Care

Stabilising joints before cosmetics

Loose chair stretchers and cupboard hinges get attention first. A glossy wipe that hides movement only postpones failure once central heating cycles through a Bruges winter.

We photograph joints before and after so you can see what changed structurally versus what stayed as found.

Find

Finish choices for canal humidity

Shellac and hard wax oils behave differently beside the Reien. We favour finishes that can be refreshed locally rather than thick polyurethane skins that crack when timber moves.

Gilded frames stay dry-cleaned unless flaking demands a conservator; we will not invent missing ornament.

Place

When to stop restoring

Knife marks on a butcher block and faded velvet on a seat tell household history. We stop when the piece is safe to use and readable as itself, not when it looks newly manufactured.

If a client wants a near-new look, we say so upfront and price a heavier workshop plan — or decline if the object’s value is in its scars.

Care

Workshop partners inside Flanders

Caning, rush seats, and fine marquetry leave Steenstraat for specialists in Ghent and Roeselare. Turnaround for a dining set of six chairs is usually three to five weeks after intake.

You approve a written scope before any blade or solvent touches the piece.

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Typical restoration fees

Condition reports with photos start at €95 per object. Structural repair on a side chair often runs €140–€280. A mid-size armoire with hinge work and surface refresh commonly falls between €420 and €890.

Upholstery fabric is billed at cost; labour for a seat rebuild is quoted after we see the frame.