Antique furniture restoration is its own specialty. Done well, it preserves value, extends the life of irreplaceable pieces, and honors the original craftsmanship. Done poorly, it ruins the piece.
Three levels of antique work
1. Period-correct restoration
Restore the piece using the original construction methods — eight-way hand-tied springs, horsehair stuffing, jute webbing, period-correct fabric.
2. Sympathetic restoration
Honor the period and spirit of the piece, but use some modern improvements (better foam, more durable fabric, modernized spring system).
3. Modern reupholstery
Treat the antique like any modern reupholstery project. Cheapest option, but reduces value.
Eight-way hand-tied springs — the gold standard
Most antique upholstered chairs and sofas used eight-way hand-tied spring construction. Each coil spring is tied by hand to its neighbors in eight directions using twine. We restore this work routinely.
Every antique that enters our atelier is treated with reverence — as an object of historical and personal significance.