10/13/2026
When formality becomes amusing.
When furnishing Old Milford House, I wanted to honour the home’s character and era. I stumbled across these two Victorian chairs for a whopping $30.00 for both!
The fabric? A little questionable. A little stuffy. And absolutely perfect.
When I brought them to our upholsterer, he practically begged me to change the fabric. But how could I? In a way, it was the fabrics that gave this furniture the special elegance I was envisioning in the space. The colours worked beautifully with the dining room and the over the top pattern had a charm all on its own. He repaired the frames, replaced the horsehair cushioning, and reluctantly let the fabric live on.
Here’s the thing about decorating: sometimes you have to take a leap and buy the piece that’s just a little too much. Too ornate, too formal, perhaps even a little stuffy. Because strangely enough, those elaborate pieces can look incredibly modern in a contemporary setting while adding dimension to a relatively flat modern space. The contrast is what makes them sing! Their uniqueness becomes the statement and the past crafts are old enough in design that they become modern to our senses…new and unusual.
In my case, I was deliberately going for a formal dining room, one where the stuffiness was wonderfully over the top that it became a little amusing.
And really, when do we get to pretend anymore? So many homes have done away with the formal dining room. Here you can sit up a little straighter, enjoy your morning coffee in the bay window, or pour yourself an after dinner drink and embrace the occasion.
Because sometimes a fancy chair can make it an occasion and that’s fun!
