Antique & Modern Furniture Restoration
Restoring and making furniture for customers across Somerset & Dorset since 1995
~ Based at Piddlehinton near Dorchester and Bridport, Dorset ~

Before & After Gallery | Traditional Handmade Furniture | News & Articles | Testimonials



"The skilled restorer must be a man of many crafts and much knowledge - from cabinet-maker to expert in antiques."

Unit 4 | Enterprise Park | Piddlehinton | Nr Dorchester | Dorset DT2 7UA
  Tel: 01305 849406 | Mob: 07989935080 | Email: alastair@thomasfurniturerestoration.co.uk

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Alastair Thomas is a professional  furniture restorer and cabinet maker who has been  restoring antique and modern furniture across  Dorset, Somerset and East Devon since 1995.

To date Alastair has had over  2000 satisfied  customers (see testimonials), many of whom return year after year with new projects.

Whilst consistently doing a professional restoration, Alastair  prides himself on excellent customer service and communication skills along side a very competitive price structure.

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~Making and carving a ball and claw foot ~
Alastair specialises in many areas of the furniture restoration trade including:

• French Polishing
• Veneer
• Marquetry
• Moulding repairs
• Joint restoration
• Re-making of all furniture
• Fitting of new leather skivers to writing desks, bureaus etc.
• Replacement brassware (which can be cast at a foundry to match an original if so wished).


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A free no obligation estimate can be made by bringing your item to Alastair's workshop at Piddlehinton near Dorchester. However if this is impractical, photographs of any damage or other work including upholstery can be emailed or posted, or a personal visit to your home or work can be arranged. An accurate estimate can be done by any of these ways, creating a minimum or maximum price

Alastair's restorations speak for themselves, with the finished piece looking like a well cared for piece of furniture,  as it should, and NOT over restored or new looking.

Before & After Gallery

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Late Regency / Early Victorian Mahogany Breakfast Table
This piece was in need of major restoration. All joints in the pedestal had become very loose and nails and other wedges had been driven in over the years to try and make it stable. Also due to movement in the timber there was a lot of veneer damage to restore around the base.

The base was completely dismantled and the joints restored and re-glued. Veneer patches were hand veneered in the traditional way using hot pearl glue. New mouldings were made and fitted around the central pillar.

The whole piece was then completely re-finished by hand and bees waxed.

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American Walnut Desk
(made by Howard & Sons, Berner St, London - around 1880 to 1910)

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This desk was missing its lower rails, and others were badly chewed by a pet dog.  The leather had deteriorated badly and the overall finish was in need of restoration.

New rails were made and others restored, then fitted and colour matched.

 All surfaces were cleaned , prepared and re-polished, and a new leather was fitted replicating the original colour and embossed edge. Finally beeswaxing the complete piece, and lubricating the metal work and drawer runners.

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Mahogany Early Victorian Dressing Table
Restore broken and missing mouldings, knobs, cockbeads etc. Restore all french polished surfaces.
Have cast 3 missing brass escutcheon rings.

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Hand making of a missing Barley Twist Stretcher that had been broken and then lost many years ago.

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Victorian Rosewood Veneered Sewing Table
Extensive restoration required, including missing turned moldings and knobs. Broken and missing sections of veneer.
And restoration of all polished surfaces.

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Victorian Burr Walnut Davenport
Extensive replacement of destroyed veneer to top and piano front.
Make and replace missing mouldings. Repair various sections of veneer damage.
Restore overall finish.

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Victorian Nursing Chair
Dismantle and repair all joints. Turn front rail to replace incorrect one.
Turn and fit missing rosette caps. Re-cane seat and back.

Work done on the Pembroke Table c.1830
• Restore and replace missing veneers  and marquetry panels and inlaid line.
• Remake missing components to drawer.
• Repairs to broken sections of drop flaps.
• Restore colour and french polished surface of complete table.

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Windsor Style Country Carver Chair c.1850
This chair was found in a barn by the new owners locally. It was missing a leg and its front crinoline stretcher. A new leg was turned on the lathe using reclaimed beech and a front crinoline stretcher made out of ash. Finally colour matching to original. The whole chair was then cleaned, revived and wax polished.

