Restoration · Assessment 1–2 weeks · work scheduled in phases
Historic restoration & period joinery
New England houses deserve joiners, not filler. We replicate profiles, match old growth timber and make repairs you cannot pick out of the original.
The approach
Litchfield County is full of 18th and 19th century houses, and they ask for a different kind of care. We measure existing profiles by hand, match patina and species, and use joinery that lets old timber move the way it needs to.
Where work is new, we build it to look old — and where something is genuinely historic, we repair rather than replace whenever it is structurally sane to do so.
What is included
- Profile duplication for casings, rails, stiles and mouldings
- Historic window repair, sash restoration and storms
- Curved stair rails, balusters and newel turning
- Matching reclaimed and old-growth lumber
- Period-correct paneling, shutters and doors
- Discreet structural reinforcement and rot repair
How this project runs
01. Conversation & walkthrough
We meet in the space, take measurements and photos, and talk about how you actually live. No charge, no pressure, honest feedback on budget.
02. Design & samples
Elevations, plans and 3D views, plus physical samples of paint, stain and wood. We refine together until the room is right on paper.
03. Approval & schedule
A detailed proposal, a milestone schedule and a single point of contact. Permits and structural review are handled before demolition.
04. Shop build
Cabinetry and furniture are milled, finished and assembled in Barkhamsted. You are welcome to visit your project mid-build.
05. Installation
Our own installers protect the house, work clean and set the final details — counters, hardware, trim, lighting and touch-up.
Materials we recommend
Best suited to: Antique homes, barns, estates and buildings with local historic district review. Typical schedule: Assessment 1–2 weeks · work scheduled in phases.
Project questions
Historic Restoration: what people ask us.
For painted cabinetry, hard maple is our standard because it takes paint cleanly and wears well. For natural finishes we reach for white oak (stable, beautiful grain), black walnut (rich, warm, distinctive) and cherry (which deepens with light). We finish with hard-wax oil or a catalyzed lacquer depending on how the surface will be used.
Yes. We coordinate structural review, building permits, zoning and historic district submissions, and we work with your architect or engineer when one is already involved. Where local review is required, we prepare the drawings and finish schedules that boards ask for.
More questions? Read the full FAQ.
Start a conversation
Planning historic restoration?
Send the basics. We will tell you what we would do, what it would cost, and when we could start.
Also consider
Often combined with
Kitchens
Custom Kitchens
Bespoke kitchens drawn, milled and installed by one team — from hand-finished cabinetry to islands built around how your family actually cooks.
Explore
Millwork
Cabinetry & Millwork
Butler's pantries, mudrooms, libraries, dressing rooms and paneling — millwork designed to look original to the house and built to outlast it.
Explore
Signature work
Bars & Libraries
The room everyone gathers in. Pub bars, tasting rooms, panelled libraries and speakeasies with carved columns, glass doors and hardware built for the space.
ExploreCustom kitchen design & build, Custom cabinetry & architectural millwork, Bars, libraries & statement rooms
Next step
Have a room, a wall or a whole house in mind?
Tell us what you are planning. We will come and look, give you an honest read on scope and cost, and show you what is possible in the space you already have.