From the Shop · Wylie, Texas

Our Work. Piece by Piece.

Pieces that have come through the shop on Regency Drive, each shown as it arrived and as it left.

Before: two carved oak-coloured armchairs with barley-twist legs, their upholstery torn away to bare hessian and stuffing spilling onto the floor. After: the same two chairs re-covered in a cream fabric with a green and rust crewel vine pattern, the frames cleaned and glowing.

Case 01 · Upholstery

Pair of Barley-Twist Armchairs

The pair came in with the covers gone entirely and the stuffing hanging off the frames in sheets. Both chairs were stripped back to the wood, the barley-twist frames cleaned and the finish brought back, and the seats and backs built up again under a cream crewel-pattern fabric. The carved finials and the twist legs, which were always the point of these chairs, are what you see first now.

Cane-Back Rocker

The back panel on this rocker was sound, so it stayed. The seat had gone through in the middle, which is where they always go, and it was rewoven by hand in new cane to match the weave and the colour of the panel above it. The carved crest and the frame were cleaned and the finish revived rather than replaced.

Cedar Chest

Under the grey haze this chest had a book-matched veneer front that had not been seen properly in years. The old finish came off, the veneer was cleaned, and a new finish was built up to bring the figure back. The rounded waterfall edges, which are easy to sand through, came out of it crisp.

Dome-Top Trunk

A trunk like this is a wooden box under everything else, and this one had broken slats, a split lid and most of its hardware gone. The box was made sound first, the broken slats replaced, and the body and lid re-covered. Brass corners, clasps and a lock finish it.

Grandfather Clock

This case went from a pale honey colour to a deep, even brown from hood to plinth, with the arched top and the door mouldings kept crisp, and the brass dial was cleaned. A clock case is furniture and is treated as furniture here. The movement inside is a separate conversation.

Side-by-Side Secretary

This arrived stripped to bare wood, with the glass masked off and the mirror lying loose. The carved crest and mirror frame went back on, and the whole piece was finished dark so the curved glass door, the drop front and the scrollwork read as one again.

Channel-Back Settee

The old cover on this settee had faded to nothing and torn along the front rail. It was stripped to the frame, the channelled back rebuilt channel by channel so the curve reads properly, new seat cushions made, and the whole thing re-covered in a red paisley with the carved feet cleaned and the finish revived.

Roll-Top Desk

A roll-top is only worth refinishing if the tambour still runs afterwards, so the slatted top is finished as a working part, not a panel. The case went from a tired blonde to a deep brown and the drawer pulls were replaced.

Before and After.

Before: a dark side chair with a green leather seat torn open to the padding and worn arms. After: the same chair in new green leather with a scalloped apron and brass nail trim.

Green Leather Side Chair

Upholstery

Seat torn through to the padding. Re-covered in green leather with the brass nailing redone.

Oval-Back Armchair

Upholstery

Down to the bare frame. Built back up and covered in a striped silk.

Before: a side chair in worn striped fabric with its seat webbing collapsed and springs hanging below the rail. After: two matching chairs re-covered in a navy and gold damask with brass nail trim, on a wood floor.

Pair of Side Chairs

Upholstery

Springs hanging out of one, both re-covered in a navy damask with brass nailing.

Wingback Armchair

Upholstery

Re-covered in an ivory damask, with the carved arms cleaned and the nailing replaced.

Before: a dining table and ladder-back chairs with torn plaid seats in a garage. After: the same set with the table refinished and the chairs re-covered in cream, on a red patterned rug.

Ladder-Back Dining Set

Upholstery

Table refinished, chairs re-covered in a cream fabric to match.

Cane-Back Dining Chairs

Upholstery

A set of painted cane-back chairs refinished dark and given new seats.

Before: a bentwood rocking chair with a cane back and a cane seat broken through, in a cluttered workshop. After: the same rocker with a new hand-woven cane seat and a refinished frame, in front of a fireplace.

Cane Rocking Chair

Caning

Seat cane broken through. Rewoven by hand and the frame refinished.

Before: an upright piano with a dull finish and a bench with a torn seat, in a workshop. After: the same piano refinished a deep red-brown with the bench re-covered in cream, on a rug.

Upright Piano and Bench

Refinishing

Case refinished a deep red-brown and the bench re-covered in cream.

Before: a small side table with one drawer and a lower shelf, its top grey and worn, in a garage. After: the same table refinished a warm red-brown with a polished brass pull, holding a vase of white flowers.

Single-Drawer Side Table

Refinishing

Top gone grey and the finish worn through. Refinished with a new brass pull.

Before: a small cabinet on turned legs with peeling grey paint, in a workshop. After: the same cabinet refinished a deep brown with a lamp and books on top.

Side Cabinet

Refinishing

Chipped paint stripped back and the turned legs and door refinished dark.

Kneehole Desk

Refinishing

Old paint flaking off every drawer. Stripped, refinished and fitted with new pulls.

Before: a half-round console table with green paint peeling off in sheets. After: the same table stripped and refinished a warm brown, with turned legs and a lower shelf, in a sitting room.

Demilune Console

Refinishing

Green paint peeling off a half-round table. Stripped and refinished to the wood.

Poster Bed

Refinishing

Headboard and footboard refinished, the carved crest and turned posts cleaned up.

Tea Cart

Refinishing

Two tiers, both bleached by the sun. Refinished to a deep brown.

Before: a small hall bench with barley-twist spindles and a carved back panel, its finish scuffed and worn. After: the same bench refinished an even dark brown.

Barley-Twist Hall Bench

Refinishing

Scuffed and dull, refinished with the carved back panel and twist spindles intact.

Bow-Front Sideboard

Restoration

Water-stained, doors off, drawers out. Rebuilt, refinished and fitted with brass.

Before: a close view of a buffet with carved doors and frieze under a dry, grey finish. After: the same carving refinished a deep brown, every leaf and scroll sharp.

Carved Buffet

Restoration

Carved doors and frieze under a grey, dried-out finish. Cleaned and refinished dark.

Before: a dressing table painted black with its oval mirror frame lying loose on top, outdoors by a fence. After: the same vanity refinished a warm brown with the mirror mounted and a striped bench in front.

Vanity with Mirror

Restoration

Black paint, mirror frame off. Stripped, refinished and put back together with a new bench.

Before: a dresser with a swing mirror, its top worn through to bare wood, in a cluttered workshop. After: the same dresser refinished a deep red-brown with the mirror re-set.

Dresser with Mirror

Restoration

Top worn through and the mirror clouded. Refinished with the swing mirror re-set.

Not everything the shop takes on is pictured here. Custom seating, metal welding, glass and mirror, and marble and granite polishing all happen on the same bench.

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If your piece looks like one of the befores, or worse, that is normal. The whole piece, then the damage close up, and we will tell you what it needs.

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