This photo shows work in progress oak graining a door in oil. The ground coat and scumble were hand mixed to produce a typical 18th century finish that was employed in a boys school.
Where we are required to restore/conserve historic woodgraining we take paint samples and colour match to the orignal colours/scumbles which enables us to faithfully restore historic grained finishes. Go to our Projects page to see more details and information on our woodgraining adventures.

An oak grained interior library with Trompe L’oil panelling. Private residence. 2011.

During the process of marbleising. Here we were creating a white marble finish. Sheffield University. 2013.

If it’s missing, paint it. A painted dado rail created to replace a missing section. Wollaton Hall, Nottingham. 2008.

Woods vary greatly in their appearance. Here we are creating a painted walnut finish. Once varnished and polished it looks like real walnut.

Here we recreated Livia’s illusionistic garden to fit an unusually long Victorian space which is now being used as a breakfast room looking out onto the garden. Private residence. 2019. More details on this project can be found on the Projects page.

When we are not conserving and restoring signs we create them. Here a traditional Box Office sign was commissioned, having gilt lettering on a simple oak grained background.
We also produce traditional and contemporary reverse painted and gilt glass signs. See our Projects page for examples and also the gilding section for more information.

Porphyry is an Egyptian granite and is mined to extinction. Occasionally it can be found in historic interiors and on furniture. Here we are creating the finish using oil based paints and two paint brushes.