A good restoration should feel like the piece finally became itself again.

Not new. Not trendy. Not rewritten.

Just… revived.

One of the biggest fears people have when they bring us a vintage or heirloom piece is:
“What if it stops feeling like mine?”
Or: “What if it loses what makes it special?”

That’s a fair concern. Restoration can either honor a piece’s identity — or erase it.

What “identity” means in furniture

Furniture has identity in the same way a house does. It’s made up of:

• Era and design language (MCM, traditional, industrial, etc.)

• Materials and build quality (solid wood, veneer, joinery)

• Patina and wear patterns (the story of how it’s been used)

• Proportions and details (hardware, legs, edges, grain)

When someone loves a piece, they usually love it because those elements are speaking to them, even if they can’t name why.

The difference between “cleaned up” and “wiped out”

There’s a line between restoring and overcorrecting.

Overcorrecting looks like:

• stripping everything until it feels sterile

• using a finish that’s too glossy or too thick

• sanding through crisp edges or design details

• replacing hardware with something generic

• “modernizing” a piece that was never meant to be modern

Restoration done right keeps the piece honest.

Our approach: respect first, improvement second

When we restore, we start with questions, not tools:

• What era is it from?

• What materials are we working with?

• What should be preserved?

• What actually needs repair?

• What’s the goal — daily use, resale, or heirloom longevity?

Sometimes the best move is a full rebuild of structure with a finish refresh.
Sometimes it’s minor repair and gentle refinishing.
Sometimes it’s preserving patina because that’s where the magic is.

Why Mid-Century Modern needs a careful hand

MCM furniture has clean lines and intentional proportions. That means:

• Over-sanding softens the design.

• Wrong sheen changes the whole vibe.

• Bad veneer work stands out immediately.

• Hardware choices matter more than people think.

MCM pieces don’t need to be “made pretty.” They need to be made right.

The best compliment we ever hear

The best compliment isn’t “It looks new.”

It’s:
“It looks like it did — only better.”
Or:
“It feels like the piece I remember.”

That’s the goal.

-> If you want to restore a piece without losing what makes it special, bring it in (or send photos). We’ll talk through options and help you choose a direction that fits the piece — not just a trend.