Matt Barclay restores antique, timber and mid-century furniture from a small Kingston Beach workshop. The work is careful, conservative and done by hand: French polishing, cane repairs, joint work, veneer, drawers, desks, chairs and the pieces families want to keep.
Old furniture usually asks for restraint. Matt's work covers the practical repairs and the finishing work: French polishing, antique restoration, cane and woodwork repairs, and sympathetic revival of mid-century timber pieces.
A good first conversation is usually practical: what the piece is, what has happened to it, whether it can be repaired, and whether the work is worth doing.
French polishing, antique repair, cane and woodwork, and mid-century revival explained plainly.
Before-and-after examples make the care and judgement visible without over-selling it.
A tired finish, loose hardware, a split cane panel or a damaged surface tells part of the story. The finished piece tells the rest.
See before and after"Matt's attention to detail and his knowledge of French polishing will see this furniture survive for another hundred years or more."
Di"His meticulous attention to detail brought both beauty and functionality back to the piece, all while respecting its original charm."
Thuy Nguyen"Highly skilled and a rare attention to detail that is hard to find. I have had several pieces restored by him and the results are outstanding."
MalcolmSend a few photographs and a short note about the piece. Matt can give you a practical sense of what may be possible, what the work would involve, and whether it is worth doing.