The team at BS&R have a passion for antiques, and our showroom is full of stunning pieces that validate this sentiment. In Bermuda we are lucky to have such a rich history with many of us inheriting beautiful buildings, pieces, and furniture.
Many of those items have seen better days and are sitting around collecting dust. What an injustice! These pieces are beautiful and represent our heritage, however they need to be maintained before they are lost to negligence.
With the holidays approaching we are excited to showcase our Antique Restorations Department and the miracles they can do.
We have a soft spot for this department as it has been a feature since our company’s inception. From the beginning we have built our business on impeccable restorations and reproductions.
Taking a piece and restoring it gives us a great sense of satisfaction and pride. Most of these pieces have their own unique beauty to them and we are happy to help their owners fulfil the potential in them. For many of our clients this is a wonderful gift of memories. Picture the scene when Grandma’s old rocker is restored and gifted to her at Christmas. All the memories of rocking her children, and even of being rocked herself, are remembered with that simple piece of furniture.
Furniture restoration involves any aspect of work that’s required to get an old dresser or chair as close to the original condition as possible. Often it’s more than just a facelift; it’s making the item practical again, and possibly even adding value. Furniture can also be restored to match it with more contemporary décor without compromising its value.
The last great benefit of furniture restoration is lifelong duration. Modern furniture tends to not be handmade, nor with the same high quality wood as in the past. It is therefore advisable to restore your old piece than buying a new one. Restoring old furniture can extend its life for years if not decades.
There are many differences between restoring and repairing. You may achieve functionality with a repair, but restoring an item correctly is an art-form. We are passionate about this process and ensure all our techniques and materials are historically accurate. To preserve valuable antiques, we offer French Polishing services to restore the shellac finish for which antiques are known and prized. Traditional animal hide glue is used for repairing joints and a special ‘reviver’ is employed to remove dirt and restore the shine without damaging the original French polish finish.
We also offer the rare art of veneer, inlay, marquetry, and parquetry. Finally, historically accurate replacement hardware is used in restoration in addition to the original joinery techniques first used to build the piece.
‘Tis the season to take stock of those older pieces hidden away or ignored, and consider bringing them to us in order to give them new life. Enjoy furniture filled with memories and give your loved one the gift of memories this Christmas.