Antique Restoration Course

As antique restoration course providers we’ve had a few imitators but we were the first in Ireland to develop weekend workshop courses in antique restoration and upholstery.  That was more than fifteen years ago and over those years hundreds of people have spent weekends here getting inspired and learning new skills. We are by far the most popular with a very high proportion of returning customers.

We have years of experience in antiques; Nigel is a member of the Institute of Conservator-Restorers in Ireland Pepie has been working with fabrics for many years.

Although our weekend antique restoration courses are aimed at beginners, we don’t simplify things. The reason for that is because over the years that we’ve been running our weekend workshop courses, we have found that everyone who comes rises to the challenges (with a little help).

We teach gilding using a range of techniques from pure gold applied with traditional rabbit-skin glues etc to artificial metal leaf applied with oil or water based sizes.

In the course of our business we use basic metal-work  techniques for accessories like hinges and castors.

Here are a couple of before pictures of a couch that was made in the reign of William IV (1830 – 1837), The enthusiastic carving strongly suggests an Irish maker.

The couch was bought in an auction in Cavan in a very poor state with one of the arms completely broken.

Projects like this one might seem a bit ambitious but if you’d like to find out more about our weekend courses click on the Weekend Courses tab above.

Our antique restoration course is combined with beginner’s upholstery. The simple fact is that most antique seating furniture is a bit wobbly.

 

 

Any antique restoration course has to be hands-on. In our weekend courses we aim to put the tools in your hands and guide you through the process.

A carving project is made easy with just a little guidance and the results can be quite startling. On the right, the key that holds the arm (or hump) onto the frame had to be replaced.

The new piece is made up in oak and fitted to the original holes.

 

 

Interested? Learn more about our courses – dates, costs etc