1983
The Apprentice
Westie Mitchell starts his apprenticeship.
Two Generations, One Passion
After being a highly esteemed Antique Restorer for 20 years, Westie Mitchell turned his attention to the difficulties faced by many in the industry; how to get the materials and consumables needed quickly, economically and without minimum order. In 2005 Rest Express was born and became one of the industry leading suppliers of fine woodworking products. In 2019, Sam Mitchell took over the business from his father, changing the name to Restorate, but very much maintaining our commitment to our customers, and the wider industry.
Our Journey
1986
Forum Antiques
Westie Mitchell begins his journey.
2005
Rest Express
Rest Express Founded
2019
Generational Shift
Sam Mitchell takes over Rest Express from his father Westie, and rebrands as Restorate.
Meet the team
Get to know the people behind Restorate
Sustainability Through Preservation
We believe that looking after something that was designed to last for generations is the most pure form of sustainability. Preserving is synonymous with sustaining. Our aim is to inspire our customers to live sustainably through the preservation of traditional skills and furniture restoration.
Our Philosophy
-
Quality Products
The products we stock at Restorate have been tried and tested by us and the professionals that use them on a daily basis. If we get bad feedback on a product, we discontinue it.
-
Passing of knowledge
Nobody starts with all the knowledge, and in our industry there is a lot of trial and error. Having had practical experience, Sam and the team are available to take your call and advise you on techniques and best practice.
-
Inspiring our customers
With many traditional skills becoming obsolete, our mission is to inspire our customers to give restoration and preservation a go, and we'll be there to help along the way.
