SOUTHWICK
FURNITURE CONSERVATION & WOOD FINISHING
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
ABout US
Southwick Furniture Conservation services clients in need of repair, restoration and conservation of wood finishes including fine furniture and heirloom antiques. Over the past twenty-five years, Kevin Southwick has honed his understanding of finishes, applications and methods which have been published in several woodworking magazines.
Kevin has worked with both the Minnesota Historic Society and the Minnesota State Capital on numerous restoration projects; the techniques developed by Kevin have become criteria for any future renovations at the Minnesota State Capital.
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Kevin has been fortunate to have had opportunities to study with and learn from instructors including Don Williams, retired Senior Furniture Conservator with the Smithsonian Institution and Bob Flexner, author of Understanding Wood Finishing.
Southwick Furniture's capabilities extend further than finishing, as Kevin works closely with local designers, furniture and cabinet makers for custom pieces.
SERVICES
• Veneer and intricate marquetry repair
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• Shellac finish and French polishing
• Structural repair to furniture and sculpture
• Water mark removal
• Pet damage repair
• Restoring damage to carved or turned pieces
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• Painted Furniture Restoration
• Chair re-gluing
• Gilding restoration
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• Custom furniture collaborations
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• Antique color, finish and patina matching
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• Smoke smell removal
consulting
Furniture finishing and restoration consulting by appointment.
WORK SAMPLES
"HEPPLETON"
chair
As one of a set of eight, this chair was built during the transition between the styles of Hepplewhite and Sheraton.
The repair was completed on a structural joint after a broken-off section of wood went missing.
The damaged portion of the chair was rebuilt, carved and hand-painted to match the rest of the chair.
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lacquered
sideboard
Water spilt and got beneath the glass that was suppose to be protecting the top of this lacquered sideboard.
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The original finish was reclaimed and repaired without stripping.
milo baughman cocktail table
This table's finish had crumbled and survived major water damage and a cigarette burn to the veneer. Now restored to it's original glory!
Doors
On-site or in the shop, we've restored many beautiful solid wood front doors in the Twin Cities area.
RADIO
This radio had been a sentimental piece for this particular client.
The veneer on the radio cabinet had been punctured, peeled and damaged, and worn away in various parts.
The whole piece required re-gluing, sanding, and various finishes to restore it to it's original glory.
1940s painted
MEXICAN DINING SET
This Michoacán, Mexico dining set including buffet and cabinet came to the shop riddled with insect damage and covered in dirt and grim from years of use (and not a lot of upkeep). The chairs required re-gluing and a deep-clean.
We were able to salvage the original palm-frond seats with some delicate cleaning, and were able to revive the original paint colors with a tried and true cleaning method.
SChrunk
VENEER FINISH
This was a custom-designed piece that was a result of a collaboration of artists and craftsmen.
We solidified the existing veneer by re-heating the glue beneath it and clamping the pieces.
We finished the wood after that so it could function as a true dining table without concern of damaging the piece.
Como Park Carousel
The St. Paul Historic Society asked us to replace a damaged board on the historical Como Park Carousel. We bent the wood over several days and installed a piece that....
"EL CHAPO"
A vintage slot machine that had been situated outside of a western bar for multiple decades incurred severe weather related wear-and-tear.
When the hand-carved piece came to us, the boots were virtually completely rotted-out, and other portions the wood had split. He also needed re-painting.
"El Chapo" now resides in Arizona.
minnesota state capitol
The speaker of the house chair was in need of repair (it is front and center after all!)
dining table
A grand table and chairs that needed complete re-gluing. The table had chipped and popped veneer along most of the edges and the leaves of the table were in especially poor condition.
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This set needed just about everything.
A side table restored after a botched at-home project went wrong. After correcting the damage, and re-dyed to a vibrant beautifully-tone finish
cloverleaf
sidetable
education
In addition to his weekly work in the shop, Kevin Southwick is committed to educating people about the various facets of finishing. He conducts finishing classes on the occasional Saturday at Woodcraft in Minneapolis, and is working on a series of online educational videos about various finishing techniques.
Links to online videos will be provided as they become available.
SOUTHWICK
FURNITURE CONSERVATION & WOOD FINISHING
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
t. 612-250-1756
Please feel free to call or email to discuss pricing and details or for consultation fees and services.