Our Story

Furniture Rescue began as single furniture project that turned into an entertaining hobby and then a side hustle and then a thriving local business.

I like to say it’s what happens when you do what you love and love what you do, and it’s also a product of passion, patience, solid furniture and just really great people.

Not everyone wants to invest in heirloom quality pieces—even if they are affordable. Finding just the right table or dresser or chair takes time. Seeing its potential takes faith. Making it happen takes courage. In my experience, the wait and the work is always worth it. It’s not just about having something that no one else has—it’s about finding the exact look, size, style, and function in a piece that holds meaning and charm.

Restoring furniture can either bring the love out or hold the love in. Either way, The Back Dorr is here to help you make the most of the treasures you have and the treasures you’ll find.

Meet Joni

This is me :). I’m a wife, a mom, a painter, and the owner of The Back Dorr (mostly in that order). Before I found my calling in furniture restoration, my background was in environmental modeling—a combination of computer science and environmental science—back with both barely existed. The day I unplugged from that field and picked up a brush was a very good day, and I’m happy to say I haven’t looked back.

I fell in love with Falls Church, Virginia when I moved here in the 1970s, and I’m fortunate my family and I live, work, go to school, play, and pray in this little corner of Northern Virginia. Our family-run brick-and-mortar studio and warehouse has become a second “home base” on several levels. Not only do I get to be with my family (sometimes three generations full!) and “my people,” I also get to help customers like you save, find, and create pieces that will make the next generation of memories. Each day brings something old and something new--old friends, vintage furniture, new faces, a fresh coat of paint. It’s good work, and we love doing it. Stop by and we’ll prove it to you!

Meet James

James Foerter is the fourth of four Foerter kids, and our entrepreneur who—completely voluntarily, I might add—has chosen to learn and grow the family business. A talented painter, James is skilled beyond his years in refinishing and working with stain. You always know when James is in the shop—his positive energy and enthusiasm are contagious (and a must when working with stubborn vintage finds).

Meet Dave

Dave Foerter is our Master of Repairs (and that’s worthy of the proper noun). He works wonders with wood, healing cracks and breaks until it’s nearly impossible to tell where the damage even happened. When he’s not repairing and building furniture on the weekends, he’s working on environmental policy in DC or playing a mean harmonica in his local band, 40 Miles Home. Everything Dave does is music to our ears!