As thankful as I am for this rugged Montanan beauty, I understand the cost of it. The elements here are unforgiving. Snow, wind, fire, and the friction of daily life are the trade-off of the gorgeous, jagged ridges that surround us. When wood fades and leather cracks, as it inevitably will, Joshua Morin leaps into action. When these materials threaten to fail, his refined craftmanship keeps new home luster not just alive, but beautiful.
At 30 years old, Joshua doesn’t see himself as a typical handyman. When he walks into a house, he carries a palette of paint and fine-tipped brushes, not a heavy metal toolkit.
Joshua's eyes scan the room for the slightest hint of discoloration. “I’m an artist,” he says. “I’m looking for those tiny flaws in flooring or doors that most people miss. I’m intensely curious. I want to make sure it looks brand-new again.”
Joshua found his artistic start in his childhood which was spent far from the mountains of Montana. Born in Juarez, Mexico to missionary parents, his earliest memories are defined by an air of hospitality, where his family’s table was a constant source of meals for those in need.
To support their mission work, Joshua’s father refurbished car interiors where he gave new life to worn leather and vinyl seats. As the family moved from Mexico to Texas, and eventually through Colorado and California, the business evolved into furniture repair. At 19, Joshua stepped into his father’s workshop as an apprentice.
Though he initially felt a calling toward ministry, a "strong gut feeling" redirected him. He realized that his biggest service for people could happen at a simple workbench.
After meeting his wife, Hannah—a Montana native—at school in California, the couple moved to the Flathead Valley to start their own chapter. They launched Restoration Plus, a mobile service that initially focused on the treasures people couldn’t bear to part with, pieces like rocking chairs, bar stools, and antique heirlooms.
Over the last seven years, the business has undergone a transformation. While Joshua still saves the occasional leather couch, 75% of his work is now dedicated to the "bones" of the home.
“People spend a fortune on quality cabinetry and flooring,” Joshua explains. “If you maintain those things, they last a lifetime. I’m here to help people preserve history.”
Sandy Stash, a local homeowner, discovered this firsthand. Her 20-year-old log home, crafted from beautiful alder wood, was beginning to show the scars of time, sun, and Montana’s dry climate. She originally called Joshua to fix a few pieces of furniture, but she soon realized his palette could do much more.
“He restored my cabinets, window sills, the front door—the whole spectrum,” Stash says. “Maintenance is critical, especially with wood. Joshua protects the investment and makes it beautiful again.”
When he isn't meticulously matching wood grains or reviving a front door, Joshua is deeply woven into the Kalispell community. You might find him behind a drum kit at a local church, or in his kitchen whipping up a multi-course Italian meal for Hannah and their one-year-old daughter, Georgia.
For Joshua, Restoration Plus isn't just about fixing scratches; it’s a continuation of the missionary heart he grew up with.
“The main heart of what we do is serving people,” he says. “Providing for my family through a service-forward business—that means a lot to us.”