Town guide / Wirral and Merseyside
Antique pine furniture for Formby homes
Formby sits on the Sefton coast behind its dunes and pinewoods, and many of its houses are detached and semi-detached homes set in leafy roads. Light, honey-coloured pine is a natural partner for rooms like these.
i.
The houses
In a family house with a generous kitchen or dining room, a piece of antique pine often does the work of a freestanding unit: a cupboard for crockery, a dresser for display, a chest for linen. Because pine is lighter in tone than oak, it suits rooms that get plenty of daylight, but it is worth holding a sample of the colour against your walls and flooring before you decide.
ii.
Pine furniture in that setting
Antique pine ranges from plain country cupboards to dressers with open shelves. Ask Sara about the finish on any piece: some pine has been stripped and waxed, some keeps its old paint or stain, and the surface tells you how it will sit beside modern fittings. Check the back boards and the feet too, as these are where wear and past repairs tend to show.
iii.
Buying from Caernarfon
Formby is on the Sefton coast and Life: Full Colour is in Caernarfon, with no branch in between.
Buying works the same way from anywhere: find a piece, ask Sara about it by the enquiry form or on 01286 400155, and buy through Creative Caernarfon.
Visiting and delivery
Life: Full Colour is based at 9 Segontium Terrace, Caernarfon LL55 2PN. Ask Sara whether delivery or viewing is possible for a particular piece.
Pine furniture listed on Creative Caernarfon
One-off pieces: ask Sara whether a listing is still available.
iv.
Questions for a Formby buyer
Often very well. A single piece of pine, such as a dresser or cupboard, adds warmth beside painted units or a plain table. Ask Sara about the finish on a particular piece so you can judge how it will look next to your own colours.
Look at the joints, the back boards and the saw marks rather than the colour. Hand-cut dovetails and wide, uneven boards suggest older work. Ask Sara what she knows about a piece and rely on her description rather than a date you cannot check.
It can, but think before you strip a piece, because an old surface is part of its character. If you want a different finish, a restorer can advise on waxing or repainting without damaging the timber. Ask Sara what has already been done to a piece before you buy.
A freestanding pine cupboard or dresser can do much of the same work, holding crockery and linen. It does not come with a worktop, plumbing or fixed fittings, so check it will sit squarely against the wall. Measure the space and compare it with the width and depth of the piece.
Pine is lighter and warmer than oak, so it looks good against deeper or cooler wall colours, and can fade against yellow or cream. Hold a sample of your paint behind the place where the piece would stand and look at it in daylight and by lamplight.
Heat, steam and splashes are hard on any old timber, so keep a safe gap from a cooker and avoid the area around a sink. A spot on the far side of the room usually suits an old cupboard better. Wipe up any spills quickly.
Tiles can be slightly uneven, which can make a piece rock or leave doors hanging. Slim packing under a foot, checked with a spirit level, usually helps. Hard tiles can also scratch feet, so felt pads or small pieces of cork are useful.
A bedroom, landing or the foot of a bed are the usual homes for one. Check that the lid lifts without catching a window sill or shelf, and that there is clear floor to open it. A chest on a landing must not block the stairs.
A corner cupboard makes use of a space that is otherwise wasted, and the doors swing out into the room, so keep that area clear. Some stand on the floor, while others hang on the wall. Ask Sara which kind it is, and its height and depth.
Yes, a mix of timbers often looks more relaxed than a matching set. Keep one or two woods dominant so the room feels settled, and let a single contrasting piece stand out. Lay samples side by side in daylight to check the tones agree.