Case Studies

The Oak Room

In 2017 Charles Taylor Woodwork began the 17 month process of conserving and reconstructing “The Oak Room”, The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Ingram Street tea room for the V&A Museum Dundee, which opened in September 2018. The artefact was received by us in around 800 pieces, many of which required significant repair and conservation works, as well as paint removal. We reassembled the room and carried out the conservation works as well as creating a transportable supporting structure and managing around 15 specialist trades who produced items like replica lighting.

Abbotsford House

We won the competitive tender to conserve the Abbotsford House Hope Scott gates, which are thought to be the original pair of external oak latticed gates commissioned by Sir Walter Scott around 1820. After extensive conservation works the gates were assembled and were repainted with a brown linseed oil paint, which is intended to reduce maintenance costs. The original hardware which was in very good condition was all reused following minor repairs and alterations. The erection of the newly conserved gates was witnessed by the press and used to publicise the building, along with the documentation imagery which we produced.

McEwan Hall

Between 2016-18 Charles Taylor Woodwork were heavily involved in the restoration of McEwan Hall for The University of Edinburgh, chosen by LDN architects. The scope of works involved repairs to the original architectural joinery such as the oak seating, doors, panelling and intricate carvings. Many adaptations to the interior of the building were undertaken such as installing accessible toilets and converting the original external doors to fire escapes. We were able to offer our expertise to ensure all modern interventions sat correctly within the original scheme.

Thistle Chapel

We carried out extensive work on Thistle Chapel. The chapel was built in 1911 to designs by Robert Lorimer. It is small, but exquisite, with carved and painted fittings of extraordinary detail.