| 9781579655358 |
| 1579655351 |
Available:*
Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Palmer Lake Library | Book | 684.1044 POUR | Nonfiction | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
A Wall Street Journal Top 10 Crucial Home & Design Book for Beginners
A Library Journal Best Book of the Year
An Amazon Best Book of the Month
Christophe Pourny learned the art of furniture restoration in his father's atelier in the South of France. In this, his first book, he teaches readers everything they need to know about the provenance and history of furniture, as well as how to restore, update, and care for their furniture-from antiques to mid-century pieces, family heirlooms or funky flea-market finds.
The heart of the book is an overview of Pourny's favourite techniques-ceruse, vernis anglais, and water gilding, among many others-with full-colour step-by-step photographs to ensure that readers can easily replicate each refinishing technique at home.
Pourny brings these techniques to life with a chapter devoted to real-world refinishing projects, from a veneered table to an ebonized desk, a gilt frame to a painted northern European hutch. Rounding out this comprehensive guide is care and maintenance information, including how to properly clean leather, polish hardware, fix a broken leg, and replace felt pads, as well as recipes to make your own wax, shellac, varnish, stain, and more.
Author Notes
Christophe Pourny is one of the most esteemed furniture restorers in the business. Descended from a long line of artisans, he was reared in his father's atelier in the South of France and apprenticed at his uncle Pierre Madel's legendary antiques shop on rue Jacob in Paris. Today, Pourny restores furniture out of his own atelier in Brooklyn, New York.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Furniture restoration artisan Pourny, who restored George Washington's desk, has written a thorough and practical guide for the furniture expert as well as for the novice restorer. Beginning his handbook with a short and richly illustrated discussion of furniture evolution and history, Pourny explains finishes, construction techniques, and the types of hardware used in each period. His description of finishes and finishing techniques is especially comprehensive. If you ever want to make your own shellac, the recipe is here. Other techniques-gilding, waxing, oiling, and painting-are also explained clearly and in detail. Pourny particularly recommends ceruse, a wax technique that is easy to do and offers beautiful results. He guides readers from professional to DIYers with tips on finding pieces worth restoration, suggesting sources from flea markets to high-end galleries depending on budget. Once a piece of furniture is acquired, Pourny explains how to assess damage, make repairs, and complete a final finish. A strong section on furniture care and cleaning argues that using the right methods will prolong the life of furniture. This guide will find a wide audience among those who simply want to learn about and appreciate good furniture, as well as those who are more hands-on. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Starred Review. Everyone has that one piece of furniture that needs help, and this book delivers. Pourny is something of a furniture superstar, having some very famous clients and appearing on Martha Stewart's TV shows. Renzi has authored many books on interior design and architecture. The knowledge and skill of the authors shines through, with every part of the work coming together well. Encyclopedic in coverage, the volume addresses furniture history, purchase, restoration, and repair. Organization is logical and topics are deftly illustrated and defined. A particularly compelling chapter evaluates how best to locate antique furniture. Resurfacing and restoring finish is highly detailed, with spot repairs included. The section on how to make your own polishes, cleaners, and pigments is invaluable. Reupholstery, however, is not well covered, so readers will want to look at Amanda Brown's Spruce for that specialization. VERDICT This fantastic go-to source for furniture care belongs in any public library and will be of help to anyone looking to refinish an antique or elevate a modern piece of furniture to new elegance. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
