The Timber Whisperer's Blog

Mahogany Buffet Restoration – they said it couldn’t be done!

August 9, 2021
by Matthew
0 comments

An English C 1810  Flame Mahogany buffet which we had to replace a lot of missing solid timber and Veneer to bring this Buffet back to life. The top was very badly water damaged and other restores said that it couldn’t be fixed. Our high skilled team decided it could be done, they removed the old veneer and dried it out, and made a press to evenly re-glue the top onto the base.

This piece will stand proud back in the family home for many years to come, some times the old ways are the best ways, and our customer is over joyed with the restoration, work of miracles.

Black Gold Rub French Style Chairs – Restored and Reupholstered

August 13, 2018
by Matthew
0 comments

Our client is overjoyed with the end result of the restoration and reupholstering of their French style carved chairs.
We had to fully remove the old white coating and then re-gold them by hand with gold rub. They were finished in a clear coating.

Restoring and polishing brings new life to well loved furniture

May 24, 2018
by Matthew
0 comments

Our client wanted their well loved furniture restored to bring new life into their living rooms. We carefully rechromed, repolished, reparied and age-painted and varnished to remove the wear and tear and revive and refresh creating a fresh feel in the apartment.

On one piece the procedure was very time consuming due to the very flat and full grain finish.

Our team also aged the Lounge chairs and coffee table, in a blue/white wash finish.

Our team of French Polishers did an exceptional job and the client is very happy with the final results.

 

Upholstery to bring a new fresh look and feel

May 24, 2018
by Matthew
0 comments

Our client wanted the living room furniture to look new, to bring a fresh sense of colour and life to the living area. Our team of french polishers  also age-painted the chairs to add to the look and feel. With high quality fabrics and our expert upholsterer we created the look our client wanted and they are very happy with the results.

Heritage project – restoration, carving, french polishing in old CBD building

February 22, 2018
by Matthew
0 comments

Hutchinson Builders asked us to help on a heritage project they are working on, replacing missing paneling and carvings in an old government building in the Brisbane CBD that is being refurbished into a 5 star hotel.

We were also asked to finish all the paneling in the foyer with french polishing.

This project was challenging, the carvings were of a very old style, which took much skill and time to recreate, the Crown mouldings were a large mould which we would have to make new cutters for. The timber used had to match the old sections.

All detailed drawings off each section that had to be replaced had to be approved before any work was started.

In consultation with Hutchinson and the owner we developed a finish to keep the old look and feel, they did not want something that looked like new.

Even the new sections we made had to blend with the original panels, in colour and look and feel.

In this Modern world we should never forget our old Buildings, this project was immense and the results have been rewarding and the foyer is looking better than new, in fact it’s looking delightfully old.

Timber Paneling for Heritage and Practical Applications

November 24, 2017
by Matthew
0 comments

Hutchinson Builders contracted Finer Living to help them restore the solid timber paneling in the New Adina Hotel lobby in the Brisbane Cbd.  Over the years the timber paneling has been badly neglected, sections removed and lost and some timber mouldings broken.

Finer Living worked closely with Hutchinson Builders and the Qld Heritage Dept and made all the timber mouldings by hand using solid Queensland Maple.

This type of work is what Finer Living enjoys recreating, so that many a visitor can enjoy the past well into the future, and feel the history of the building.

You can see the work in progress on our factory floor here.

 

 

Grand Piano Restoration

January 17, 2012
by Matthew
0 comments