{"id":7367,"date":"2026-10-21T13:40:04","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:40:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.giakkemikke.com\/antique-sideboard-restoration-before-and-after-conservation-treatment\/"},"modified":"2026-10-21T13:40:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T11:40:04","slug":"antique-sideboard-restoration-before-and-after-conservation-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.giakkemikke.com\/en\/antique-sideboard-restoration-before-and-after-conservation-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Antique sideboard restoration: before and after conservation treatment."},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to restoring an antique bread chest, the process always begins with a question: what do we want to remove, and what do we want to preserve? In this article, we show you, through photographs, how a bread chest that arrived at our workshop in Calcinaia, in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, has changed. It was dark, wrapped in plastic film and difficult to recognise. Today, the wood is visible once again.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is a bread chest, and why is it worth restoring?<\/h2>\n

The bread chest is a traditional Tuscan piece of furniture originally designed for kneading and storing bread. It has a hinged lid that opens onto a deep compartment, with drawers and cupboard doors underneath to keep kitchen essentials organised. It was made to be used every day, and it shows: the wood bears the marks of the hands that have opened and closed it for years. This is precisely why a bread chest is well suited to conservation restoration, a process that respects these marks rather than erasing them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Antique bread chest restoration: what it looked like when it arrived at our workshop<\/h2>\n

**The bread chest arrived wrapped in transparent plastic film and adhesive tape, resting on a wheeled platform. Beneath the plastic, the wood was dark, and the surface showed scratches and signs of age. Even the details were concealed: one of the boards forming the top was still grey with dust and old residue, and the wood\u2019s original colour was impossible to see. It was a difficult piece of furniture to read.<\/p>\n

Before touching anything, we take the time to look. We examine the piece up close, understand how it was made, and carefully decide where to begin. Wood has its own pace, and we respect it.**<\/p>\n

Image<\/a> Image<\/a> Image<\/a><\/p>\n

What is conservation restoration?<\/h2>\n

Conservation restoration does not erase a piece of furniture\u2019s history: it removes what hides it and preserves what tells its story. It is not about remaking the piece. A bread chest restored in this way does not become \u201clike new\u201d; its original character becomes visible again.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What we removed<\/h3>\n

We removed the layers that concealed the wood, bringing its warm colour and natural grain back into view. This is the most noticeable change, and it is clearly visible when comparing the before-and-after photographs.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What we preserved<\/h3>\n

The wood\u2019s knots, small dents, signs of wear along the edge of the top and original iron hardware have all been preserved, including the hinges and knobs. These details make this bread chest a unique piece, and we chose not to hide them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Antique bread chest restoration, before and after: a closer look<\/h2>\n

The front<\/h3>\n

Today, the front reveals the lid, two drawers and two panelled doors. The wood grain and knots are clearly visible, and the colour is once again the warm tone of exposed wood, no longer hidden beneath a dark finish.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The top and its edges<\/h3>\n

The edge of the top still bears the marks of time: it has been cleaned, not remade. The small knocks and the shape worn down through use are still visible, giving the piece its authentic character.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The lid and interior<\/h3>\n

Opening the lid reveals the hinges and the boards of the top up close. Inside, the base is made of wooden boards, complete with their natural grain and joints: no imitation, just the material itself.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Image<\/a> Image<\/a> Image<\/a> Image<\/a> Image<\/a><\/p>\n

When is conservation restoration the right choice?<\/h2>\n

Conservation restoration is the right choice when:<\/strong><\/p>\n