Pieces of antique furniture face a lot through the years, especially cabinetry. The handles break, the wood chips, and the color fades. But, there are some do-it-yourself steps to take to restore your antique china cabinet to its former glory.
If you don’t have the time or experience to restore your antique china cabinet, let us do it for you! We have 30 years of experience working on wood and upholstered antique furniture. Contact us today and request a free quote on our restoration services! We service people in Brighton, Ann Arbor, and the rest of Southeast Michigan!
Has your kitchen or dining room sets seen better days? Do your chairs look scratched and worn? Has the kitchen table lost its shine and covered in stains? Before you run out to Gardner White or Art Van to buy a brand new set, consider restoring your old set. At Foxwood Restorations, we can restore your old kitchen or dining room set to look like new.
When it comes to furniture restoration Brighton, your number one source is Foxwood Restorations. We have been in the business of restoring old furniture for decades and have extensive experience.
That piece of furniture sitting in your attic or passed down from your grandmother might be more than just a sentimental item. It could be a valuable asset waiting for a new lease on life. Many people wonder if it’s worth the effort to fix up an old dresser or dining table. The answer is often a resounding yes.
As a general rule, any piece of furniture in good condition that passes through two generations starts increasing in value.
A generation is typically about 20 to 25 years. This means that furniture from our parents’ and grandparents’ eras is now appreciating. Before you replace that dated-looking piece with a modern alternative, let’s explore why restoring it is often the smarter, more sustainable, and more valuable choice.
Have you noticed the term “retro” popping up in furniture stores? Manufacturers are trying to replicate the styles of past decades. However, these reproductions rarely match the originals in quality. The truth is, furniture will likely never again be made with the solid construction or high-quality materials used in pieces from previous generations.
As a company who has worked with furniture for years, we generally will not restore any piece less than 25 years old. Around that time, much of the industry shifted. Many manufacturers began building furniture with pressboard, sawdust mixed with glue, and inferior woods like poplar and rubberwood. We have witnessed the quality of mass-produced furniture decline to the point where it is often little more than firewood with a pretty finish. These pieces are designed to be disposable, not to last.
In contrast, older furniture was built to endure. The craftsmanship, design, and high-end woods used are simply not standard in today’s market.
When you’re deciding whether to restore a piece, it helps to know what signs of quality to look for. These details are what set true vintage items apart from their modern, mass-produced counterparts.
The most significant difference is the material. Older furniture is often made from solid hardwoods like oak, walnut, cherry, and mahogany. These woods are durable, strong, and can be sanded and refinished multiple times. You can identify solid wood by looking at the edge of a tabletop or drawer front. If the grain pattern wraps around from the top to the side, it’s likely solid wood.
Modern, cheaper furniture frequently uses pressboard or particleboard—wood particles glued together—covered with a thin layer of wood veneer or laminate. While this keeps costs down, these materials are easily damaged by moisture and cannot be repaired or refinished in the same way as solid wood.
How a piece of furniture is held together is another indicator of its quality. Look for traditional joinery techniques, which create strong, lasting bonds.
Newer, mass-produced items often rely on staples, screws, and glue, which can loosen and fail over time.
Choosing to restore an old piece of furniture offers several powerful benefits over buying new.
Not every old item is a hidden gem. Here’s a simple checklist to help you decide.
Consider Restoring If:
Consider Replacing If:
So treasure the furniture of your previous family generations. Restore it, Repair it, treat it with love. There will never again be any furniture produced with this fine woodworking, design and high end woods.
~ Best, Betty.
Original Chippendale Antique Furniture pieces are very rare to come by, although replicas and the style of antique furniture has lived on! Thomas Chippendale was a furniture and cabinet designer in the 1700’s his style of furniture is very popular, if you like antique furniture I’m sure you know all about him. Our restoration specialists, old world repair craftsmen and experienced re-finishers can restore originals and replicas.
In the mid-18th Century many wealthy home and furniture makers purchased these original handmade pieces and then made copies. Many replicas of Chippendale Style Furniture are hand carved but you can tell they are not originals because the depth and detail of the carving is not the same. Some identifiers antique furniture collectors look for are;
Here at Foxwood Restoration we specialize in restoring antique furniture. Chippendale style antique furniture can be repaired and restored as long as exceptional care is taken. We are excited and honored to work on restoring and repairing types of Chippendale antique furniture. We take pride in the care and specialty we provide when restoring antique furniture for all of Livingston County and Michigan.
If you have any questions on Antique Chippendale antique furniture restoration contact us at 810-220-0123. We will be privileged to help you and provide you with the best knowledge possible on restoring your antique furniture.