Homes & Gardens
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Published
February 2022
Steve Wyatt's unique and inspiring journey into furniture restoration is one of hope and redemption in overcoming life's challenges through discovering one's passion. Steve is a Mid-century furniture specialist in vintage G plan pieces, who fully restores each piece back to their former glory.
Owner of Restored Retro in Poole, Dorset a. He spent 22 years in addiction and found a new purpose in life through restoration. Drug free for many years now, one may say that as Steve restored each piece of furniture, he also restored pieces of his own life.
His natural talent for selecting styles he likes and his elegant restorative skills has led to his success. From rehab to setting up a social enterprise, Transfurniture, who help addicts in recovery. giving them hope and purpose. Having moved to Dorset four years ago, he initially started selling pieces online, and then moved to a pitch at the Vintage Emporium. Steve's network of furniture contacts across the UK is essential to his work and knowledge and allows to curate the best pieces for his own furniture boutique, Restored Retro.
With his great eye for selecting beautiful pieces, Steve curates a range of high-end furniture that has a unique story equally to his own. He believes each piece of furniture tells a story and he conveys these stories through restoring and selling them to the discerning customer.
"It feels like a bad dream when I look back. Today, I'ma productive member of society, I'm trusted again. I hurt a lot of people- this is my way of giving it back.
"Anything is possible, I believe, if you give something your best, if you give it 100 per cert, I believe that if you give something 100 per cent, how can you fail?"
"We source mid-century furniture and restore it and sell it. I like to get out there and interact with people.
Steve is drawn to the mid-century style of furniture, which he admits is not to everyone's taste. He too has a tale to tell.
Steve prides himself on going the extra mile with customers talking to them about the history of cach piece. "I have a knowledge of this stuff, I can tell you where 80 per cert of this furniture came from," he says. "Sometimes I go and pick it up and there's always a story."