Blog Article

The Restorative Powers of Carol Woods

December 18, 2017 -

If you look around in almost any of our common areas you will see the talents of the men and women who undertake to heal broken legs, marble tops, drawer pulls, etc., of many of our most treasured pieces of furniture.

Jean O., Co-Chair of the Decorating Committee, believes Charlie H., late husband of Anne H., may have been one of the first residents to see the need for bringing fine pieces of furniture back to their original beauty. An early project was a broken drawer in the breakfront in the foyer of Building 4. He went on to restore a Hitchcock chest in the Social Lounge, even down to decorative painting of porcelain knobs. Many residents benefitted from his restoration skills.

One of the most recent miracles is the restoration of the Eastlake Victorian dresser (c 1880) in the Carolina Room. One day, the serving staff in the Carvery noticed a crack in the marble top. James B., Director of Maintenance and Engineering, said that marble just doesn’t break if it has a strong base. It was sent over to the Krusa Craft Shop where residents Walt M. and Jim S. assessed the damage, realized that the top had been supported only by four casters, and the wheel of one of them had broken off. They built a frame to give the marble top the stability it needed and then mended the top. In the meantime, they noticed that some of the brass escutcheon plates behind the drawer pulls were missing. They commissioned resident Sylvia H. to create reproductions. The piece is back in the Carolina Room and all is well with the Eastlake dresser.

Carol Woods is fortunate to have residents who want to donate unique pieces of furniture, and equally fortunate to have skilled woodcrafters who can restore them to objects of beauty.

--Carol Woods residents Jean O. and Sindy B.