Rod Larwood

About the Business

After completing a five year apprenticeship in Cabinet Making, Rod moved his career into the Care and Conservation of Antique furniture, working for some years in a small restoration business outside Diss.

Realising that to progress and feed his passion for antiques he would have to go back to college he secured a much sort after place at the then foremost West Dean College in West Sussex. Once there Rod learnt the time honoured methods of restoring sometimes what would seem the impossible under the guidance of tutors well versed in the skills of furniture restoration.

West Dean's reputation within the trade was second to none. Top London dealers sent high quality items for restoration and the Victoria and Albert Museum had strong connections with the college at that time. Rod learnt much about the history of English furniture the periods, great makers and architects whose furniture has been sort after through generations of collectors.

After leaving West Dean, some 27 years ago, Rod established his own business in Norfolk (1983) where he is still restoring and conserving furniture of all types. His great love is early Walnut and Mahogany dating from 1790. Through the years he has specialised in regency brass inlaid furniture re-cutting and relaying brass that has been lost or lifted on furniture, also specialist repairs to Tunbridge ware in which most designs are built up from tiny mosaic or geometric patterns this can be very difficult at times to re-instate. Longcase clock cases and clock cases of all types and sizes are restored, it's a rare occasion that the workshop is void of clock cases or barometers.

Business Services

Interior Architectural Polishing

In recent years Rod has diversified on occasions to polish on site various interior Architectural features that are fixtures in houses of all sizes, adapting skills built up over many years from working with traditional tried and tested finishes. Rod links up with a colleague which he has known since his days at West Dean to tackle larger projects. These commissions have taken him all over the country plying his trade in country Houses and corporate institutions.

The majority of commissions taken on are revival or reinstating of traditional wax finishes which have been neglected over time, or removed and replaced by the dreaded polyurethane. Repairs to interior woodwork can be carried out prior to finishing in a sympathetic manor and with compatible materials the results can be quite stunning.

Rod does not apply any of the modern two pack finishes in general use today, indeed he often has to remove these, to reinstate what would have been in most cases the original method of finish.

Newly completed woodwork that needs to be polished in a traditional way has also been taken on, with the same attention to detail as any original feature would receive.

Traditional wax or oil finishes are generally durable, environmental friendly and sustainable, they are also usually easy to repair if damaged.

Bespoke Furniture

Using experience gained working with all types and styles of period furniture and of course Rod's grounding in Cabinet Making, Rod has created exclusive one-off pieces of furniture for select clients sometimes embellished with carving and polished to individual taste.

Rod offers bespoke furniture making for trade and private clients. Each piece is created in his workshops to the clients' wishes, in the style, size and finish required.

Rod can match existing pieces of furniture to create a pair or make an extra chair to match five the customer may already own, reproduce a faithful example from a drawing or photo, or simply interpret your requests to have a modern, classic or antique feel. Many of the items can be made from reclaimed timber aided with new.

Working in conjunction with a colleague much larger projects have been completed to our customer’s satisfaction.

Antique Furniture Restoration & Conservation

The highest care and attention to detail is given to the restoration of your treasured antique furniture, Rod can restore and conserve all periods, styles and woods. Longcase clocks, Clock cases and barometers. All types of cabinet repairs and polishing from a loose leg to a complete rebuild.

Timber of compatible age is used where possible when parts are missing or need patching. The polished finish to any piece of well crafted antique furniture is of the greatest importance, old surfaces are retained whenever possible and also patination.