Restoring Your Old Hardware and Furniture

If you’re looking to upgrade the older or worn-down furniture in your home, you don’t have to buy brand new pieces. That can be costly. Instead of simply replacing your older furniture, you can save money by choosing to restore it – while maybe even adding value in the process. Restoration entails the process of fixing up pieces of furniture to get them as close to their original condition as possible. This involves a thorough cleaning, replacing broken or missing hardware items, and possibly re-finishing the furniture. Cleaning the furniture first is an important step, because it helps remove years of dirt, dust, and neglect.

For restoring doors, cabinets, or dressers, you may just need to purchase or replace an old knob. The existing one may have scratches or dents on it or it may be worn down from years of use. Finding a new knob or pull that best matches your old one is a key part of the restoration process. Lookintheattic.com has the best selection of home hardware to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. They offer a wide array of different styles of knobs and pulls to allow you to custom fit your old furniture. Perhaps you are looking to restore an old wooden dresser in your bedroom with a new brass doorknob. Lookintheattic has both polished brass and antique brass knobs in all different sizes. And don’t be worried if you need to find a particular architectural style of knob for a unique piece of furniture. They sell everything from Victorian and Colonial styles, to newer Art Deco and Post-modern designs.

(Georgian Roped Knob – Antiqued)

One of the most common restorations is for kitchen hardware. This may involve fixing the hinges on cabinet doors to replacing knobs on the kitchen doors or drawers. Perhaps you need a more stylish chrome or nickel knob to compliment the silver color of your kitchen appliances. Lookintheattic carries polished chrome and brushed nickel styles that will match what you need. Furthermore, they also carry products in oil rubbed bronze, flat black, and other custom finishes.

(Art Deco Knob – Bronzed)

            Restoring old furniture is a good way to go, but it does require that you are thorough and careful in doing it. Completely restoring a piece of furniture to its original condition can add a lot of value to it. And if it’s only a simple knob or pull that needs replacing, you can easily install it yourself even if you’re not a professional! Try Copper Mountain Hardware – or Van Dykes Restorers – or LookInTheAttic.com be your one-stop shop for all your cabinet and kitchen hardware restoration needs.

About the Author

Kohn Coleman born in Michigan – received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 2000 – currently leads several online companies and ventures.

How to take care of bronze sculptures when you have no idea what to do?

I inherited a few sculptures made by a famous sculptor named Gia Japaridze, and they appear to be oxidizing and need cleaning or restoration to keep them in the best condition possible. All of them are fairly small, maybe 14 – 16 inches high, and all of them have been kept indoors. All of them are pretty heavy as well – close to 15 pounds each.. I want to keep them in good condition but don’t want to ruin them by trying to clean or restore them with the wrong application. Is it expensive to have these reconditioned or is it something anyone can do with a little patience and elbow grease? I’d also like to sell them but have no idea where to start, and need to have them appraised. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Keeping the bronze sculptures inside away from water is good.

I don’t know about the oxidizing. Some bronzes are colored by the artists by applying oxides and heating them with a blow torch. This is called a patina. Unless it keeps changing I would not worry to much.

If it is a patina applied by the artist. “cleaning up” the sculpture will reduce the value. Don’t do anything without talking to somebody that knows the artist’s work.

I would suggest you talk to somebody familiar with the artists work about an appraisal and how to care for the pieces. I would try not to do anything to the pieces before talking to the person familiar with the artist’s work.

EDIT: If the pieces are dusty you should be safe brushing off the dust with a soft dry brush.
You might try contacting the people at this link to direct you on an apprazel – they are selling some of the artist’s work.

http://www.artgalleryline.com/author.php?author=5