Art Restoration & Conservation Advice
A damaged or faded work does not have to stay that way. Hype Unique Gallery offers honest, careful assessment and in-house restoration for paintings, works on paper, and photographs — and when a case calls for a certified conservator, we make sure you know exactly where to turn.
Service description
We offer in-studio assessment of paintings, works on paper, and photographs that have suffered water damage, fading, surface grime, or minor tears. For straightforward cases — surface cleaning, re-lining a canvas edge, or stabilising a flaking paint layer — our experienced team handles the work in-house. For complex conservation requiring a certified conservator, we provide a written assessment and a warm referral to a trusted specialist, so you are never left without a clear path forward.
When a beloved work needs attention
Water damage, surface grime, a small tear, paint that has begun to lift — these are the kinds of problems that make owners anxious, often because they do not know whether the situation is urgent, manageable, or beyond help. The uncertainty itself can feel as distressing as the damage.
Hype Unique Gallery's restoration and conservation advice service is built around removing that uncertainty first. We begin with a thorough visual assessment and a written report that tells you plainly what condition the work is in, what can be done in-house, and what — if anything — requires a specialist. You leave with a clear path forward, whatever that path turns out to be.
What we handle in-house
For straightforward cases, our experienced team works directly in the studio. Surface cleaning — removing dust, grime, and light foxing from paintings and works on paper — is among the most common treatments we carry out. We also undertake minor tear repair on canvas and paper, canvas edge re-lining, and re-stretching where a support has warped or loosened over time.
Works on paper, including watercolours, prints, and photographs, are within our scope alongside paintings. Photographic restoration through digital scanning and reprinting is available as a separate service. Every treatment we perform is documented with before-and-after photographs and a written treatment record, which you keep as part of the work's provenance history.
When we refer you to a specialist
We are honest about the limits of in-house work. Complex conservation — structural damage, significant paint loss, works of high monetary or historical value — requires a certified conservator, and we will tell you so clearly rather than take on work beyond our competence. In those cases, we provide a written assessment and a warm referral to a trusted specialist.
That referral is not a hand-off. We stay available to answer questions, help you understand what the conservator recommends, and receive the work back into our framing studio if new framing or mounting is needed once conservation is complete. You are never left to navigate an unfamiliar process alone.
How to prepare for your assessment
Bring the work in as it is — do not attempt to clean, flatten, or repair anything beforehand, as well-intentioned intervention can sometimes complicate treatment. If you know the work's history, bring whatever documentation you have: purchase receipts, exhibition labels, old photographs showing the piece in better condition. Any information helps us understand what we are looking at.
The condition assessment is carried out on the same day in most cases, and the written report follows shortly after. If you have concerns about transporting a fragile work, call us first and we can advise on the safest way to bring it in. Larger or particularly delicate pieces may benefit from a brief conversation before you move them.
Restoration and the value of your work
A question we hear often is whether restoration affects a work's value. Proper, minimal intervention — the kind we practise and recommend — generally preserves or improves market value rather than diminishing it. The documentation we provide, including the written treatment record and before-and-after photographs, becomes part of the work's provenance and can be presented to future buyers, insurers, or appraisers.
We approach every piece with the same care we would give something belonging to our own family — which, after more than two decades of working with the same Kelowna households, is not merely a figure of speech. Heirlooms and originals of every kind have passed through this studio, and each one has been treated as the irreplaceable object it is.
Pricing and timescales
The starting point is a condition assessment and written report, priced at a flat rate that covers our team's time and the documentation we prepare. From there, individual treatments — surface cleaning, tear repair, re-stretching — are each priced according to the scope of work involved, with rates that vary by the size and complexity of the piece.
Assessments are typically completed the same day. Restoration work carried out in-house takes between five and fifteen business days depending on the treatment required. We will give you a realistic timeframe when we assess the work, and we keep you informed if anything changes. There are no surprises in the final account.
What the service includes
- Visual condition assessment and written report
- Surface cleaning (dust, grime, light foxing)
- Minor tear repair on canvas or paper
- Canvas edge re-lining and re-stretching
- Advice on storage and display conditions
- Referral to certified conservator for complex cases
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Condition assessment and written report | $60 |
| Surface cleaning (small, up to 40 × 50 cm) | $120 |
| Surface cleaning (large, up to 80 × 100 cm) | $220 |
| Canvas re-stretching and edge repair | $150 |
| Minor tear repair (per repair, up to 5 cm) | $85 |
Gross prices are for guidance only. You will receive an exact quote before work begins.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my painting needs a conservator or if you can handle it?
Bring it in for a condition assessment ($60). We will tell you honestly what we can do in-house and what requires a certified conservator. We never take on work beyond our competence.
Will restoration affect the value of my artwork?
Proper, minimal intervention generally preserves or improves market value. We document all work we perform with before-and-after photographs and a written treatment record, which you keep for provenance purposes.
Do you restore photographs and prints as well as paintings?
Yes. We handle works on paper including watercolours, prints, and photographs. Photographic restoration (digital scanning and reprinting) is also available as a separate service — ask us for details.