A client in Austin told me my finish was too perfect and it changed my whole approach

I was finishing a mid-century dresser for a client last month and I was super proud of the job. I used my usual process, a full strip, grain fill, and three coats of a high-gloss lacquer, sanding between each one. When I delivered it, she looked at it and said, 'It's beautiful, but it looks like it just came from a factory. I wanted the character to show.' That hit me hard. I realized I'd been over-finishing pieces, basically erasing their history to get a flawless surface. Now, for pieces with a story, I leave some of the old patina in the corners and only lightly sand the top surfaces. I'll use a satin finish instead of gloss to let the wood's age show through. It feels more honest to the piece. Has anyone else had a client push back against a 'too perfect' finish?

4 comments

4 Comments

claire_grant343mo agoMost Upvoted

Honestly, that sounds like a dream client to me. I work SO hard to get that flawless, perfect finish. It's the whole point of a restoration in my book. Leaving scratches and old finish feels like I didn't do my job right. That "factory new" look is what people pay for. If they want "character," they should buy it already beat up.

shanescott3mo ago

But what about pieces where the history is the point, @claire_grant34?

jessechen3mo ago

Ugh, @claire_grant34, that's how you ruin a priceless antique.

cameronp471mo ago

Wait, did she actually say it looked like a factory piece? Thats wild to me because Ive spent years trying to get that exact look. My first few pieces I was so proud of being able to hide every single flaw with grain filler and tinted coats. Then a buddy saw a coffee table I did and said he liked it but it looked dead, like plastic wood. That one hit different, felt like all that work was for nothing. Now I do a thing where I leave the old finish in the carved details or inside the drawer fronts so theres this little peek of the original piece hiding in there. Its kind of like seeing the scar on an old chair, it makes the whole thing feel real.