Finding the best antique restoration in Napier means finding a craftsperson who can bring a family heirloom back without stripping away its character. Antique restoration in Napier is served by Hawke’s Bay workshops that repair loose joints, repolish old timber finishes and reupholster period chairs and settees, with most offering pick-up or drop-off for furniture from across the region. Hastings upholsterer O’Connell Furniture Specialists and Dannevirke’s RoNZ Furniture Hospital both take on heirloom pieces from Napier homes.
1O’Connell Furniture Specialists
O’Connell Furniture Specialists is a family-run upholstery and furniture workshop on King Street South in Hastings, about 20 minutes from Napier, whose upholstery department restores both antique and contemporary pieces. Work ranges from recovering a chair in new fabric to stripping a piece back to its frame for a full restoration using traditional upholstery techniques. It suits owners of antique chairs, settees and other upholstered heirlooms who want the piece repaired to last.
Services
- Antique furniture reupholstery
- Full strip-back upholstery restoration
- Leather re-colouring
- Replication of antique pieces such as headboards
Highlights
- Family business founded in Wairoa in 1967, operating in Hastings since 2007
- Owner Kevin O’Connell is a qualified upholsterer and motor trimmer
- All work done in its own Hastings factory, from frame making to final inspection
- Showroom with fabric and leather samples on site
Location & Contact
Name: O’Connell Furniture Specialists
Address: 113 King Street South, Hastings
Phone: 06 878 7580
Website: oconnellfurniture.co.nz
2RoNZ Furniture Hospital
RoNZ Furniture Hospital is the Dannevirke workshop of woodworker Ron Ashford, who specialises in the repair and restoration of solid-wood modern and antique furniture and services the lower North Island, including Hawke’s Bay. Much of the work is mid 20th century New Zealand furniture in native timbers such as kauri and rimu, from chairs and tables to dressers, hutches and chests. It suits Napier owners with a damaged or worn wooden heirloom who are happy to arrange pick-up or bring the piece to the workshop.
Services
- Repolishing of antique furniture
- Removing old finishes and applying new ones
- Glue-up of loose joints and breaks
- Replacing missing legs, parts and fittings
- Restoration of flood and water damaged furniture
Highlights
- Working in the furniture trade since an apprenticeship that began in 1965
- Expert colour matching of stains and finishes
- Finishes in Tung oil and wax with nil VOCs once cured
- Restored flood-damaged Hawke’s Bay furniture after Cyclone Gabrielle
- Quotes provided for insurance claims
Location & Contact
Name: RoNZ Furniture Hospital
Address: 6 Cadman Street, Dannevirke
Phone: 06 374 8132
Website: ronz.co.nz
3Hawkes Bay Furniture Company
Hawkes Bay Furniture Company is a furniture and joinery maker in Havelock North that builds custom pieces in its own workshop and also restores, repairs and repolishes timber furniture. Restoration sits alongside its main business of kitchens, cabinetry and bespoke furniture, and an upholstery service is available. It suits Napier customers who want timber furniture repaired or refinished by a workshop that also builds in solid wood.
Services
- Timber furniture restoration and repair
- Furniture repolishing
- Upholstery
- Custom-made furniture
Highlights
- All furniture and joinery made on site in its Havelock North workshop
- Works in matai, oak, ash and rimu
- Kitchen showroom open by appointment
Location & Contact
Name: Hawkes Bay Furniture Company
Address: 7 Martin Place, Havelock North
Phone: 06 877 8074
Website: hbfurniture.co.nz
Antique Restoration in Napier at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| O'Connell Furniture Specialists | Family business founded in Wairoa in 1967 |
| RoNZ Furniture Hospital | Working in the furniture trade since an apprenticeship that began in... |
| Hawkes Bay Furniture Company | All furniture and joinery made on site in its Havelock North workshop |
How to Choose the Right Antique Restoration in Napier
- Match the restorer to the job: timber repairs and repolishing call for a furniture restorer, while worn seats, springs and fabric call for an upholsterer. Many heirlooms need both.
- Ask about finishes: check whether the restorer can match the original stain and finish, and whether they will preserve the patina or refinish the piece fully.
- Look at past work: before and after photos of similar pieces, especially New Zealand native timber furniture, show how a restorer handles age and wear.
- Plan the logistics: most Hawke’s Bay restorers work from a workshop outside central Napier, so ask about pick-up, delivery and drop-off before you commit.
- Get a written estimate: a restorer who inspects the piece in person or from clear photos can give a realistic cost and timeframe, and a quote you can use for insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Napier Antique Restoration
How much does antique furniture restoration cost in Napier?
Cost depends on the size of the piece, the damage and the finish required. A loose chair joint is a small job, while stripping and repolishing a sideboard or fully reupholstering a settee takes far longer. Restorers usually quote after seeing the piece or clear photos of it.
Where can I find furniture restoration near me in Napier?
Napier residents mostly use workshops elsewhere in Hawke’s Bay, including King Street South in Hastings and Havelock North, both a short drive from Napier. Specialist restorers further afield, such as Dannevirke, also arrange pick-up and delivery for Hawke’s Bay customers.
Should an antique be restored or left as it is?
A careful restorer repairs what is broken and stabilises the piece while keeping as much of the original timber and finish as possible. Stripping an antique back completely can reduce its value, so talk through the options before work starts, particularly for pieces with collector interest.
Can an antique chair be reupholstered without damaging the frame?
Yes. An experienced upholsterer removes old fabric and padding carefully, repairs the frame if needed, and rebuilds the seat using traditional or modern materials. Ask whether the original stuffing and springs will be kept or replaced.
Can furniture damaged by flooding be restored?
Often it can. Solid-wood furniture needs thorough cleaning and a slow, complete dry-out before repairs begin, and older pieces may need re-gluing where water has washed out the original hide glue. Veneered and particleboard furniture is much harder to save.
Will my insurance cover furniture restoration?
Many home contents policies cover repair of accidentally damaged furniture. Ask the restorer for a written quote to send to your insurer, and check your policy wording.
How do I protect restored antique furniture from borer?
Borer is common in older New Zealand furniture and homes. Keep treated pieces away from infested timber, and ask your restorer about finishes that discourage re-infestation after the piece is repaired.
How We Chose the Best Antique Restoration in Napier
Every business in this guide was found by searching for antique restoration in Napier, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Napier, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.