Re-Creating Original Decorative Finishes

The Lakeport restoration team has sought to interpret Lakeport as a site that has evolved – not one frozen in time. Original painted surfaces have been re-created or reproduced only where they have not survived or were found to be damaged beyond reasonable restoration. In those cases the work to be re-created has been carefully studied, documented and then reproduced in the spirit of the original samples. The goal in re-creating painted surfaces is to illustrate the same quality of finish and refinement the Johnsons intended for their Arkansas home.

  • Remnants of original Music Room ceiling design Remnants of original Music Room ceiling design
  • Carefully removing paint to reveal design Carefully removing paint to reveal design
  • Music room contained ceiling design under paint Music room contained ceiling design under paint
  • Oak-grained front door reinstalled Oak-grained front door reinstalled
  • Becky Witsell re-creating oak graining on front door Becky Witsell re-creating oak graining on front door
  • Re-created ceiling design in music room Re-created ceiling design in music room
  • Careful removal of overpainting on a protected ell-porch door allowed the opportunity to study the original grainer's drawing and use of combs. Careful removal of overpainting on a protected ell-porch door allowed the opportunity to study the original grainer's drawing and use of combs. Tracings were made of his panel compositions.
  • Paint analysis of exterior doors revealed that they were originally grained in imitation of quarter-sawn oak Paint analysis of exterior doors revealed that they were originally grained in imitation of quarter-sawn oak