Antique furniture has an appeal of its own – even if the materials are very old (sometimes about to decay or break even) or the colours have faded – most homeowners will agree that there is something about these pieces of furniture – perhaps their craftsmanship or perhaps their intricate decoration – that draws people into them. It is this specific quality that has allowed most pieces of furniture from the past to remain valuable on the market today, and it is a reason why many homeowners try to either salvage old furniture from second-hand shops, or try to protect and restore their very own family heirlooms. Below are a number of useful tips to keep in mind when it comes restoring antiques:
- Patience and time – if there is any helpful tip you need to first internalize, it is that you will need plenty of time, devotion and patience to bring an old piece of furniture back into working condition. As you would understand, antique furniture is very delicate, and often in poor condition. As any shop doing antique furniture restoration Brisbane or elsewhere would let you know, there are a number of processes that need to be done in order to re-strengthen the material, repair any existing damages and apply the right finishes. Doing all of this certainly takes a lot of time and patience, so if you are expecting a quick job to make it in time for your new home décor, you might want to rethink this.
- Research goes a long way – once again, keep in mind that antique furniture is quick to break: the slightest mishap can easily make an antique article costly to repair, or impossible at all. This is why researching and inspecting the article of furniture (before getting into any restoration procedures) is very important. Every piece of furniture has a story to tell: be it with regards to the materials they were used, how old it is or what it was meant to do. It would be worthwhile to research about the history of a specific antique sofa set before you get to the upholstery repairs, for example – there is a good chance that it was a famous piece of furniture, and that it would be worth a significant amount of money nowadays. Haphazardly renovating the furniture, in this case, can easily void its value – you might want to ask for professional help if you realize the antique might be worth more than you first thought.
- Budgeting – and lastly, do not forget to set a ceiling for your budget. Usually, as with most renovation projects, you will find that restoring an antique can easily exceed the budget you first decided on. Research and proper understanding of what you need to do can give you better estimates, but in the end, it is always a good idea to set a hard limit: at some point, pouring money into its renovation might just not be worth it anymore.