I may not have the skill, aptitude or patience to do what he does, but I will still end up with better-looking yard sale finds than I ever imagined possible. If you love the look of fine old furniture, but shop thrift stores/Craigslist/ebay, Pourny demonstates how to bring well-made but worn wood furniture back to maximum gorgeousness. I can't wait to revive a Widdicombe mid-century mod bachelor's chest I bought much worse for the wear--but well made and rock solid. I can revive the drawer fronts' original finish, repair veneer and stain the more damaged body with Pourny's not-quite ebonizing technique. I'm so glad I got this book.

Each technique--stain/oil or shellac finish, French wax polish, two degrees of ebonizing (true ebony and not-quite), gilding, repairs, hardware aging, etc.--is illustrated with step by step photos of what he does and clear, concise instructions. He gives a list of tools and materials up front, so you'll have what you need start to finish. And he names names in terms of products to use, so you'll get the one he himself relies on. And a huge advantage over other furniture makeover guides, he has exquisite taste. He understands the history of a style and works in ways to enhance it, not obliterate it, as did the mistake-book on furniture makeovers I also got. (Oh what awful, ugly things were done.)

Pourny suggests you have a DIY refinishing 'kit' on hand that fits your available space: what fits in a box (the bare necessities), a shelf, or a whole wall (soup to nuts). Having the right tools and materials are critical, but what he specifies is not exotic. His directions are thorough and exacting, but not at all intimidating. Best of all, the results he achieves are spectacular, and to some degree achievable, even by me.

Highly recommended.

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This quickly become my favorite furniture book of all time! I’m a decorative painter that also restores fine furniture & find a lot of books are filled with fluff that doesn't really give any new information or insight into age old practices or tries to keep their “techniques & products” a secret which eliminated the point of writing a book in this catagory. Unlike some of the others this book is FULL of information, wonderful examples, pictures, and shared tips & tricks on how to do each finish

He quickly establishes his expertise in the field so as the reader you know to trust what he's teaching. Credibility & masters in their craft are becoming hard to find in a world filled with blogs & videos that will teach you how to do anything yourself. Being a master craftsman requires mentorship and years of experience, which Christophe has! The finishes he completes as examples are absolutely stunning!

It starts out explaining to the reader how to differentiate periods of furniture, styles, places to shop, and how to become known in the industry as someone with a sharp eye. I particularly love the part that shows you how to figure out what the existing finish is (no matter the age) and how to fo about repairing or re-doing it.

He does a wonderful job of explaining why certain pieces are worth more than others; depending on where they were purchased, the craftsman that have worked on them, and the time period in which they come from. This is a great resource for those of us who struggle to explain to people why something of value or antiquity is worth the price!

I've not been able to put this down...it will live in my shop & surely be reached for over & over until worn and haggard.

From someone whos purchased HUNDREDS of books in this area I can say this is a MUST OWN for anyone in the field or looking to refinish a piece of fine furniture while keeping with the period & original techniques. I’ve not found a better source to date!

I cannot thank Christophe for willingly sharing his knowledge with us all and putting it into such a wonderful and easy to read format. If you want to refinish your own pieces of furniture and care for them properly do yourself a favor & GET THE BIBLE!

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This is my favorite book for furniture restoration though it covers period identification, I use it for learning restoration techniques. And for that its absolutely amazing.

Just reading the materials in this book I've found that I know more about traditional restoration than the instructor of a recent course I took. The instructors solution for all problems was "just strip it" and when asked how to handle certain types of finishes his response was "it depends."

This is my go to book and I keep it near me when performing furniture restorations. Its just the right level of detail. I love making my own wax, shellac mix and performing my own french polish. All techniques well documented with photos in this book.

If you want information on more modern restoration techniques or a little more detail on the science behind certain processes, buy "Understanding Wood Finishing" in addition to this.

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As someone with related experience in the trades I found this book to be clear, informative, and wide in scope. There is plenty of content that will satisfy a wide spectrum of people with varying interests and abilities. On one end people interested in furniture style and history will be able to also have a glimpse into how the actual finishes and techniques are created, restored and maintained. Those with a strong practical side will be able to make a connection to the evolution of furniture styles and how they form a visual vocabulary that helps us understand the elements of design that we see in all the varying types of furniture around us today. The pictures are clear and the drawings are charming. Truly a wide range of information with something for everyone all done with taste, style, and humor. I especially liked the photos of all the tools used in the trade. Highly recommend for the casual reader to the informed craftsperson.

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Just what I needed for a History of Furniture project for an upholstery degree. Great tips on French polishing,gilding,veneer repair. Will certainly be useful in my new business.

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I bought this as a present for my step daughter who has just taken a course in furniture restoration. The first one I received was scuffed at the edges but, no problem, it was replaced in record time. The book is packed full of information (with pictures too) which is brilliant. This is so good I told my sister about it and she bought one for her granddaughter.

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Lovely book. Read through and I'very referred back to lots of things. Interesting and very informative. I'm looking to get in some older second hand furniture and this has inspired me to do it up. Thank you.

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Great book, great pictures. Really useful reference guide for restorers and upholsterers.

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My husband declares this an ideal reference book for himself, as a bonus showing the difference between the Louis X111,Louis XIV,Louis XV and Louis XV1 furniture legs in an easy to understand diagram format.

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Lovely, in depth, lots of pictures.

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NICE

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Excellent book for all your problems related to restoration and general knowledge in keeping your prized
possessions in tip top condition. Easy to read format, a book to treasure.

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Really good, informative book.

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good content-- a gift which was appreciated

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excellant

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Very interesting

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Bought this for hubby. Great reference book

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Outstanding!

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