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A client told me my finish was 'too perfect' and it threw me for a loop
I had this big oak table project a few months back, a full restoration. I worked on it for about two weeks, stripping, sanding, and applying a new oil-based poly. I was really proud of it, the finish was glass smooth, no brush marks, no dust nibs, just flawless. When the client came to pick it up, she looked at it for a minute and said, 'It's beautiful, but it looks too perfect, like it just came from a factory.' She wanted it to feel like her old family table again, with a bit of character. I realized I'd been so focused on a technically perfect finish that I lost the piece's soul. Now, on older pieces, I'll sometimes leave a few very light sanding scratches in the grain before the final coat, or even lightly distress the edges of the top with fine steel wool after sealing to knock back the shine. It feels weird to do on purpose, but it makes the piece feel lived-in. How do you guys balance a clean finish with keeping that hand-made, antique feel?
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lucasw845mo ago
Man, that's a tough one to hear. @carr.abby is right, it puts you in a weird spot. Finding that balance is the real skill.
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paige_robinson245mo ago
How do you even know when to stop, like @carr.abby said it's not what the piece needs?
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carr.abby5mo ago
Wow that must have been such a weird feeling to hear that after all that hard work. How do you even respond to "too perfect" without just staring blankly? I totally get the conflict though, it's like you're trained to chase that flawless look but sometimes that's not what the piece needs. Your fix with the light scratches sounds like a smart way to put some soul back in.
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