27 August 2026
This one had me very happy. It looks very different and a bit less dated.
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Every job we've shared since 2015, straight from the bench. Each post links to the original on Facebook.
Last synced 27 August 2026 at 16:52 SAST
20 July 2026
That turned out quite sweet. It's not dark and dingy anymore. We stripped and finished it twice because the first attempt was still too orange. We aim to please and our second attempt hit the liked button. The first picture is the before. Second picture the finish that didn't quite make the grade and then the final outcome.
8 July 2026
It was scruffy. Now it's in the lounge. Thank you to Swemmer Upholstery for the referral. That upholstery looks great.
29 January 2026
Yellowwood needs to be pampered otherwise you can see it degrading under UV and wear.
14 November 2025
It was dark and off the "farm" and in the house now. Burmese Teak with a matt finish to seal the natural colour of the wood.
12 November 2025
I've never had a request to stain Yellowwood to match the Imbuia legs. I think it turned out quite spectacular.
22 August 2025
Oregon pine could look so orange after a while. This is a stripped down, matted down outside table ready for nasty weather
20 June 2025
Old Oak table given the proper treatment to make it look older but cared for.
18 June 2025
Previous attempt at staining Yellowwood to match the Blackwood base came out very streaky. We applied an appropriate stain and a Satin Lacquer finish.
21 May 2025
This hallstand was so red I could've sworn it was Burmese Teak but after stripping this White American Oak (no it's not Trump) it popped out to surprise me.
6 May 2025
A yellowish Camphorkist took to a stripping and matt finish like a duck to water. Look at that beautiful grain.
21 February 2025
I'm always very surprised at the beauty of the wood under that dark stain of years ago. Look at that....
19 February 2025
Rather well worn but well loved loungers needed some serious intervention. Now they'll be good for another 30 years
18 February 2025
Stripped it back to wood and did a satin lacquer finish. I like it....
15 February 2025
I guess you should do what you have to if what you have doesn't suit your needs anymore.
14 February 2025
Just a little bit of love and that desk looks happy to have had some...
6 December 2024
So..... People liked Imbuia dark, years ago. Natural Imbuia with a matt finish somehow looks light and trendy.
13 November 2024
This was a great turnaround. I had an issue choosing a colour for the arms because there were a couple of options.
2 October 2024
Scots Pine chest of drawers was stripped, repaired, got new knobs and finished in matt. That orange was an awful colour.
13 September 2024
This Victorian card table was left out in the elements for a while. We repaired it and applied a matt sealer to give it a more modern look and to fit in with other matt vintage furniture.
14 August 2024
The evil that water does aided by spray-polishes over the years. There was too much damage to the center to restore it to the original.
23 November 2023
Very unique claws on this table. Looks almost Jacobean. It turned out exactly as I wanted it to.
13 November 2023
I have customers with an amazing sense of what will work. It makes me happy to be a part of the process in achieving the look that they're after
3 November 2023
My before didn't pan out as expected. The after raises the question, why ever did the trend of the day(about 50 years ago) demand such somber colours.
3 November 2023
This "Orange" server will get a marble top and drop in basins for a bathroom. The colour was adapted to fit in with the new decor.
16 October 2023
Sometimes you just can't predict the end result. That bleached desk turned out to be Mukwa from Zimbabwe, needing some elbow grease.
21 September 2023
This table has been refinished a good couple of times over the last 150 years. The legs are Stinkwood and the skirt looks like Walnut. The top was replaced with Basswood somewhere along the lines. Why anyone would've tried to ebonise it remains a mystery.
23 July 2023
It was very confusing. This roll top has a swing out drawer compartment. I've never seen one like this before.
31 January 2023
Does anybody know what this was? I got the pieces and was told to fix it. I think I might make a pallet out of it
20 January 2023
This very dark Victorian Hall stand is going to live in the UK. It asked for a lighter look.
17 January 2023
I'm not a great photographer but the image is good enough to see that we turned that 1850's dining table set around quite smartly.
13 December 2022
I was warned that we were not to lose any detail in the carvings. After removing the paint and the primer from the kist the customer was surprised by all the detail that appeared from under layers of paint. This job was a challenge but we were up to it.
