Completed Client Commissions

Victorian Farmhouse Rocking Chair

As is typical with chairs and age comes lose joints, wear and tear and damage and this chair was no different.

The legs and stretchers were all lose, the armrests were lose and the wood itself was dry and cracking from its constant positioning in front of a double glazed patio door.

The chair was stripped down where necessary and all the wood was sympathetically cleaned. All the removed pieces were cleaned of any debris before being glued and reinstalled before a number of coats of clear wax were applied.

Arts and Crafts Dressing Table

This late Victorian dressing table looks stunning again now that it’s complete however, that wasn’t the case when it arrived.

Over time the top had become marked, the carcass was falling apart and at some point someone had attempted to restain over the existing finish.

Therefore, the carcass was reglued, the original finish was removed, oiled was applied to renourish the wood and then a final finish was applied.

Circa 1930’s Cocktail/Drinks Cabinet

“Brown Furniture” is beautiful was you stripped off that old shellac finish….. But beware!!! As it often contains amounts of arsenic!

Therefore, any removal of shellac on these types of furniture you should always do so outside with a respirator and suitable safety glasses.

This cabinet was liquid stripped by hand before being given a light sand. Then a coat of medium oak applied before the wax finish.

G Plan Astro ‘Round” Coffee Table

I do have a particular soft spot for “Mid Century” furniture and when this arrived, I gasped!

The top joints were already coming apart and the dowels which attach the legs to the top were broken….

The top segments were separated and the dowels drilled out. All the joints were cleaned and reglued and then the original finish was cleaned back before being refinished and finally the leg structure was reattached to the top.

Ercol Model 355 Studio Couch.

Isn’t she beautiful?

Spindles were reglued and parts of the bentwood end rails were repaired before all the wood was refinished.

Then, all the webbing was replaced and although I’ve never replaced webbing before, it was pretty simple.

Ercol Model No. 468 Sideboard

Beware of direct sunlight and central heating…..

Ercol made and still make some stunning pieces and this sideboard is not exception until it’s subjected to UV and heat over a prolonged period of time without timely maintenance.

This unit was completely cleaned and all the old finish was removed before the wood was renourished and new layers of a UV and heat resistant product was applied to reveal the beautiful wood grain and warmth.

Ercol Model No. 469 Serving Cabinet.

What a beauty!

Well, this cabinet photograph is just one of many I take when a piece comes in for work. At first glance it looks fine but look!

There’s fading of the original finish, ingrained dust and dehydration.

A good cleaning to remove the old finish, clean away the dirt from the grain then a series of layers of finish to return the cabinet back to new.

Victorian Pine Blanket Box

A much loved through generations and very much used blanket box which had numerous surface marks, missing hinges and broken lock.

The box was sanded, oiled and waxed. New hinges were fitted and an age appropriate lock installed to bring back its history.

Georgian Chest of Drawers

Old yet loved came in with a great deal of stains, drawers stoppers lost or worn down, broken veneer decoration to the front oh, and the feet had been removed!

I did a liquid clean to remove the stains, repaired the decorative veneer pieces, made all new drawer stops then oiled and waxed.

NOTE the small veneer piece on the side was fitted from an earlier repair some 60 years previous to me working on it and it had been decided to leave it visible.

Bow Fronted 2 over 4

It’s very rarely, thankfully that a piece comes into the workshop in pieces, with rot which had eaten away the lower front foot, drawer dividers missing and a great deal of veneer damaged or missing and yet here it is……

A replacement foot was made, drawers dividers were re-instated and where necessary/needed veneer was replaced as well as, two replacement pressed metal handles installed. Then French polished.