In a time where sustainability is not just a fad but a necessity, restoring and reusing your old furniture and heirlooms is a good way to do up your home. While antiquing is an acquired hobby of the affluent,re-fashioning your old furniture can be just as chic and in some cases, cost-effective. One doesn't just have to stop at the show stopper furniture pieces anymore. Any old item of furnishing has the potential of turning over a new leaf - while retaining its old-world charm. With the furniture restoration and repair enjoying increased popularity with young homeowners on a budget, this new age concept is the key to a sustainable lifestyle that is both economical and elegant.

RESTORE OR REPAIR? IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

The realm of furniture restoration is certainly wide. It can range from plain restoration to furniture refurbishment, covering even furniture repair.

a) Furniture Refurbishment

Furnishings that aren't very old and just need facial spruce up are recommended a refurbished look. This could mean changing the upholstery on a recently purchased couch, or redecorate your furniture in other ways - but purely on the surface.

b) Furniture Repairs

Simply put, this would mean repairing broken furniture. This could pertain to both old and new furniture. The goal of repairing furniture is to bring it back to a place where it is functional and reliable. This is more than just a cosmetic touch up and is more structural in nature.

c) Furniture Restoration

Furniture restoration pertains more to ageing and antique furniture and furnishings, with the goal of maintaining the vintage item's structural integrity and value. It focuses on bringing the piece back to its aesthetic condition. Typically, a key goal of this process is to retain the piece's original patina (a word furniture experts use to describe the distinctive, non-reproducible surface sheen that develops over time when wood ages) and work around it.

d) Refinishing

Refinishing involves stripping down a piece of furniture from its current state to focus on its interiors. This is usually done, using a chemical stripper and often leads to the furniture losing some of its value, which is why consulting an expert before opting for this service is recommended. The piece is usually sanded, stained and chipped at.

IN WHAT WAYS CAN I CHANGE THE WAY MY FURNITURE LOOKS?

Even the slightest change is big enough to elevate the look of your home furnishings and furniture. Starting from saving your old family heirlooms to refurbishing your outdated sofa linen, there's a lot one can do with the help of expert opinion and guidance.

a) Basic Cleaning

Basic cleaning is the least invasive form of furniture restoration. Experts use polishes, waxes and other cleaning solutions to clean off the stubborn layer of dust and grime that has settled on the surface of your antiques. This helps retain the original shine of the piece.

b) Finish Restoration

When an antique's structural integrity has been compromised because of its age and time, experts often re-amalgamate the entire piece by first breaking it down, applying solutions like denatured alcohol and then reassembling with, securing it wax and shellac to protect the piece from further damage.

c) Upholstery Refurbishing

The upholstery on an antique, or just about any piece of furniture can be very vulnerable. There are layers under the surface, including padding, and springs - both of which are dangerously susceptible to damage. Furniture experts often strip down the original upholstery and replace the springs and the padding and patch on a new fabric of your choice. This can also be done to new furniture, to change the look of your room.

d) Structural Restoration

If you feel like you antique piece or your other furniture is going to come apart, that's when you know the structural frame is loose. This could mean weakened glue, cracked joints, detached corners or plain age. There can several routes to repairing such a problem - some could be resealing minor cracks while others would mean carefully reconstructing your piece from scratch with newer elements. This would mean replacing missing parts or a complete rebuild.

WHERE CAN I GET MY FURNITURE CHECKED AND GROOMED?

Restoring your old antiques and furniture can be a time-consuming consuming activity which is why it is extremely important that you get your furniture assessed by furniture experts who can correctly guide and caution against further damaging the vulnerable pieces. Dwello has drawn up a list of furniture experts who will help guide you with their expertise and also provide services that will help your furniture thrive and shine.

1. Moorthy's, Mumbai

2. The Calcutta Restoration Company, Kolkata

3. Housejoy (Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Bengaluru and Mumbai)

4. SofaClinic (Chennai, Delhi NCR, Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Singapore)