27 November 2022
I did this myself. I'm quite chuffed. No more business cards needed
8 September 2022
We built this. I couldn't get the one push-to-open mechanism to do as it should and Tienie Ellis (MCE Cupboards and Handyman Projects) performed his magic to make it do as it is supposed to do.
14 July 2022
Burmese Teak bench was left outside for a while. It was stripped and refinished with a matt lacquer and nylon riempies fitted.
3 June 2022
Out with the dark 90's look and in with a lighter fresh finish. Stripped to wood and sealed with an almost matt non yellowing lacquer.
1 June 2022
A very clever interior decorator turned a couple of yellowed Oak cabinets and cupboards into a magnificent display unit. Renet Potgieter Designs (082 556 5647) you really have an amazing eye
14 May 2022
When your workshop is a dusty mess and things that you need to use when you need them seems to blend into the surroundings.... Go Red.
27 January 2022
Oregon pine Jonkmanskas got a new look after stripping it to the wood and applying waxes over a matt lacquer to allow patination to naturally add that glow that makes a piece look well look after.
20 January 2022
Blackwood chest of drawers stripped to wood and refinished with a satin lacquer to get rid of the ugly gloss varnish
15 December 2021
My talented guys at the end of another year. Thank you to all my friends and customers for making 2021 great.
6 December 2021
This beautiful Georgian chest of drawers travelled all over the world and was unpacked after stored in a shed in Indonesia. It belonged to the customer's grandfather and went back to Franschhoek today. The missing brasswork will be acquired from a dealer in the UK.
18 October 2021
We did not only unpack the books... We also stripped years of wear and tear off it and finished it in a matt lacquer.
25 September 2021
Oak tends to yellow over the years and many people dislike that look as the piece looks dated and like everybody else's uncle's treasured furniture from 30 years ago
25 September 2021
His Masters Voice Gramophone cleaned up quite smartly after a bit of trouble at first
20 August 2021
Very well aged mariners chest of drawers had some damage and lots of gunk on it from years and years of use.
11 July 2021
Over the years Yellowwood tends to go an ugly orange due to oils and polishes with a colour in them. This table is about 80 years old and was badly scratched.
11 July 2021
It is still Pine but it looks completely fresh. The customer bought new handles and now it is in a newly refurbished bathroom.
15 June 2021
You know that the finish is on point when you can see the reflection of your light 3m in the air as if you're looking into a mirror.
10 June 2021
Oak has the tendency to become very dated looking. We were aiming for a better match with the floor.
8 June 2021
I really wonder what the deal was with those dark blotches on 50's Oak furniture. Maybe it was the distressed look of today
7 June 2021
It was dark and now its not. Another Imbuia cabinet with beautiful grain under that dark shellac. The finished article will find its place against a red brick wall.
21 May 2021
Time to make a definite change to this little pedestal. It has a white marble top to place that potplant on without having to worry about water damage.
21 May 2021
We remade a long bookshelf into a tall bookshelf to fit into that new space.
20 May 2021
Sometimes a piece has sentimental value but it is standing in the shed or backroom. Now it will have pride of place...
1 April 2021
Inserts on the tops of coffee tables are quite often chipboard that has a very thin veneer over it. It looks good but it cannot really handle the heat as well as the real thing. We had to replace the insert and match it to the solid frame.
24 March 2021
My before didn't pan out but this Victoria breakfast table was damaged whilst in storage... Rough handling, water and packaging tape took its toll on this grand old lady.
24 March 2021
Oregon pine without the proper sealers doesn't like water and UV at all.
25 February 2021
Round table was bought for a customers mother's new home as a it fitted in nicely. It didn't look so good at first.
23 February 2021
Old Stinkwood kist has seen some use over the years. We stripped it back to the raw wood and sealed it with a Matt finish to enable the patination to build through regular waxing, leaving the piece with a glow over the years.
19 February 2021
Fire damaged Oak chairs. 2 burnt out completely. I am looking for 2 more.
11 February 2021
Stained Oak tends to look shabby after a while. Stripped it right back and sealed it Matt
3 February 2021
I really like my job. This Burmese Teak dining table was cut off at the knees to turn it into a coffee table and then painted silver... What a pleasure to see the original wood again.
