All of my chairs are painted, as most Windsor Chairs traditionally were in the 18th century, with a material called milk paint. This is a very old - 2000 year old - finish consisting of curdled milk, slaked lime and pigment mixed with water to form a colored paste which is brushed and rubbed on to the wood, where it permanently bonds to the wood. The final painted surface is protected by four or more coats of linseed oil.

My standard finishes are:

• Antique Black - This finish projects the antique quality of the design in most settings with a dark aged wood appearance. There is subtle shading of the wood and red paint projecting through the black in the high wear areas of the piece. I highly recommend this finish for most chair styles in a home setting.
• Pitch Black - This rich finish projects a very striking effect and will draw the eye to the strong form of the chair. Pitch Black works well when the chair is being showcased in its setting.
• Boston Blue - A very traditional finish of dark rich blue with subtle shades of red base projecting through the blue. This was a common color of the Federal period in America.
• Windsor Green - The traditional color of most early period Windsor chairs, this distinctive green shade fits well in many early period decors, as well as more contemporary environments.
• Federal Red - A deep red finish with accents of the underlying darker base holds up well to hard use. Conveying a somewhat lighter hue than other finishes, this color may fit into low light settings well. Red was more popular in the later Federal Period and many early period pieces were refinished in red similar to this finish. This finish gives the appearance of old cherry wood.

Other variations of these standard colors are occasionally made to meet your specific needs.

I recommend "Antique Black" as the finest representation of the best chairs of this period. This color shows the delicate line of the chair in any setting and complements fine wood tables and case pieces while adapting to nearly any décor.

Each chair I finish is totally unique. I mix my own paints and carefully apply each coat by hand. Most of my chairs are painted with two or more different colors, then hand rubbed to bring out the under coats and accentuate the wear which would normally occur with the regular use of the chair. This produces a distinctive appearance for each chair I make.

Conveying the effect of my finish is very difficult with photographs or printing, which is one of the reasons most of my chair images are in black and white.

All my finishes are unique to the individual piece as paint is mixed for the chair being finished and will vary from piece to piece of the same color. Each finish is composed of two or more colors built up from the aged wood, so the final effect is a synthesis of these colors as they are mixed and blended, burnished and scraped. The final finish of chairs from the Federal Period are usually dark in hue and are made from the basic colors of black, blue, green, and red. Each final finish however will show a blending of the various base and top colors.