Considers problems involved in the conservation of wooden decorative painted surfaces; in particular, the paper exaplains the authors work at Gore Place, Waltham, (MA, USA) where she carried out the conservation and replication of the Federal period painted finish on the wooden stairhall. The second part of the paper outlines work at the Gardner-Pingree House, (MA, USA) where the author undertook a floor carpet reproduction for the dining room with the Essex Institute, Salem (MA, USA).