Heritage Buildings Restoration
Library at St Johns College, Sydney University
Before Restoration Image
This photo shows the precision work of measuring out the geometrical patterns that’s going to decorate the ceiling of the Library more...
at St Johns College, Sydney University. The difficulty was in the fact that the rows of stars had to line up no matter where the viewer was standing. We used strings, laser and lots of masking tape to get the pattern right in an old building where the lengths of the walls were different on each side.
After restoration image 1
This photo shows the finished ceiling geometrical fields with the golden stars. It also shows the Latin and Greek quotations that decorates more...
the top of the wall all around the room. All gilding was done using 24 karat gold leaves. No varnishing was added to leave the gold as shiny and bright as possible.
After restoration image 2
Close up view of the finished gilding from the top of the scaffolding.
After restoration image 3
This image shows the finished Library after the handover. The original cabinetry has been restored and the parquetry refinished by other contractors.
Historic Neo Gothic house
Before restoration image 1
This is an interior of a historic Neo Gothic house in the suburb of Annandale, Sydney. This image shows a heavily water damaged section of a wall with timber beams in between each decoration.
After restoration image 1
This image shows the same wall section after the restoration. First the wall needed stabilizing, the plastering refinished, sealed and the stencilling redone using all the original colours.more...
The timber beams were painted with gold paint. This was stripped back in places and we found the original rosette underneath. These rosettes were stencilled back after the restoration of the painted plaster murals was finished.
Before restoration image 2
This photo shows part of the ceiling and water damaged walls in the staircase of the same building. Large sections of the paint were peeling, and deep cracks showed in the corners and above the Gothic window.
Before restoration image 3
This is the same section of the ceiling and wall viewed from the scaffolding. The first part of the restoration is under way: the large cracks had been filled, the peeling paint was scraped off and new plastering was applied. Luckily the cornice wasn’t too badly damaged.
After the restoration image 2
This photo shows the finished restoration of the staircase.
The walls and the ceiling had been repainted using the original colours we found after exploring underneath the existing colours.
All the rosettes more...
showing various coat of arms and the builder’s own coat of arm above the window was restored. Line work was painted on the ceiling and the central rosette for the chandelier restored to its formal glory. We had to cut several stencils for the various patterns that covered the top of the walls and the lower part of the staircase. All the gilding done on the cornices, central rosette and the coat of arms was done using 24 karat gold leaves that won’t tarnish.
“Inhof Restoration were an absolute delight to work with. With their help my beautiful Gilt Victorian Console Table which was left to me by my parents is back to it’s original beauty. Thanks Attila and Cecilia”