Antique Cabinet/Secretary Revival

Cabinet After

Cabinet Before

This was an antique glass cabinet/secretary which had damage on the bottom curved section due to a dog chewing on it. Replacing wood from pet damage can be difficult since it involves putting something there that is missing. This area was uniquely difficult because of its location, right in the front and to make matters  more complicated, on a curve parallel to the curved glass door. 

There was also a piece of wood missing along the top in the back which Jim replaced with a matching piece of oak that looked like it had belonged there and was a great addition.

The rest of the piece was in pretty good condition but needed full stripping and refinishing. This piece had some lovely original features including detailed wood carving on the drop-down desk area right below the leaded glass panel which was a separate place to store knick-knacks. Three storage drawers were right below the desk area, a nice place to keep stationary and other desk items. 

Interior of  Desk Area

Jim had to remove the door, drawers, leaded glass panel and drop-down area to be able to access the interior and properly strip the interior. The shelves weren’t included in the “before” photo, but they were later added  in the “after” photo. Jim had to recreate the missing wood section where the dog chew damage was, no easy task, but somehow he created another piece of oak and formed it to follow the curve of the original radius so that it looked natural as if it had been there all along. 

Working with antiques are never cut and dry as each piece is unique and requires a lot of thought, time and improvisation. We always try to maintain the original integrity of the antique and the end result shows the time and dedication we put into every piece. This one is a great example of the process of refinishing as well as innovation mixed in with creativity and a great deal of time commitment. 

Drum Table from Bleak to Beautiful Black

Drum Table Painted

Drum Table Before

 A classic drum table is one of the most loved furniture items in traditional homes. This popular table has many uses and can fit almost anywhere. This drum table had a unique top with what we originally thought to be leather, but it had a paper origin and couldn’t be removed, so stripping and staining it was not an option. I recommend painting it black and it was unanimously agreed that would be the best solution for the most attractive outcome. 

This table had wheels that were kept, but in addition to the original brass hardware needed cleaning. It’s amazing just how great brass hardware polishes up. What you almost don’t notice becomes the star of the show! Hardware is like the “bling” or jewelry for any furniture. If you like the original look but want to it show up better, polishing it is a great option. We’ve also had luck with painting hardware when polishing either isn’t desired, or the customer wants a different color. So many choices! 

Many of these tables were made in the late 1930’s, but some, like this one, is a reproduction. You can usually tell by looking at how the table is assembled whether or not is is an original. Older, antique furniture makers used much larger screws and their assembly techniques were significantly different than factory reproductions. The antiques are actually easier to work on because the wood is usually much higher quality and refinishes perfectly. 

There are some die-hard traditionalists that don’t like the look of painted furniture, but sometimes it’s the best option when the wood used either isn’t that great (as in mixing and matching) or doesn’t take the stain well. In our experience, if a piece comes to us painted, there’s a 50/50 chance it won’t stain well. But each piece has a different story and history, so until you strip, you can’t know for sure. But one thing is for certain and that is the end result is always better than what you started with, no matter what option you choose.

Antique Desk Cabinet

Cabinet Before

This lovely old cabinet came to us in less than perfect condition. It had seen a lot of use over the years, judging by the scratches and wear, however, we were able to detect the high quality of the wood (tiger oak) and the overall structure of the piece and knew we would be able to breathe new life

into it making it shine again. 

Cabinet After

We determined that this cabinet once had a large door, likely glass, which had opened on left side where the shelves were located, but the owner no longer had the door and didn't mind not having one. The cabinet had only three of the four original wheels. Luckily we had the same style of wheels leftover from a previous job, so we were able to add the fourth wheel, making this piece much easier to move around. (It's a good idea to save hardware!)