Stories

  • T H Brown Chairs– Restoration

    ByFrank Parker
    TH Brown chair
    T H Brown occasional chair

    Thomas Howard Brown in 1911 formed Brown Brothers Wholesale Chair Manufacturers based in Adelaide. They grew rapidly supplying furniture and department stores, then in 1942 became T.H. Brown & Sons. The business continued to grow and became one of Australia’s largest furniture manufacturers. With the death of Thomas in 1964 his sons Napier and Peter continued to expand the business with interstate manufacturing. In 1987 with the retirement of Peter the business was sold to Work Space Commercial Furniture. Thomas’s grandson Simon joined the business in 2015 forming a joint operation to re-launch some of T H Brown’s signature mid-century furniture.

    These classic T H Brown occasional chairs were supplied to us for restoration through a well known mid-century furniture retailer. The chairs had previously been poorly repaired so they were stripped to the bare frames. The frame joints were repaired then all surfaces sanded back, stained and three coats of low sheen lacquer applied. The chairs were fitted with quality elastic webbing and premium foam cushioning profiled then polyester fibre laminated. The small pattern textured upholstery fabric selected was carefully matched during cutting and sewing.

    The overall effect with the timber stain tone and upholstery fabric selected gave a slightly modern touch to the restored mid-century chair. However the most important point is that this furniture restoration bought joy to our client.

    • Parker’s restored these pieces so perfectly

      I am very blessed . . . Brendan suggested buying these two chairs for my office from Benskys Vintage. Naomi Baron chose some fabulous fabric and Parker’s restored these pieces so perfectly. Customer (me) extremely happy thank you.
      Vivienne
      Dianella W.A.
    Call us Today to Have Your Timeless Furniture Restored

  • Don Rex Furniture – Restoration

    ByFrank Parker
    don rex chairs
    don rex furniture

    Don Rex was a Brisbane based furniture manufacturer operating from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. They primarily manufactured Danish influenced designs now commonly referred to as mid-century furniture. Don Rex Furniture was renowned for utilising native hardwoods and high quality craftsmanship. Given this their refined designs are sought after by mid-century enthusiasts today.

    Our business has always been focused on helping private clients with their upholstered furniture requirements and we value the constant stream of referrals. However as restored ‘mid-century’ furniture has gained popularity we have commenced working with several discerning furniture dealers. Working with these mid-century furniture dealers has introduced us to this brand of chairs, including Don Rex dining chairs and Don Rex armchairs. As they were only a medium sized manufacturer and based in Brisbane there is not a significant amount of this furniture brand circulating in W.A.

    The Don Rex chairs we have restored have been soundly constructed and only occasionally requiring the frame joints to be re-glued. The frames are then sanded back then either lacquered or oiled depending upon client requirements. New cushion inserts are always fabricated from premium foam and wrapped with bonded polyester fibre. The chairs are always upholstered to the original finish which is not necessarily the way they arrive if they have been previously re-upholstered.

    It is pleasing to see many younger clients purchasing this restored mid-century furniture. This displays the timeless quality of the designs but maybe more importantly young people turning away from a throw-away society.

    Call us Today to Have Your Timeless Furniture Restored

  • Bridge Chairs – Restore

    ByFrank Parker

    Bridge Chairs were originally designed and made in the late 1930’s originating from Europe. Bridge Chairs are compact in size allowing them to be used in most rooms, suiting bedrooms, to accompany dining tables and even offices. It was said they were for “ladies of leisure for games of Bridge, afternoon tea and gossiping”. The popularity and manufacturing of this design spread throughout the western world with the chairs being made until the late 1950’s. The frames were usually constructed from Beech or Oak but in Australia native hardwoods were extensively used then stained to client requirements.

    We had undertaken previous work for a client who again approached us with a Bridge Chair having belonged to her parents. She rescued the chair from a trailer heading for the tip. This chair was originally in a set of four having been purchased by her parents for their farm house in the wheatbelt town of Karlgarin.

    We removed the existing upholstery then repaired the frame joints with two-pack resin and screwed the chair rails. The arms and legs were sanded back having been constructed from Jarrah which was still structurally sound but had been bleached due to decades on a veranda. The show-wood Jarrah was stained and three coats of lacquer applied being sanded between coats.

    The upholstery foundation was kept original with jute webbing fitted to the seat, coil springs laced then tied-down then a hessian overlay fitted and the back also having jute webbing fitted then just a hessian overlay. We then step into the present and laminate premium foam padding with bonded polyester overlays which provides superior comfort to the original flock and fibre stuffing. Our client with her sister had selected and abstract floral design fabric for the upholstery which reminded them of “gum trees on the farm”. The result speaks for its self and is best summed up by our client’s comments. “Thanks to Parker Interiors for restoring it so beautifully so it will last for the next generations to come”.

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