When you have a treasured piece of antique furniture that you feel is in need of some improvement, the first question you need to ask yourself is: Are you going to have the piece completely restored, cleaned and refinished, or are you merely trying to have some damage repaired? To help you in your decision and complete the operation to your satisfaction, you need a high quality antique furniture restorer. The question is, how do you find the right professional for your piece?
A Professional Furniture Restorer will See the Value
Many companies are happy to quote you a price to refinish your piece of furniture and return it to you in ‘as new’ condition. This outcome, for most owners, is the last thing they want. All the little dents and bruises that a piece of furniture picks up over the years, along with the patination, are part of what makes an antique more than just a piece of furniture. What most owners want is for the restorer to perform the restoration in a manner which is sympathetic to the piece.
A Professional will have a lot to Say
Choosing the best restorer is a highly important decision and requires some research. An amateur furniture restorer can completely destroy the value of a piece, and also sabotage any opportunity for it to be rescued once it reaches the hands of a competent professional. A credible restoration company will not be able to quote you for a restoration without spending some time examining the piece. Then the company will spend time discussing the options that you have, explaining the pros and cons of various types of restoration options that will be open to you.
A Professional knows how to Protect what’s Yours
In addition to carrying out a top quality restoration on your furniture piece, the restorer should be able to take care of your furniture from the moment they collect it. Reputable, established restoration companies will have their own dedicated vehicles to ensure that no damage occurs during collection and delivery. Most of these companies will be happy to store your restored piece when the work is complete until you are ready to receive it back.
A Professional will Show you their Body of Work
Once you have decided on the type of work that you want performed on your piece, ask the restoration company for examples of previous work they have performed of the type you are looking for. A good company will be happy to do this for you, because they are happy with their track record. As a final check, ask to speak to their previous customers and ask them about their experiences with the company.
A Word of Advice
During our 30 years of antique furniture restoration, we at Rahn’s Furniture Restoration have been asked to rectify many poorly restored pieces. Regrettably, we have encountered many cases in which much of the patination has been lost. Although we are often able to restore the antique coloration, part of the story of the piece has been lost forever. We strongly advise proper due diligence before choosing an antique furniture restorer.
