Someone You Should Know- Part 2

Last week I talked with Alan Karzen of Alan Karzen Restoration (www.karzenrestoration.com) about reupholstering.  This week we talked about refinishing your fine wood furniture.

Alan Karzen

Alan Karzen of Alan Karzen Restoration

Q.  Alan, what about refinishing wood furniture?  What can a client expect?

A.  With refinishing, as with reupholstery, having a good quality piece to start with makes a great deal of difference.  I can do anything from changing the color of the stain (within certain parameters) to adding character with glazes and paints.  I recently took a couple of nightstands from a client and refinished them with a two color process which resulted in a completely updated look.  One of the other ways that we can help clients is by giving their kitchens an entirely new look by refinishing their wood cabinets.  I can change the look of their kitchen and freshen it up for a fraction (about 25%) of the cost of replacing cabinets.  Considering that you’re not throwing away perfectly good cabinets and creating landfill, it’s also a very “green” alternative!

Secretary desk before Alan's magic touch

 

Secretary desk, completely restored!

 

Q.  That’s great, Alan!  What should someone look for when they’re considering a refinishing and reupholstery professional?

A. One of the most important things is to find out how long they’ve been in business.  I’ve been in this business all my life, as my father was in it and I learned from a master, at his knee.  I have decades of experience and can handle the most complicated residential or commercial projects. 

Alan, thanks for a most informative interview and I wish you many more years of success!

Someone You Should Know – Part 1

 
Heeeere’s Alan!
 

From time to time I’d like to introduce you to some of my group of trusted professionals.  Today, I’m interviewing Alan Karzen of Alan Karzen Restoration (www.karzenrestoration.com).  Alan is in the business of restoring not only your fine antique dining table and chairs, but reupholstering and cabinet refinishing.  I thought I’d ask him some of the questions that you might want answered.

Q.  “Alan, what should people think about when determining whether or not to reupholster a piece of furniture?”

A. “Regarding upholstery, I can get a sense of the quality of the piece by asking a few questions.  First, I ask how long ago it was purchased and what the item cost.  This will often give me a clue as to whether or not it makes sense to reupholster.  If it’s a piece that was an inexpensive purchase, it generally doesn’t make sense to reupholster it as the quality of the frame- the “bones” of the piece isn’t good and probably won’t last long enough to make the price of reupholstery worthwhile.   Reupholstering is costly because it’s very labor intensive.  We take a piece down to the frame, inspect it for damage, repair it, re-tie the coil springs,  and add new padding and cushions.  If an upholstered piece of furniture has a history- say it was handed down from Grandma or Grandpa, has a carved wood frame and good “bones”, it pays to reupholster it.  I can even change the style somewhat by adding or deleting a skirt and changing leg styles as well as changing the finish on exposed wood.” 

Reupholstery by Alan Karzen

Thanks for a great interview and timely tips on reupholstering, Alan!  Stay tuned for Part 2 of my interview next week where we’ll talk about refinishing wood furniture and cabinets.