About The Team

 
  • About the restoration team

    Our conservator-restorers are highly skilled and knowledgeable in all aspects of rug and carpet repair. The specialist skills have been developed through extensive practical and theoretical in-house training to understand and customise the repairs for the specific condition of each rug. All conservators have backgrounds and training in the field of textiles and art. The conservators adhere to continuous professional development guidelines from organisations such as The Institute of Conservation and The British Antique Furniture Restorers Association.

    The Rug & Carpet Studio retains its reputation for high standards of practice with progressive thinking. We keep up to date with the latest techniques accepted within the profession to ensure we are doing our utmost to preserve rugs and carpets. We carry out research in order to develop new approaches in carpet conservation. We write articles and present lectures to share new methodology.

    The conservators regularly attend training courses and conservation conferences to keep abreast of the national and international professional standards in the fields of conservation and restoration.

    The subjects include:

    The knowledge and treatment of pests such as clothes moth and carpet beetle

    Fabric and yarn dyeing

    The treatment of large textiles

    The principles and practice of tapestry conservation

    Lifting and manoeuvring of large objects

    Health awareness for Conservators

    Health and Safety

    First Aid

    Conservation Science

    ICON – Accredited Conservator-Restorer (Lenka Bashford)

    BAFRA – Accredited Member (Lenka Bashford)

    Chemistry for Conservators course

    Preventive Conservation course

    Dyeing Support Materials for Textile Conservation

  • The conservator-restorers currently employed by The Rug & Carpet Studio include:
  • Lenka Bashford. ACR

    For conservation and cleaning enquiries please contact Lenka: lenkabashford@rugandcarpetstudio.co.uk

    Lenka has worked at the Studio since 1997. Lenka studied Textiles at university, and has since gained various qualifications and accreditations within the field:

    1993 – 1994 Art Foundation, Colchester Institute, Essex

    1994 – 1997 BA Hons, Textile Design, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham

    2005 Accredited Membership with BAFRA (British Antique Furniture Restorers Association)

    2008 Chemistry for Conservators, International Academic Projects

    2008 Preventive Conservation, West Dean College, Sussex

    2009 Accredited member of The Institute of Conservation

    Lenka also works with upholstery and soft furnishings.

  • Kerri Hellon-Warwick

    Kerri has worked at The Rug and Carpet Studio since 2005. Her background is within textiles, having trained at college, and managed her own business for more than 4 years:

    1985 – 1987 HND Fashion and Textiles, Northampton Nene College, Northamptonshire

    1987 – 1990 HND Theatre Costume, Liverpool City College, Liverpool

    1990 – 1994 Freelance Theatre costumes and Wedding Dress Company, Liverpool.

    Kerri has always been involved in creative projects, including designing costumes and sets for carnival floats, making costumes and clothing, carrying out alterations and enjoying various craft activities.

  • Emma McKay

    Emma has been with the Studio since 2013. Emma studied Fine Art prior to training as a restorer-conservator:

    2008 – 2009 Art Foundation, Colchester Institute, Essex

    2009 – 2012 BA Hons, Fine Art Sculpture, Norwich School of the Arts, Norfolk

    Emma has always loved sewing, spending much of her spare time knitting and crocheting.

  • Lisa Howard

    Lisa  started her training with the Studio in April 2016. Lisa has been involved with textiles for much of her life, having trained and worked for many years within the field:

    City and Guilds – Textiles/Fabric Design and Embroidery, London College of Fashion, London.

    Employed making costumes for theatre and television productions.

    1986 – 1988 Employed as a carpet restorer, Vigo Gallery, London.

  • Hannah Sher

    Hannah joined the Studio in 2017. Her background and experience is in costume and interiors.

    Royal Opera/Ballet:
    Making & restoring costumes.
    Working exclusively in the West End in wardrobe & freelance prop maker.
    Touring Germany with the Vienna Ballet Company as wardrobe mistress.

    Before joining our team Hannah worked part-time at a traditional sailmakers which has extended her skills in canvas and rope work.

    HND in Costume Interpretation, London College of Fashion

 

  • Your rug repair team did an excellent job with Sophie’s rug.  It did look a sad case as Sophie’s cleaner in Hong Kong had put it in the clothes washer!  The rug now looks like the one my mother bought for Sophie’s 21st  many years ago.

     

    Mrs S

  • Just to let you know your attention to the various rugs you have undertaken on my behalf is much appreciated and fully to my satisfaction! Regret not having met you personally – Thank you for your service.

     

    Mrs J

  • Today I received a notice about the Restoration Workshops, sent on from my old address in Norfolk. I am afraid I am too far away now to be able to visit your workshops.   I very much appreciated the work you did on my old rugs, you are providing a very valuable and interesting service.

    Mrs F

  • Just wanted to say thank you! Your team did a great job on my rug last week and a big thank you for doing in the 24hrs I had up in Suffolk. Best wishes.

    Marge

  • Many thanks for the excellent repair work and I am very pleased with the newly cleaned and mended Qashqai rug.

    Ms C

  • We are delighted by your work on the pair of Kashan rugs that we bought in Teheran in the mid 1970’s. They have always travelled with us to our various places of work and were beginning to show signs of wear. Your cleaning and excellent restoration have revived them, so many, many thanks. The underlay will help on our present terracotta tiled floors. We appreciate your efforts and send our very best wishes.

    Jeremy

 

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