At Elephants Trunks I provide specialist furniture restoration and conservation through the use of traditional and modern techniques. Always looking to provide help and support in order to maintain the delicate balance between the complete restoration of antique or modern furniture, where an item is fully renovated to as close to its original condition as possible, or the conservation of a piece where it is simply returned to a useable condition protecting the age old patina that is so cherished in our industry.
French polishing, deemed the “King of Finishes and the Finish of kings” is the process of applying many layers of shellac to build a high gloss finish and protect and enhance the natural beauty of wood. I can use different techniques in order to provide the exact depth of shine you are looking for, whether it’s a matt finish or a bright, mirrored finish. I can also use various modified polishes, such as table top polish, which has a higher heat and water tolerance, to increase the durability of the piece.
Whether your dining table is looking tired and needs freshening up or you have a family heirloom with the cherished memories of several generations and has been scratched or scuffed, I can provide you with a free, no obligation quote for the service that suits you best. This can be done either in person or from photos sent to me.
I cover all aspects of restoration for any wooden item, from floors to doors and worktops to hand rails. I take pride in my work and enjoy bringing life back to otherwise tired and dull finishes.
Elephants Trunks is your answer to furniture restoration in Essex, Suffolk and Cambridge. My purpose built workshop is in the rural village of Ovington near the Essex/Suffolk border and I cover all the surrounding towns and villages, including Clare, Cavendish, Long Melford, Steeple Bumpstead, Halstead, Earls Colne, Sudbury, Abington, Linton, Saffron Walden, Dunmow, Thaxted, Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge and many more.
Some of our reviews in the words of our customers:
“We had a Victorian Collectors Cabinet which was inherited from my sister. Our Mum bought it for a pound in the Sixties and my sister always had her name on it, finally getting her prize in 2012. The top was badly faded and a piece of moulding was missing along the side. I took ownership of it just before my sister passed away and I promised I would get it restored for her. Darren has done a truly wonderful job – he has matched in the colour of the top to mirror the rich mahogany of the rest of the cabinet and re-polished it to match the existing patina. And he has fashioned the replacement moulding to match the exact shape of the original – it looks like it has always been there.”
“Darren recently repaired and restored a very large ornate mirror that had fallen and smashed. I found Darren to be professional, reliable and repaired the mirror to look as good as new! I couldn’t recommend Darren or Elephants Trunks highly enough”
“Highly recommended! Work carried out was to a very high standard and in the time scale promised!”
“I recently requested Darren to restore the Mahogany door cappings of my 1967 Rover P5 coupe. He was pain-staking in ensuring the correct colour match and made an absolutely great job of it. It took 2 days (mainly due to the drying time) but the finish on all the four doors was superb. I am delighted with the outcome and would not hesitate to recommend him. Darren was professional and turned up when he promised – overall a first class service! I am a very happy customer!”