Recently I was privileged to be taken on a tour of the Classic Revivals factory (Modellers of Antique Furniture), where I got a glimpse of the magic that goes into creating the company’s unique handcrafted furniture.
They begin by delving into a customer’s psyche to understand exactly what furniture designs they are conceptualising. This concept is sketched to scale by hand, and then the production process begins.
It was fascinating to watch the mastercraftsmen breathe life into ordinary pieces of wood through finely honed carving skills – skills that are threaded through the 60-year-old family-business legacy, passed on from generation to generation.
The factory operates in a smooth flow, with sectioned areas specialising in different parts of the furniture creation – from template transference to polishing the end product. And what I found particularly endearing was the sense of family that existed among the Rech family and their staff – family values that clearly translate into each piece of furniture produced.
From antique reproductions so precise they are almost identical to the originals, to contemporary furniture for the modern home, only the best-quality materials are used to ensure home owners receive pieces that add beauty to their homes for years to come. And continued investment in sustainability, through responsible timber sourcing, adds an additional lure to these pieces.
From factory to showroom – I finished my tour at the Johannesburg Classic Revivals retail outlet, and was able to see a collection of the completed pieces on display, testimony to the undiminished passion of four generations of Italian cabinet-makers.
For more information, visit Classic Revivals
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