CRAFTED IN
Photography by Patrick Brickman
CHARLES ON
The CraftSmen:
Drew Taylor, Macon Davis, and Clark Mills of Carpenter’s Antiques and Restoration
The Craft:
The company has always specialized in unique finishes (including faux and distressed) with the ultimate goal of refurbishing or refacing antique furniture. Now, however, with new and young leadership, they are excited to include carpentry on their menu of services.
The Backstory:
Clark Mills purchased the company over a year ago from his mentor and longtime Carpenter’s Antiques owner, Bud Carpenter, after being an apprentice in the shop for years. Wanting to use his University of South Carolina MBA and having a vision for the business, Clark took on the position in an economic time when most would not. However, upon adding new services and making partnerships with local kitchen and bath design companies (like Jilco, Signature Kitchens, and
54
CH+D • Summer 2013
Mevers), Clark, his two hardworking employees, and his office-manager wife, Leigh, are flush with orders.
The Process:
For the company’s bread and butter—restoration work—the custom process most often includes repairing the furniture piece (regluing a broken leg, for instance), stripping the original finish, and sanding. Macon takes on a great deal of these projects. The custom builtins, while new to the company, are in the capable hands of Carpenter’s Antiques’s latest hire Drew Taylor, who apprenticed for a carpenter in Canada prior to moving south. And each employee is well-versed in the finishing process, which involves spraying the furniture in a wellventilated paint booth and drying the pieces on racks in a room filled with electric heaters.
For more information, call Carpenter’s Antiques and Restoration at (843) 884-3411 or visit carpenters-restoration.com.
(top) Carpenter's Antiques's drying racks allow the handstained cabinetry to dry properly on all sides. (below) The well-ventilated paint-misting room is separate from the woodworking space to prevent dust particles from affecting the finish. (bottom) Owner Clark Mills mixes paint in his shop.