FINISHING & QUALITY
Each piece of furniture offered by GALERIE VERSAILLES is created using many of the same techniques employed by French and European master cabinetmakers and ebenists over 250 years ago.
Only the finest solid woods, primarily beech chosen from healthy mature trees is used to create the frame or "carcass" of each piece. Panels and veneers are carefully matched for color and grain with special care given to avoid natural defects.
GALERIE VERSAILLES furnniture has pinned mortise and tenon joints for strength and elegant detailing. Our armoire's cross rails are dovetailed into end panels to fortify their doors side to side. Tongue and groove paneling makes tabletops and doors feel seamless. Most carving is hand done, giving each piece its’ own individual beauty.
The innate splendor of every piece of furniture is enhanced by its’ finish. verey piece of GALERIE VERSAILLES furniture is finished using only high quality European lacquers and natural shellacs. Depending upon the particular piece and finish called for, it may also be hand-rubbed using the French Polish method. French Polish and beeswax create a lasting color and a rich, warm patina that will continue to enhance over time.
ABOUT THE WOOD
WHAT TYPE OF WOODS ARE USED IN THE CREATION OF GALERIE VERSAILLES’ FURNITURE ?
BEECH - Used for the case or what is also commonly referred to as the “carcass” or frame of a piece of furniture. Beech is a hardwood that is dense, heavy and extremely durable. It is similar in appearance to Maple or Birch.
MAHOGANY – Used for veneering and decorative inlays. A tropical medium-to-hard wood, its' stability and resistance to decay makes the wood ideal for high-quality furniture and cabinetry. Mahogany ranges from tan to reddish-brown in color, and may display beautiful stripes, ribbons, ropes, ripples, or blister figures.
ROSEWOOD – Used for veneering and decorative inlays. This is a dark-red or brown hardwood, derived from tropical trees. Heavy, hard, and dense, rosewood is noted for its stability and excellent decay resistance.
KINGWOOD – Used for decorative inlays and sometimes in veneering. Kingwood is a classic furniture wood, as a member of the rosewood family so it exhibits many of the same attributes as rosewood. The name "kingwood" is derived from the fact that in the 17th and 18th century it was the favored wood of French kings for their furniture.
OTHER WOODS – Many other rare and exotic woods are used especially for decorative inlays.
DO THESE WOODS SPLIT ?
Our wood is all kiln-dried so we guarantee the seams in our furniture cases will not open up beyond a slight movement that may be expected with normal expansion and contraction due to changes in humidity levels during the different seasons.
DO FINISHES IN THE GALERIE VERSAILLES COLLECTION MATCH ?
Our products are all handcrafted and all finishing is hand-done. Completed pieces will have a consistent overall tone (i.e. light vs. dark); however, there will always be some variances in the wood veneer and finish. Therefore WE CANNOT GUARANTEE exact matching. PLEASE NOTE: The grain, texture and tones of wood will vary from piece to piece due to the nature of the wood and its’ hand-finishing. No two pieces of fine wood are ever exactly alike and cannot be made to look exactly alike. This is part of the innate beauty of natural wood and of the fine veneers we use. We do not sell furniture made in a mass production facility where various sprays containing colorants are commonly used to either mask deficiencies in poor quality wood veneers and/or mask its’ natural attributes so the resulting finish will appear more uniform in a way Mother Nature never intended.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE FAQ
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MAINTAIN THE APPEARANCE OF MY GALERIE VERSAILLES FURNITURE ?
Regular dusting with a clean and soft lint-free cloth is simply all that is needed. We highly recommend using the newest microfiber cloths which are readily available at most home improvement stores. NEVER clean your GALERIE VERSAILLES furniture with a damp sponge or cloth.
WHAT SHOULD I USE TO POLISH MY GALERIE VERSAILLES FURNITURE ?
A natural product made with beeswax is HIGHLY recommended. You can also use a quality paste type polish made from beeswax. A good quality natural product may be more expensive but polishing should only be necessary once or twice a year if using this type of quality product. Do not use products made from chemical compounds. A beeswax furniture polish such as Howard’s can be purchased from most home improvement and hardware stores.
NEVER USE: Pledge or similar “low-end” mainstream consumer products, wood oil treatments such as Scott’s Liquid Gold, lemon or orange oil products, oils such as linseed oil or tung oil (China Wood Oil), or any polish containing a strong chemical compound.
SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT DIRECT SUNLIGHT ?
YES. It is very important to be concerned about direct sunlight. Never place high quality furniture in any location where it might be exposed to direct sunlight. You should also consider factors such as humidity and dampness. Any fine piece exposed to these conditions may result in cracking of the veneer, veneer separation, blistering of the finish and over an extended period could literally destroy a piece of fine furniture.
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