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Repair & restoration

Antique Furniture Restoration

Keep the character, replace only what has failed

Antiques

Antique and character furniture wants a lighter hand. Original show-wood, old horsehair, hand-tied springs and a fabric with a history should not all disappear under a modern wrap unless that is what you asked for. We restore seating so the piece still looks like itself.

That can mean traditional fillings where they belong, or a sympathetic foam where the old filling is gone to dust. The conversation is always: what should stay, and what is no longer doing its job.

Show-wood pieces
Horsehair and springs
Sympathetic fabrics
Keep the line

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Restored antique seating — Traditional pieces restored with workshop care

Repair first

We look at the frame, springs, foam and covering separately. If a joint is loose, new cloth will not save it. The honest sequence is inspect, repair, then recover — only if the piece is worth it.

Replace only if needed

Some modern frames are chipboard. Some hides are finished. We would rather say a piece is not worth covering than take a recover that fails in months.

What this actually includes

Explained, not just listed.

Gentle strip

Covering off without destroying a frame that has already been repaired twice.

Traditional support

Springs, webbing and fillings restored in a way that suits the period of the piece.

Fabric choice

Cloth that honours the furniture — not a harsh modern vinyl unless you want that contrast.

Show-wood care

Edges and legs respected; upholstery stopped where timber should show.

How the job runs

From photos to a piece you can sit on.

A clear path from first pictures to workshop finish — so you always know what happens next.

Tell the story

What it is, how old you think it is, and what you want to keep.
Inspect

Frame, previous repairs, worm, and whether it is worth the work.
Agree the line

Traditional versus practical modern internals, confirmed before we start.
Restore

Workshop work paced for the piece, not rushed like a contract recover.

Honest comparison

Advantages & disadvantages

What this service does well — and what to weigh up before you commit.

Advantages

Protects character pieces that should not be replaced
Traditional methods respect original construction
Can combine structural repair with sympathetic covering
Adds usable life while keeping the object honest

Disadvantages

Slower and more expensive than modern recover work
Exact historic materials are not always available
Previous DIY fixes can complicate the job
Not every antique is stable enough to sit on daily

This page is a good fit if…

Inherited chairs and couches with a family story
Show-wood drawing-room pieces
Customers who want restoration, not a modern sofa in an old shape

Quick answers

Questions people actually ask.

Where it is clean and still working. Dust and broken hair are replaced, not bagged back in for romance.

Often yes, from the old marks in the hessian and timber.

Reproduction pieces get a practical recover. True antiques get a longer conversation.

Next step

Send photos for a first quote.

Tell us about the piece — we’ll reply with practical next steps from the Hayes workshop.