White-Glove Detailing
The surfaces that punish guesswork.
Specialist attention for stone, metal, millwork and the areas around art, where the wrong product causes damage that cannot be reversed.
What We Treat
Most damage to a fine finish is done by someone trying to clean it.
An all-purpose spray on honed marble etches it. A general cleaner strips the patina off unlacquered brass in one pass. The damage is not visible for a week, and by then nobody connects it to the cleaning.
Surfaces
- Marble, limestone, travertine and honed stone, sealed and pH-correct only
- Unlacquered brass and living finishes, cleaned without stripping patina
- Fine millwork, paneling and hand-applied finishes
- Specialty plaster, lime wash and textured wall treatments
- Antique and reclaimed materials, tested before anything is applied
Method
- Every product tested on an inconspicuous area before general use
- Neutral pH products on stone, never acidic and never abrasive
- Dry methods around art, no aerosols and no liquid near a frame
- Separate cloths per material so nothing carries between surfaces
- A written record of what was used where, kept for your file
Around Art
We do not clean art. We clean around it.
Cleaning artwork is a conservator job and we will not touch it. What we do is make sure nothing we use puts it at risk: no sprays in the room, no moisture near a frame, no dusting of a surface without knowing what it is.
Where a home has significant pieces, we ask for a walk-through with whoever manages the collection, and we follow their instructions over our own habits.
If a surface is beyond us, we say so and help you find the person it belongs to. Knowing the edge of your competence is part of the service.
When To Book It
On rotation, or once a year.
For clients on a recurring schedule, detailing is folded in as rotating work so no surface goes more than a few months without proper attention.
For everyone else, once or twice a year is usually right, often before the holidays or ahead of a house being photographed.
It can also be booked as a single service if you have a specific problem: a stone counter that has lost its finish, brass that has gone patchy, millwork that nobody has dared touch.
Questions
Before you call.
Which surfaces does this cover?
Marble, limestone and honed stone, unlacquered brass and other living finishes, fine millwork and paneling, specialty plaster, and antique or reclaimed materials.
Do you seal stone?
We clean and maintain sealed stone, and we will tell you when a seal is failing. Resealing is a stone specialist job and we will refer you to one rather than attempt it.
Will you clean around artwork?
Around it, never on it. No aerosols in the room, no moisture near a frame, and nothing touched without knowing what it is. Cleaning the work itself belongs to a conservator.
Is this an add-on or a standalone service?
Both. It is included on rotation for recurring clients, and available as a single booking if you have a specific surface that needs help.
How do you know what to use?
We test on an inconspicuous area first, every time, even on a material we have handled a hundred times. Houses are not identical and neither are their finishes.
What does it cost?
Priced by the surfaces involved rather than square footage, quoted in writing after we have seen them. A single problem surface is often less than people expect.
Begin with a walk-through.
An hour in the property, a written scope, and an honest conversation about what the job actually needs.
Request a Consultation