| Issue #26, September 22, 2006 |
Destination Restoration
The Hamptons are simply chock-full of old towns full of old houses full of old stuff. The traditional Hamptons style was pretty much established over one hundred years ago, which means that whenever you see an old shingled house with a barn-style roof, or little, rectangular white-trimmed windows, you are looking at a piece of Hamptons history. And although these are some of the most coveted properties right in the center of town, some people who buy houses like these are tempted to just rip out the old and install the new into these old shingled grannies, simply because taking care of a house that is crumbling from the inside out leaves very little time for going to the beach. However, some pieces should be restored and preserved; who can resist the glow of an old glass lamp or the feel of a well-used wooden chair?
The little things in an antique house, like light fixtures, furniture, carved mantle pieces and banisters, are some of the easiest and most delightful objects to restore and reuse.
When my family was renovating our house, we were in the process of demolishing a hideous plaster banister constricting our staircase when we hit gold. Well, a sort of fool’s gold, actually. What we hit was brass, a beautiful Victorian-style brass banister to be exact. Apparently, the previous owners of the house wanted to modernize a classic beauty; at least they didn’t rip it out. When we saw this lovely gleaming rail, we knew that it could be saved with just some polish, a paint job, and a touch of TLC. While the brass was dirty from all that plaster dust, it had been protected, so all the top railing needed was a thorough cleaning and a good polish. Then we sealed it with a high quality protectant so that it would keep its brilliant sheen. We could have stripped the paint from the support rails and tried to polish those too, but we liked the look of the painted rails, so we simply stripped them and threw on a fresh coat of paint. And just like that, our new old house had twice as much character as before. Best of all, we didn’t have to build a new banister.
If your home lacks antique character of its own, yard sales, antique shops, and even antiquing new items yourself are an easy way to add charm where charm is needed. Once you have found your antique treasure, it usually needs some work before it can stand up to the wear-and-tear of modern life. If the frame of the piece is intact and useable, and the problem is simply a decaying wicker seat or cushion, these are easily replaced. For wicker replacement, you are probably going to have to enlist the help of an expert. You can always call one of the many professional restorers in the Hamptons for guidance, or have them complete your project for you.
One of the easiest restoration projects you can complete yourself is replacing a damaged seat or cushion on an otherwise useable antique chair. If the wood looks a little shabbier than you want it, just give it a good once-over with a damp cloth, then sand and stain it. In order to replace a cushioned seat, all you need to do is trace the shape of the old seat, or the place where the seat used to sit, and cut a half-inch thick wooden board to fit. Then, you can either purchase a ready-made cushion or make your own.
If you prefer a permanent cushioned seat, simply choose your fabric, synthetic stuffing, and an inch-thick piece of foam. Cut the foam to match the size and shape of the seat, then staple it into place; one staple in the center should do. Then, cut your fabric, making sure to add an extra few inches on all four sides so that it will fit over the stuffing and still leave enough fabric to secure the cushion to the bottom of the board. Place your fabric over the secured foam, and duct tape the excess to the underside of the board on all but one side of the seat. Then, stuff the cushion with the loose synthetic stuffing to your desired firmness and tightly staple the fabric to the underside of the board. Place your new seat into the old chair frame and take a seat; after all, you’ve earned it!
–Sabrina C. Mashburn
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