In the Press

Antiques
by Jennifer J. Bush
Showroom’s Workshop Preserves, Restores Antiques

Not many men hang their hats in a hat cabinet these days. Nor do many women stash their clothes in an armoire. And not since the days of Lucy and Desi on black - and- white television has there been heavy demand for matching twin beds.

However, at Steven-Thomas Antiques in Santa Ana, owners Steven Shedd and Thomas Silk have found that such pieces can gain new life when they are modified to fit today's needs. In an expansive workshop, their team of cabinetmakers, upholsterers and refinishers convert cabinets into enter­tainment centers and marry twin beds to create one king-size bed.

The company's 25 skilled craftsmen "use the same techniques that were used 100 years ago in furniture making," Silk said. Each piece is treated painstakingly by hand. Before a piece is displayed in the 18,000­square-foot showroom, it goes through the workshop. The staff assesses each piece, deciding whether it needs to be conserved, restored or modified to meet customer needs.

Because the owners are selective in choosing antiques on buying trips to Europe, most pieces simply require cleaning and waxing. Occasionally pieces require additional effort to bring them back to their original beauty. Some pieces are modified to make them useful in today's modern home. Even so, respect for the old is paramount. With most pieces, the owners prefer conservation to restoration. "The process of conservation involves doing repairs only when it would structural­ly necessitate it," Shedd said. In conserva­tion, the original finish is preserved, any flaws or fractures would not be hidden and the piece would be kept intact, he said.

At the restoration level, modern methods are used to hide fractures or flaws in the fin­ish or marble. Refinishing, or taking the existing finish off and applying a new finish, is the most extensive restoration effort. "Our experience has taught us which one to do," Shedd said.

The owners of Steven-Thomas Antiques joined business efforts in 1976. During the past 15 years, they slowly hired craftsmen and expanded the workshop. Recently, they began offering restoration services to the public for antiques not purchased at their store.

Steven-Thomas Antiques specializes in items from 1840 to 1940, imported from France, Italy, Belgium, England and Denmark. In addition to furniture, its inventory includes accessories such as mirrors, clocks, tapestries, porcelains, bronzes, marble statues and paintings - all styled in room vignettes by a staff interior designer.

What sort of pieces do collectors want? Demand is always high for classic pieces ­those with quality wood, like walnut, oak and mahogany, with fine finishes and plenty of hand-carvings, they said. Antiques appeal to customers who appre­ciate history and want one-of-a-kind pieces. "When you buy an antique, you're one person in a line of owners, one of its keep­ers," Silk said. "You have to remember that the piece is going to outlive you."