How do I clean cane seats?

Dust the woven surface regularly with a soft brush to prevent dirt from settling between the strands. Wipe the cane occasionally with a damp cloth and allow it to dry completely to keep the material supple. Avoid soaking the cane or placing the furniture near direct heat sources, which can cause the natural fibres to become brittle and snap.

Can broken cane be repaired?

Traditional cane seating can be repaired by a skilled restorer who threads new rattan strands through the existing holes in the frame. Hand-woven cane requires matching the pattern of the original work. Panel cane, which uses a pre-woven sheet held in a groove by a spline, can also be replaced relatively easily by removing the old spline and gluing in a fresh mesh.

Where do I place a window seat?

Window seats fit naturally beneath low windows, along hallways, or at the foot of a bed. Their low profiles maintain sightlines while offering convenient perches. These pieces also function well in dressing rooms or studies where a full-sized armchair might overwhelm the floor space.

How do I spot a revival piece?

Revival furniture often exhibits machine-made components, standardised screw threads, or timber cuts characteristic of nineteenth and early twentieth-century manufacturing. Makers during the Regency and Edwardian eras frequently copied seventeenth and eighteenth-century styles. Examine the underside and joints for tool marks and timber ageing that align with the later production date rather than the original historical period.