Antique Restoration
Preserving Age, Character And Story
We restore furniture, interiors and architectural woodwork, breathing life back into what you love or hold dear.
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Often, the pieces that come to us carry far more than their weight in wood.
They hold family history, stories that have travelled through generations.
It might be a cherished heirloom that has been passed down, something remembered from childhood, or a wedding gift from a great-granddad returning from the war.
These objects have tremendous sentimental value.
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And then there are those who live in listed homes, who feel a deep sense of responsibility to look after what has been entrusted to them. It is their turn to care for something of historic value, and they want to get it right.
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That is where restoration begins.
Whether it is sentimental, monetary or historic, it is a deep appreciation of the worth of what is in front of you and an understanding of how easily something can be damaged by the wrong timber, the wrong finish or the wrong metalwork.
A Deep Understanding Of Restoration
I have been around wood and restoration since I was a child. My dad was a carpenter, so I grew up in a workshop, watching, listening and learning how things were made and how they should be repaired. That early start gave me an instinct for materials and a real respect for craftsmanship.
By my teens, I was already hooked on history and old craftsmanship. I would spend hours in museums, sketching and studying shapes, surfaces and proportion. That is where my love of thoughtful design and history became a lifelong craft.
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I learnt how wood moves, how it develops over time in colour and texture, and how to recreate age with the same understanding the old makers had.​​
Today I work mostly on my own in the workshop, but for larger interior or architectural projects, I collaborate with a small group of trusted craftspeople, experts in finishing, joinery and installation.
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Over the years, I have worked alongside some of the country’s finest restorers on pieces for private collections and museums, including the V&A.
I have restored work for the world’s leading arts and antiques fairs, such as the Grosvenor House Fair in London, where we handled pieces for top international dealers.
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That experience has also taken me into major heritage projects, including HMS Victory, Lord Nelson’s ship from the Battle of Trafalgar.
I restored the bedroom furniture from that historic flagship down in Portsmouth.
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Whether a project is grand or deeply personal, the same care, attention and skill go into every piece.
Your project is in safe hands.
The Challenges Of Getting It Right
Clients who come for a restoration project often share the same worries.
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Some are anxious about trust. They have had work done before that was not right, and they want to be sure the person handling their piece knows how to treat it properly.
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Others are concerned about authenticity. In making something better, they fear losing what made it special in the first place: the small marks of use, the texture of age, the quiet signs of life that can never be replaced.
And for many, it is about respect for the history of the piece or for the building it belongs to. They want to do the right thing, to preserve its story without erasing what time has given it.
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True restoration is about keeping what time has given, not taking it away.
It takes an experienced eye, patience and the right touch, knowing when to act, when to hold back and how to let the work speak for itself.
Every project depends on observation, respect, precision, restraint and instinct.
"Your project is in safe hands."
Inside The Workshop
A very good restorer has to be skilled in so many things.
One day I will have all my carving chisels out on the bench, hundreds of them, as I am carving detail. Another day, I will be working on marquetry, cutting delicate patterns with tiny saws.
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There are days spent cutting coves and mouldings by hand, or French polishing with pigments and oils, or making waxes in different shades and tones to match the original finish.
You might see me shade, colour or chemically treat timber in order to age it, changing the surface gently, the way sunlight does over time.
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It is all about manipulating the surface, shaping it with my hands until it looks and feels right, until the new and the old sit comfortably together.
I am always trying to understand how the original makers thought, the tools they used, the intention behind every joint or curve, and how to honour that in what I do next.
"Owen is professional, reliable and highly skilled, he undertakes all his work with care and precision, which stems from a genuine love of what he does, having undertaken a variety of jobs for us everything he has done is to the highest of standards. Highly recommended!"
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— Mr & Mrs A in Caldy
Get In Touch
Preserving what is valuable is at the heart of every restoration.
When it is done with care and respect, the piece feels whole again, ready for another chapter with a new lease of life.
If you would like to protect the value and story of what matters to you, I would be glad to help.
Or explore more of our work in Historic Joinery and Bespoke Furniture.