This elegant mid-century Scandinavian swivel chair was entrusted to us by a customer who wanted to see it loved and used again. Crafted from solid beech with a rotating, tilting seat, it’s a true design classic — but time had taken its toll.

When it arrived, the chair carried the marks of many years of service: split boards, loose turned components, and a tired finish. It was ready for a fresh start, and we were excited to restore its strength and style while preserving its original character.

Dismantle the Seat Boards

We carefully dismantled all the boards, scraped away every trace of the old adhesive, and cleaned the joints. Each board was then re-glued and placed in a shaped former to restore its correct curve and alignment, ensuring equal pressure was applied across the entire seat in the clamps. This process not only repaired the splits but also brought the seat back to its original shape and strength.

Repair the Underside

The underside had suffered similar wear over the years, and a previous repair had relied on steel plates screwed in place to hold it together. We carefully removed these plates, re-glued the boards, and added hidden tongues of wood set into grooves — a subtle but strong reinforcement that restored durability while keeping the design clean and authentic. We also cleaned away old adhesive from the loose spindles, re-glued them, and wedged the joints to secure them firmly.

Dismantle and Clean the Upper Spindles

Next, we carefully dismantled all the upper spindles and stripped away the worn, aged finish from every surface, giving the chair a fresh start and preparing it for a full restoration.

Reassemble and Refinish

Finally, we reassembled the chair and tightened every joint, bringing the structure back to full strength. To honour the client’s wish to keep the original green hue, the timber was gently dyed and sealed with three rich coats of lacquer, enhancing the colour while giving it a smooth, protective finish that will last for years to come.

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