31 January 2021
It was very fashionable during the 50's and 60's to apply a very dark shellac to Imbuia especially. Imagine the customers surprise when that dark Dresser showed a stunning colour and grain after it was stripped. It was given to them by a family member that now wants it back... Too late she cried.
29 January 2021
From a dated glass top coffee table to a modern vinyl upholstered piece... Designed by interior decorator and built by us.
27 January 2021
2020 was an annus horribilis. Even Pinocchio was at a loose end. He completely fell apart at the thought of being locked in and came undone. I've approached a couple of government departments but due to the colour of his wood they would not help. Blackwood and Yellowwood and even Redwood got assistance but he was left to make ends meet himself. He was strung up by Sikhumbule Mhlope and is hanging around again.
27 January 2021
When you get 5 chairs in state of disassembly but you know they could look wonderful...
14 January 2021
Veneered tables do not like the sun and rain. Table was sealed properly with a Duco for years of future gatherings around the braai.There are better pictures of the outcome in comments.
13 January 2021
Outside table made in solid Beech was too badly stained by water to strip back to the natural colour.
8 January 2021
A couple of years ago this table was painted for a new look. We stripped the new look and took it back to what it should be.
8 January 2021
I almost begged the customer to let me restore this Imbuia bench. It was such a satisfying job. We applied a matt exterior finish to contrast the upholstery that will be done at a later stage.
30 December 2020
We repaired this swing bench that had too good a Christmas celebration before the New years celebration.
18 December 2020
This solid Burmese Teak Cupboard was used in a boarding school somewhere the rumour goes. Thank you Vernit Holder for designing that stencil to improve on the existing one. Just wish I knew what The A. B. M. is or was or should be... Maybe Absolutely Bloody Marvellous comes to mind. Delivered yet again in a Ford Bantam 1.3 Kawasaki Edition.
10 December 2020
This Teak cupboard was valuable stacking space in the garage for years. A gap for it opened up in the spare bedroom.
27 November 2020
This Oak roll top desk had a couple of repairs and was stripped to raw wood and sealed with a matt finish to give a slightly more modern look.
27 November 2020
The black chest of drawers was a gift from someone and didn't suit the baby room at all... Just look at those cute drawer pullers...
21 November 2020
An Oak dining table was stripped from a very dark finish to something that the customer still didn't like. After we got our hands on it she was all smiles...
21 November 2020
Very old Fruit wood Riempies bench that is rumoured to have belonged to Piet Retief was dug out from storage and restored to take its place in the lounge.
20 October 2020
White is not always right. Pedestals repurposed to go into the gym... I love that new colour and those handles are on point...
28 June 2020
This Oak dining table was yellowed and tired looking and in need of a face-lift. We gave it a matt lacquer finish.
29 May 2020
20 years old and well used all over the world... Stripped it back to wood and finished in oil finish with a poliwax to stop the UV from doing what it does to outside wooden articles...
15 May 2020
Imbuia table was broken years ago and put in the roof of the garage... Just look at that beautiful grain that was hidden under that very dark shellac.
8 May 2020
Vintage Armchairs were chewed by puppies over the years and needed to be spruced up a bit. I will post pictures when it is back from the upholsterers
20 March 2020
New house and therefor a new look. We put in some shelves and hanging space to suit the owners requirements...
13 March 2020
A little bit lighter and a whole lot brighter makes for great kuiers when the loadshedding interferes with your dining plans
6 March 2020
The finish on this Walnut burr extendable table had to be redone to make it more durable for the wear and tear of board meetings
2 March 2020
We had to replace the riempies on this very interesting Morris chair but decided to re-glue it a bit and applied some oil and wax because it needed that little bit more..
2 March 2020
These Stinkwood chairs were bought on auction without seats and very dry and lifeless. We made seats and revived and waxed them.
20 February 2020
Antique kitchen scale got some water after half the house got flooded and we removed the rust and restored it back to original. The dial has marks on it that won't be removed... Like lines on a person's face... It tells a story.
