From Tapestries to Feathers to Bookbinding Bespoke Picture Framing, Mirrors & Conservation Work | Recent Notable Projects
Convert an Art Deco mirror into a frame to display a tapestry.
In this project, I transformed an existing Art Deco mirror frame into a bespoke frame for a tapestry. The original mirror was carefully dismantled and a conservation specification backing mount added for the tapestry to be attached to by stiching, ensuring that the fabric could be removed in future with no detrimental effect.
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The finished piece combines the richness of the fabric with the elegance of the original frame, giving both a second life.
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The first photograph depicts the original mirror, the second photograph shows the tapestry mounted within the frame.
Mounted golden eagle feather.
I was commissioned by a local ornithologist to create a sympathetic frame for a golden eagle feather found in the highlands of Scotland. The frame incorporated spacing pieces around the internal edges with a gold guilding polish as a finishing touch.​
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Re-binding of a precious family travel diary.
A customer brought me a deeply sentimental travel diary that had been part of their family for over fifty years. Time had taken its toll: the spine had split, the covers were coming away, and the pages inside were vulnerable every time the book was handled. The original stitching had begun to fail too, meaning the diary sections were shifting and causing further wear to the paper.
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The brief was to give the diary a new lease of life — not just to repair it, but to create a binding that would protect it for generations to come. The customer also wanted space for future additions: new blank pages for photographs, and several loose typewritten sheets that needed to be permanently and sympathetically incorporated into the book.
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I carefully dismantled the diary, stabilised the original pages, added the new sections, and then re-sewed the book by hand, restoring its strength while respecting its age and character. New boards were cut and covered using handmade decorative paper from Nepal, paired with a traditional tan bookcloth chosen to complement the diary’s period feel.
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To finish, I added deep red endpapers to echo the colours of the cover and a matching cotton ribbon, allowing loose sketches and mementos from the journey to be safely tucked inside. The result is a diary that still feels personal but is now robust enough to be handled, shared, and treasured well into the future.
Bespoke lightbox to highlight a Turkish souvenir
This bespoke lightbox frame was commissioned to showcase a souvenir from Turkey crafted from delicate, translucent coloured leather. By introducing discreet backlighting, the piece takes on a striking stained-glass effect, with the colours illuminated beautifully from within. The result is a complementary box frame that enhances both the object and the space it occupies. The integrated lighting is operated by remote control, requires no wiring, and delivers a clean, seamless presentation that looks superb whether illuminated or unlit.
Victorian Plaster Relief – Structural Repair and Custom Back
A customer purchased a framed Victorian plaster relief of the Virgin Mary. During delivery the original rear sealing – a simple layer of glued paper – failed, causing the frame, glass and plaster relief to separate.
The repair proved more complex than a standard re-backing. The plaster relief projected beyond the depth of the frame, meaning that a conventional flat backing board could not be fitted without placing pressure on the object.
After careful consideration, precise measurements of the frame were taken and a design was developed in collaboration with a local 3D printer. A custom rear cover was produced, complete with countersunk screw holes so that it could be securely attached to the original antique frame.
To stabilise the contents, inert polyester wadding was used to gently fill the void between the plaster relief and the new backing. This prevents excessive movement of the glass, plaster and frame while still allowing the different materials to expand and contract naturally in response to environmental conditions.
A layer of conservation-grade mountboard was then sandwiched between the wooden frame and the new backing. This acts as both a gasket and a barrier, preventing potential contaminants from transferring between the wood and the plastic backing.
The result is a discreet and sympathetic solution that restores the structural integrity of the piece while preserving the character of the original frame.
