The Restoration Barn in Mackay, Queensland | Home improvement

The Restoration Barn

Locality: Mackay, Queensland

Phone: +61 7 4954 5123

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• Home improvement
• Furniture
• Furniture repair & upholstery service

25.01.2022 All welcome. We are all passionate about Mackay and it's history and stories. First public meeting this Saturday. Message if have any questions.

24.01.2022 Another beautiful Walnut Veneer 1930s Leadlight Cabinet. Lucky they didn't use undercoat for painted interior carried out in 1970s. It stripped really easy so we took it back to natural. Leadlight repair by Mary's Leadlight

24.01.2022 Some pieces of furniture that were crying out for help

24.01.2022 Been lying a bit low. Just had a knee replacement. STILL DOING QUOTES . Be back in couple of weeks. Been keen to share this job. It was snuck out of shed and to the barn for a surprise birthday present. It was banished to a work shed over 20 years ago. Lucky they kept all the veneers. The horizontal parts are all original the vertical and top all new silky oak veneer. The patina and shine of old veneer give this piece it WOW factor.

22.01.2022 The machine is on its way back to Brisbane. We just met owner in Marmor past rocky. Thanks to Ron for all his help in the lock and machine mechanism. From client when she saw it "Thank you so much really happy with the results. Look forward to showing my mum and sister"

21.01.2022 I think I'm obsessed with this machine. The video shows a bullet bobbin and case.

21.01.2022 I was asked to put a lid on this old shell box. I dont make only restore but an old customer came In and told me how to do it " no hinge just timber under lid to hold it in place". DONE. "What handle to use"? Another old customer came In and we discussed it as I worked. "What about an old rope handle with a knot tied under" he said HEY PRESTO. A real team effort. We are always learning in life.

19.01.2022 We are working on a kitchen cabinet. It's interesting looking at colours over the years. 1. First picture you need to look past the bright yellow to the red under it . Imagine the cream sides and the red doors of 1940/50. 2 Now fastward 30 years to the seventies/80 It was brown sides yes good old mission brown and bright yellow doors. 3.... Fast forward another 30 years and a white painted all over. 2000 4. Fast wardward to 2020 and We now endeavour to maintain original character. WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE ORIGINAL LEADLIGHT COLOURS AND I FOUND RED BAKALITE HANGLES. SEE WILL COME UP A TREAT. See more

19.01.2022 I run a social push bike club. #mackaysocialandhistoricalpushbikebunch . We meet once a month for a bike ride and a bit of a historical tour. I have a 1960s push bike. This rusty old push bike frame was bought for a BBQ area display. It was originally made by my husband's uncle in Bundaberg in 1950 hense the Lister sticker. My clever hubby got it going. It's a young girls push bike. All types of bike welcome to join us. See below post for next run.

18.01.2022 Interest article co written by Nicholas

16.01.2022 Mark it on your calendar. Great social ride and some classic bikes. Any type of bike welcome.

14.01.2022 I've had the old wood handles of a field plough in my garden. A young Bushie from cut creek Eton call in. He rescued them and going to rebuild it. I love how the handles tell a story of hard working hands using it over time

14.01.2022 A Sunday drive to deliver this delicate glass cabinet to Collinsville . A lovely drive via Glenden. Picked up more work for 2021 so definately worth it.

13.01.2022 A beautiful walnut bed head and end completed. Walnut veneer never disappoints. I love that you can see this is the one piece spliced into 5 panels all mirror image of each other. Once dressed it will be lovely

12.01.2022 As you Know I love to discover the history and stories of the pieces we work on. We started cleaning these lovely 2 lovely silky oak frames. I took off the backs to clean the glass BUT when I turned the backs over the biggest surprise awaited us. Under the first picture was a photo of 1917 Football team from My Morgan. I then excitedly removed the second base and there was the picture of a lovely classy lady with her beautiful large trendy hat staring at me. I would gues...s this picture is 1900s to 1910 with the huge hat. It is Mrs Long. The great great grandmother of the owner of the frames. Her son R Long is second from left end in the football picture at back ( you will recognise the family nose ) . Luckily the owners Father who is now 87 remember his grandmother in this picture. He was very very touch and emoticial to see these pictures. What a privilege. I guess like we have all done, the pictures were covered over in the 1930s with these decorative pictures as decorations on the wall. I'll keep you posted . See more

12.01.2022 Another hat bag. This one wasn't in bad condition just needed a good clean and polish. I'm finding wax paste is really good for older cardboard or leather suitcases and hat boxes. I used a brown Feast watson wax paste. Polish on polish off.