20 December 2019
We received a chair that was temporarily repaired... Very temporarily. After our repair there will be no problems...
13 December 2019
A plan had to be made for a cabinet under a basin that was fixed to the wall and wouldn't be moved. There were limitations with a doorway on one side and a shower on the other.
21 November 2019
This little Teak stool comes out of Volkskas bank years ago. It was screwed into the ground. Appears even back then anything not screwed down was for the taking.
8 November 2019
This African Mahogany table was red and wouldn't have suited the new tiles of the new house. My instruction was to make it lighter and brown. The coffee table got the same treatment
26 September 2019
This chair was made in Namakwaland by the customer's great grandfather and repaired in various interesting ways over the years. Those repairs are the lines on a persons face. It shows proudly that life happened and added a story in the life of a chair.
19 September 2019
This Oregon Pine dresser was traveling around after many attempts to paint it to fit in somewhere.
13 September 2019
Reviving with a penetrating oil feeds the wood and cleans off years of superficial muck...
22 August 2019
Steering wheels from a fishing trawler almost 150 years old have been cleaned up and will be proudly displayed in the customers lounge.
20 August 2019
Always thought that HelloPeter was for complaints only. In 30 years of restoration I've never thought I'd make it onto their page... But alas I've been mentioned and I am thrilled.
2 June 2019
With the help of Fancy Finishes and Claudine we gave the customer a piece that her mother won't recognize
13 May 2019
That was then and the other is later... Someone tried Chalk paint to make this little desk look better
11 April 2019
Antique platform rocker (typical steampunk) of late 1800's got a much needed restoration. The upholstery will be done by Swemmer upholstery.
1 March 2019
An older but not antique display cabinet had to undergo a revamp to fit in with the new couches and tiles on the floor that will be arriving soon.... Dye or waai
16 February 2019
Quite a change in appearance. Under that dark original shellac hides the most beautiful wood. This one was made in Rhodesia.
14 February 2019
My customer bought this desk for little money and we turned it into something completely different
10 November 2018
This Morris chair had seen better days and after a very unsuccessful revamp(rather not brush on tinted varnish if you don't know what your doing) found its way to the workshop. Yellowwood was mixed with Oak and the tinted varnish was supposed to hide the fact.
4 November 2018
We had to change the look and purpose of this Oak cabinet. Added glass to the top section for display purposes while the bottom can still be used for storage.
13 October 2018
This table was brought in to be refinished after stripping it to wood. Judging by the colour and the barleytwist legs, I would have sworn it was Teak. Turns out a very nice Oak table was hiding under all of that
10 October 2018
When buying a piece of furniture with a rolling door it is difficult to assess the structural integrity of the cloth that binds the wood together as it is most often not visible. This one had been repaired with Cello tape before and fell apart as soon as we started stripping the piece
29 July 2018
This desk needed to be cleaned up gently to get rid of years of oils, waxes and dust but special care had to be taken to preserve the detail that was painted on.
9 July 2018
Edward was mortified. His children moved down from Jhb and gave the black Stinkwood coffee table back to him because they have no room for it anymore. When he called me to arrange for me to pick it up I could hear that he was rather concerned. The coffee table returned to him was not as he remembers it. Now it is!!!
24 May 2018
It is not always the style of a piece of furniture that dates it. With a new look on the walls ( beautifully done by Anton Van Den Eijkel painters) the colour of this oak table really didn't suit the more modern look of the lounge.
6 April 2018
Braai day is upon us.... Some people's looks like this. It really doesn't have to. The Jones's might be coming over...
26 March 2018
We manufacture floating shelves in a variety of styles and lengths. A privy-ledge is a handy fixture in any privy or bathroom.
22 March 2018
This toolbox was made in early 1900's as the toolbox to use during the tradesman's apprenticeship. Well done for a first manufacture
4 March 2018
Most people have or had a grandparent that tried their hand at painting a piece of furniture..... multiple times
1 February 2018
20 Year old table bought for R40 000.00 , turned out to be a challenging table ( due to its size)that had to go lighter to suit a new enviroment.