Edwardian Writing Table c.1910
This table had been painted with white gloss paint sometime in the 1970's, probably to blend in with home at the time. The customer had run out of patience trying to remove all the paint. Every speck had to be removed with a safe stripper, then stained and traditionally french polished. Handles were cast from an imprint that could be found in the original surface of the drawers.

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Regency Corner Wash Stand
The drawer components and ure stand were missing in the base of this item. New components were made, again using reclaimed timbers. All surfaces were restored and french polished.

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Oak Dining Chair
This chair had major damage as the back was completely broken off. Normally a chair like this would be un-economical to repair, but was one of a set of 12 so was considered worth doing.

A complete new back was made from English oak cutting by hand traditional mortise and tennon joints. Then the show wood colour matched and polished, finally re-upholstering.

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Victorian Oak Ballroom Chair
This piece had to be completely dismantled and all joints restored as was in danger of collapsing causing major damage to the structure.  All upholstery was replaced with traditional methods and materials, including horse hair and the best quality velvet

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Eastern Side Cabinet
This cabinet had major damage when a party guest fell and accidentally put their hand through the thin wooden top.
The shattered pieces were painstakingly all put back together like a jigsaw, and the cosmetic and polished surfaces repaired .

Traditional Handmade Furniture



Rosewood Veneered Sofa Table
(Based on a design by Thomas Sheraton 1751 - 1806)



Hand made using traditional methods. This piece won second prize in the 'Cabinet Making and Furniture Making' competition at Axminster Power Tools Show.

Ladie's Sewing / Work Table
(Again based on a Thomas Sheraton 1751 -1806 design).
Made from solid Satinwood and English Oak. Note the rear rising fire screen at the rear. This was to prevent the ladie's faces from getting too hot near open fires!

Traditional Oak Jointed Stool
This was made using a customer's original stool as a template. Traditionally water-stained using Vandyke Crystals and Ammonia, then bees-waxed.




Games Table
Handmade for a customer in the Far East.





Rober Jupe Extending Table Base
Made for David Linley (son of Princess Margaret)

News & Articles

Testimonials

"I just wanted to let you know how pleased we were at how you brought my late mother-in-law's mid-century bedroom furniture back to life. As you know, I was a little hesitant in approaching you, thinking that only 'antiques' warranted a furniture restorer's skills so it was so refreshing having you enthuse about caring for these modern pieces. As you can see the chest of drawers in particular sits very well in our new bedroom.

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I was also very chuffed that you were able to marry together the sections of our dining room table (bought in the late '70s). The sun, plus wear and tear on the circular top had made it sit unhappily next to the pristine central leaves which had spent 30 years stored under the bed! Somehow you managed to reconcile them and it's a treat to have the table out at its full size in our new home.

Thank you, too, for your efficient service in collecting them from our old home and then delivering them to the new house. I will no doubt be in touch again with other bits and pieces needing your skillful touch."


C. Oates, Shaftesbury
July 2011

Alastair Thomas refurbished the top of the oldest desk, using a classic dark green leather skiver. He has done it in such a way that the new top fits in perfectly with the slightly-distressed look of the rest of the desk. We were so pleased that three months later we had the second desktop similarly restored.

Clients have already commented upon the improvement, and I have no hesitation in recommending Alastair’s services to anyone who wants a desktop replaced in a sympathetic manner for a very reasonable charge."

David Hollister,
June 2011

"Just a note to say we were absolutely delighted with the restoration of our stool, it was just as we had hoped.

The workmanship is excellent, I am sure our father would have fully approved. We are also thankful for all your efforts in terms of time, investigation and postage extended in finding a similar leather, we managed it in the end! Again many thanks for a very professional restoration and advice."

Mrs and Mrs. Cox,
September 2005

Mr. B Butler,
May 2006

"Thank you for repairing the stool so well."

Lieutenant Col J Fisher OBE
Norton-Sub-Hamdon
April 2008

"Thanks for your call Alastair.  We're thrilled with the table."
Captain and Mrs Hugh May (Coffee Table designed and made)
Bewley Dow, Axminster
April 2008

"Dear Alastair,
Many thanks for the wonderful work that you have done for us."
Mrs E Madge
Nayland, Suffolk