Retro Cactus Furniture is a family business specialising in mid-century furniture (1940s-1970s), founded by Ben in 2017 with his dad Tony, drawing on years of hands-on experience and a genuine enthusiasm for bringing out the hidden beauty in a piece of classic furniture.
Background
"We both have a working background in joinery and have specifically been working with furniture for the last 10 years. Time and again we would see high-quality classic pieces made from beautiful woods, but with the grain and the natural colours lost beneath layers of stains, lacquer, varnish, and polish. The furniture just looked drab, sad, lacklustre. And often orange."
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Cue Retro Cactus Furniture!
"We realised there was a demand for properly refinished vintage furniture that wasn’t being filled, and as our knowledge and expertise grew, we decided to open Retro Cactus Furniture."
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Technique
"We love how individual each piece is, with its own character, quirks, and flaws, and highlighting that character has really been our focus from the beginning. Some of the methods we use are well known in the trade, but we’ve also developed our very own techniques and applications that nourish the wood and enhance the grain, highlighting the swirls and ripples and bringing out a more natural colour, while protecting the surface to keep its beauty for many years to come."
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It’s this attention to the finish of each piece that truly sets Retro Cactus Furniture apart - no two pieces are alike, and photographs don’t really do them justice (just like Ben and Tony). If you would like to view a piece of furniture, give Ben a call and tell him how you like your coffee...
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