20 December 2017
Interesting story..... This box was made for the Grandfather in China during the early 1900, handed to the father ..... travelled the world and ended up with the son who lived in Johannesburg. During a break inn this heirloom was stolen and never seen again. The son moved to the UK and whilst watching Black Sails on T.V. spotted this box. Contact was made with the producers of the show and it was handed back to family living in Somerset West. The box had been abused a bit over the years and was given to us to sort the wood out before it went back to the rightful owner in the UK. Brassique in van der Stel sorted out all the metalwork . It was sent back to the owner in the UK. It will probably be safer there than in the country of ours
22 October 2017
This was dropped off at my workshop by a beautiful blond lady with a huge frown. She was very specific about what it should look like. I took some time to quote because I wasn't too sure about what it could look like.
13 October 2017
Yellowwood farm bench has been in the family for a while and suffered terribly at the hands of time, trespass and the lack of tenderness.
29 September 2017
Was told to make this look better. Stinkwood chest that got some weird treatment over the years.
21 August 2017
It happens sometimes that someone knows that it could be better than it currently is. Those people come to Giupetto and Son Restorers.
14 August 2017
200 year old Oregon flooring put to good use as floating shelves. I didn't anticipate the troubles I had but all my prayers were answered. Thank you Dave for all the help and support.
15 July 2017
Birthing chair and ply wood occasional table in desperate need of some care.
5 July 2017
This old lady is going to be great fun to redo. We will be using Nylon riempies as it is still regularly used and each seat has a very long span.
27 May 2017
Late 1800 tea trolley that needed some cleaning up and a "new" wheel to make a better impression...
5 April 2017
Embuia can look really sad if it got some sun and lots of Mr Min. Luckily we know some stuff to yank it back into the living room.
30 November 2016
This Giraffe was not harmed during transport. It was minding it's own business at a Guesthouse and fell over. Who's to know what happened. One thing is for sure.....we will put him together to hang around proudly again soon.
29 October 2016
Received this table at my workshop. Manufactured in Holland about 25 years ago and got slightly destroyed in South African sun. Luckily we know some tricks to make it look and feel better
14 October 2016
This came from a family farm in the Eastern Cape and travelling took its toll.
22 September 2016
Paint techniqued Oak dining table sealed with Matt lacquer to prevent stains when life happens.
29 July 2016
The problem child- 3 tiered dumb waiter- turned out to be a challenge but we managed to restore it to fully functional and looking well looked after again. Over restoration is something to guard against .
28 July 2016
Got a call to pick up this Oregon chest of drawers in the mountains outside Stellenbosch. I was in the most beautiful part of the Wine lands.
19 July 2016
This will be an interesting one. A three tier dumb valet to be repaired and pulley system overhauled. It appears to work like a sash window with a difference....... for once I am slightly confused.
14 July 2016
If people climb on chairs to reach up high and gravity reminds you to use the right tool for the job at hand,it is easy to see how a beautiful little Oak desk will turn out like this.....
13 July 2016
Seat needed to have new riempies fitted to ensure the guests stayed firmly seated during the meal..
11 July 2016
The feeding chair has been used over 3 generations and something got added in each generation
4 April 2016
Repaired this old urn when no one else wanted to tackle it. Won't be doing this for R400.00 again.
3 April 2016
This is an old gramophone cabinet bought without inspecting the integrity of the structure and for the presence of woodborer. Major reinforcing had to be done to counter the destruction caused by the borer beetles
23 January 2016
This Captain's chair was bought on Gumtree for a very reasonable price as the lifting mechanism is not working anymore. That will be repaired and the wood will be refinished in a satin lacquer finish. Probably dating early 1900's.
11 December 2015
Made 2 of these tables for a winery. If you spill your redwine on it it would go unseen. First time combining metal and wood to ensure that it can handle the dancing on the top when things get out of hand......
14 November 2015
This antique Chinese lacquered screen was carefully restored. We had to fill in missing pieces of Nacre and re lacquer the entire screen
14 November 2015
This was the biggest table we've built. 4.2 meters to seat a happy party
4 October 2015
Very expensive two - seater couch had chipboard brace between sides that snapped during normal use.
4 October 2015
Dead and dying transported to ICU free of charge. But only if it's wood we would....
