Restore America

- WHERE New Orleans, June 2001

Despite the proliferation of home-improvement shows and the public embrace of D.I.Y. (do-it-yourself) ingenuity, some projects are best left to the professionals. Take, for example, reguilding that 18th-century frame you found on Magazine Street. Don't even think about it. Instead, turn to The New Orleans Conservation Guild (4101 Burgundy St., 944-7900, www.art-restoration.com), which offers Old World expertise in all things antique, from museum-quality restoration and conservation to scientific analysis and appraisal. "Fine art restoration is not a Martha Stewart-type project," says guild president Blake Vonden Haar, "it requires many years of special training. It's not that people can't do it, but they need to know what to do when things go wrong." Among the many things the Guild does right: superior custom framing at its offshoot Antique and Vintage Frame Gallery (2448 Burgundy St., 945-9500).

If you are interested in contacting the New Orleans Conservation Guild, you can call for an appointment at (504) 944-7900.