From a medieval Yorkshire lychgate to the great houses of the American South — six centuries of buildings entrusted to our care.
Leading the restoration of the exquisite front door surround at the George Read II House in Historic New Castle, Delaware, preserving its remarkable punch-and-gouge woodwork and ensuring the integrity of this exceptional example of early American craftsmanship.
Affectionately “The Castle” of Connecticut's Quiet Corner, this transitional Georgian / Federal mansion was improved by Squire Bosworth after 1791 to reflect his standing as a wealthy merchant. Noted for exuberant vernacular woodwork and a rare monitor roof once used as a Masonic Lodge, it is the subject of a detailed case study in whole-building preservation — down to period-appropriate furnishing drawn from probate records.
Designed by English-trained architect John Haviland and begun in 1822, this Greek Revival church is noted for an Ionic front modeled on the Temple of Bacchus at Teos. After years of ill-informed exterior work, Michiel and Peter are advising on appropriate exterior finishes and their execution alongside the project’s tradespeople.
Home of the Cavendish family since 1549, Chatsworth welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Working with the estate since 2014, Michiel corrected the eponymous "estate blue," which had been fading to grey — specifying the finest earth pigments, cobalt blue in place of UV-fugitive ultramarine, and factory-added zinc white for lasting colour and mould resistance.
A Georgian house that served as General George Washington's headquarters during the second Middlebrook encampment (1778–79). With preservation architect Annabelle Radcliffe-Trenner, Michiel and Peter are guiding New Jersey's exterior restoration — advising on appropriate finishes and their effective execution alongside the project's tradespeople.
The lychgate into the churchyard — inscribed "We all do fade as a leaf" — had suffered from improper maintenance, with cracks forming as the timber went unnourished. Michiel advised linseed oil pine tar, a historically accurate finish used for centuries to protect and feed timber, safeguarding the medieval frame against further decay.
Originally built as a single family home, this simple cottage has now been turned into a two-unit dwelling. The current owner asked Michiel and Peter to help advise on proper techniques to restore the extant woodwork — all of which was scraped to the bare wood, and necessary repairs were made. After repairs, the woodwork was painted with historically appropriate linseed oil paint by Brouns & Co. A training session was also provided to help the crew fully understand how to use the correct building materials.
Landmarks where our principals have contributed traditional paint and finishes expertise.
We provide condition assessments, preservation strategies, and hands-on restoration across the United States and internationally.
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