A blue dresser with two drawers and a mirror.

Conversion to a New Decor

The Eastlake style was introduced in the late 1800s for those who were tired of the Victorian style. This piece has been finished in a deep blue and "washed" with a breath of white to fit a new decor.

Conversion of an Eastlake "Ladies Writing Desk" for a New Decor

A wooden desk with blue paint on the top.
A black wooden box sitting on top of a table.
A view of the inside of a room from above.
A blue desk with two drawers and a small cabinet.
A can of paint sitting on top of a wooden table.
A blue desk with drawers and a small cabinet.

Gothic Bench

Assessing the Damage

The bench was dropped on it's end during a move, breaking the arm and decorative railing. The finish overall needed new life as well.

A bench that is sitting in the dirt.

Previous Repairs

Attempts had been made previously to glue the pieces together, requiring removal of old glue to be the first part of the repair.

A wooden headboard with some paint on it

Support and Strength

Splits and cracks like this one are particularly hard to repair, the strength of the new piece being the major concern.

A wooden table with some green stuff on it

Replacement of Structure

The arm support was given a new dowel into the seat to provide integrity and keep it strong.

A wooden bench with a ball on top of it.

Saving Delicate Parts

Delicate re-assembly of the small broken pieces allowed this portion to be replaced in near original condition. Touch up work makes the repair nearly invisible.

A wooden bench in the middle of a room.

Making Things Look New

This part was also saved using the original wood and repairs are only minimally visible. Fortunately, the owner saved even the small pieces after the break.

A close up of the wooden seat and back of an old piano.

Stickley Desk

A rusty shelf in the middle of two different sections.

This Stickley slant top desk came to us from a garage in Long Island, where a builder found it while doing repairs.

Two drawers with metal handles on top of each other.

Drawer faces were scratched, and a drawer pull was missing. We were able to have an exact replica re-cast by a foundry.

A wooden table with a leather cover and some writing on it

Stickley has a museum and very helpful people. They provided enough information to date the piece to the 1950s or 60s.

A wooden desk with drawers and shelves in it.

We sanded the entire piece lightly and were able to remove the old top finish. Stripping is always a last resort.

A wooden dresser with two drawers and a top.

A combination of stain and tung oil brought the original finish back to life and provided a luster that preserved the character of this iconic desk.

A wooden desk with two drawers and a small compartment.

New brass hinges completed the look and allowed for smooth operation of the slant top.