyfe sofa. While you may not be able to tell in all cases, almost all Duncan Phyfe furniture was made with a solid mahogany frame and stamped brass feet. In some cases, there may be a manufacturer's tag under the muslin dust cloth on the bottom of the sofa.

2. Have the sofa checked by a qualified furniture appraiser to make sure it is an authentic Duncan Phyfe sofa. If the sofa is authentic, you may not want to reupholster, choosing to repair damaged areas instead. In some cases, the sofa may be more valuable in its current state than if reupholstered.

3. Seek out a qualified furniture restoration professional to reupholster your sofa properly without changing the value of the sofa. Look for a upholsterer with a background in antique and collectible furniture restoration with particular knowledge and experience working on Duncan Phyfe sofas.

4. Make the sofa feel more contemporary. You will need to choose contemporary patterns and materials. However, if you are trying to keep the sofa looking like it did when it was built, you will need to use more traditional materials and patterns.

Contemporary Updates

1. Make the sofa feel more contemporary. You will need to choose contemporary patterns and materials. Replace patterned fabric with more up-to date-fabric. Patterns like floral prints and wide stripes in pastels and soft colors tend to look somewhat dated. Use solid, bright colors like red, black or white.

2. Use durable fabrics that can be washed if you are putting the sofa in a high traffic area or if you have small children or pets. Generally, dark-color fabrics are easier to clean and help to hide stains, but certain materials like suede can be very difficult to maintain even in dark colors. Other materials like washable microfiber can be much simpler to keep clean even in light colors.

3. Reupholster the sofa with leather instead of fabric. Leather comes in a wide variety of qualities and price ranges, and it can be used in both contemporary and traditional design motifs depending on what type of leather you choose. If you are putting the sofa in a high traffic area, use heavy leather that is resistant to water and stains and avoid untreated natural leathers that are easily damaged by spills and heavy use.

Traditional Reupholstery

1. Use similar material to the material you are replacing to keep the authentic look of the sofa. If you prefer to use a solid color instead of a pattern, consider colors like light yellow and brown that can work with multiple different styles of décor.

2. Avoid colors generally associated with contemporary design like black and red, as well as abstract prints. In a more traditional setting, these colors and types of prints will look out of place.

3. Use distressed or antiqued leather if you plan on finishing the sofa in leather but want to keep a more traditional style. Distressed leather comes in a wide variety of different colors and grades, and it helps to make the sofa feel more authentic because the sofa will look slightly worn through regular use.

Tips & Warnings

• Your Duncan Phyfe sofa may have considerable monetary value in its current state. Before reupholstering the sofa, have it looked at by a qualified furniture appraiser, as alterations may lower the value of the piece.

References

• Interior Design; John F. Pile; 2003
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Duncan Phyfe (1768–1854) and Charles-Honoré Lannuier (1779–1819)