11.01.2022 Well started the big stuff now. I picked up this silky oak sideboard. YES UNDER THAT GREEN PAINT IS SILKY OAK. I'm restoring it for a very dear client who was going to have a go himself but time and health does not allow. I found a R. Trittons logo on back. Nicholas bought me an original R Trittons for my birthday and I found the sideboard in there. Thanks to the catalogue we can now match original handles which are long gone. Very exciting. CHECK OUT THE PRICE IN 1930S

11.01.2022 This display cabinet was very very badly damaged. The veneer was damaged everywhere however the owner loved her. The owner loved her shape, her glass ,her legs and beautiful design. It was a lot of work both replacing the broken veneer as well as repairing any veneer remaining. We chose to keep the old weather fabric as it was her signature. Most of this 1930/40 design were bought over from England. She will need constant attention with glue and masking tape but worth the effort

11.01.2022 This is a 1940 electric treadle cabinet machine I've just started to restore. The electric motor is attached to a rod which moves the peddle so you don't have to use your feet.

10.01.2022 Interesting info. Check out and like this new page of Mackay

09.01.2022 TV chairs and more TV chairs. Very popular. Very comfortable very chik

09.01.2022 Working on another simple but classic silky oak piece. Look forward to sharing it when complete. Owned by a lady who loves loves loves silky oak. Great taste

08.01.2022 Some of the work for next few weeks. A much moved " Nunas" treadle. 6 maple chairs ( ex gov chairs ) A silky oak Tray mobile

07.01.2022 Not furniture but had to share. What a beautiful country we live in.

07.01.2022 A real little gem has come into the Barn. It is a music sheet cabinet. A real gem from Art Noveau 1890s to 1910. It would have stood pride of place next to a piano maybe even a Baby Grande. It has been in the family for many generations always passed down to the first female in the family. What a privilege. BRIEF: Make her look lovely but don't take away her age and beauty. Stay turned for this fine rejuvenation.... I have just turned 65 but its pieces like this and my great customers who drive my passion for the old and antique See more

07.01.2022 They say "It's the small things in life" well this little beauty is small classy elegant yet packs a punch. Originally bought from the #theincredibletipshop with acid stains on top, we were able to give it a softer look ( no before pics sorry)

06.01.2022 Well this cabinet was also just waiting to be restored. It was so clear so clean and responded beautifully to the water based finish used. Being maple it responded beautifully to water based finish.. We wanted a more " modern" finish to match the modern house. The couple had wanted to use it , being a family piece but wanted it to compliment their modern deco and furniture in their new home. I LOVE THE CHECKERED LOOK OF THE DOOR INSERTS.

05.01.2022 Started work on this beautiful piano stool with glass ball and claw feet. Discovered this beautiful feather detail. Part of the Cutler Desk. Have to wait til next week to reveal all.

04.01.2022 Great to be back in the Barn. Starting small really small on these 3 children's cane chairs. 3 generations here. 1950s 1980 and more modern. My guess anyway.

03.01.2022 My first job back in the Barn after a break was these frames 8 weeks ago.... but when I removed backing of lovely ladies pictures I discovered these old gems. A 1917 Mt Morgan football team with her great great uncle R. Long in it.and the owners great great grandmother. Her dad is in his 80s and remembers his grandmother as an old lady but had never seen this picture before of her years younger. A whole new chain of jobs now was created. We now had not 2 but 4 pictures. Own...er is really happy with the results. My favourite is great great grandma in her birds nest hat. The picture looks like it's been in this black frame for years. The original football team picture was donat3d to My Morgan Museum ENJOY. See more

02.01.2022 People say we do great work but our work is only as good as the tradesmen before us. No truer word than 1930s art deco walnut veneer furniture. The cut of the grain is just so stunning it brings out the beauty. The way it is applied makes it very workable. It's the 1940s 50s veneer we have to be weiry of usually much lighter. We love to show the variations of the colours of timber, often hidden in yesteryear.

02.01.2022 This leadlight cabinet although solid had definately seen better days.. We striped sanded and finished the timber. It was lovely to work on a solid timber Lead Light cabinet. Mary at Mary's Place certinally had her work cut out for her. The leadlight was in a bad way. She rebuilt it all using original glass. This is often much harder and many would just want to do new leadlight ... but not our Mary . The BARN IS BACK

01.01.2022 The owner of this beautiful early Parker sideboard was very brave buying it on line and having it freighted up. The side was badly damaged. Lucky it was a veneer on ply ( hense early probably 50early 60s) not on chipboard ( used in 70s.). If chipboard we cant touch it. I love the vinyl on draws still in perfect condition. I was still apprehensive and nervous, the Queensland Maple veneer was very fragile. It all glued down perfectly and I added a small trim on base of side to protect. One very luck proud and brave owner.