Restoring Leather Chairs
Restoring Quality Leather Chairs
We offer full service leather cleaning, restoration and dyeing for lounge chairs and recliner chairs. Our leather services address issues like discoloration, scuffs, stains, fading, dryness, and more. For chairs with deep damage such as cuts or tears, we also provide full and partial leather reupholstery solutions.
Recommended for:
Club Chair, Recliner Chair, Wingback Chair, Eames Chair, Side Chair
Dry & Rough
Discoloration
Oily Stains
Restoring Quality Brand-Name Leather Chairs:
→ A Smart Investment
Quality brand-name leather chairs, known for their superior craftsmanship and luxurious materials. Understanding the specific leather characteristics, proper maintenance, and expectations for long-term care and cost, can help preserve their value. Restoring your premium leather chairs is a wise choice for several key reasons:
Repair vs. Replace Savings:
Restoring high-quality leather chairs is often far more economical than purchasing new ones, especially when the original chair is crafted with premium materials.
Preserve Value:
High-end leather chairs from well-known brands tend to retain their value due to their recognized quality and durability. Restoration keeps these chairs looking their best, maintaining their market and sentimental value.
Quality Leather:
These chairs are frequently made with top-grade leathers, which are prized for their longevity and the rich patina they develop over time.
Types of Leather Used in Quality Chairs
→ Top Grain, Aniline, Protected
Understanding these different types of leather and their unique characteristics is crucial for proper restoration. Each type of leather requires a tailored approach to cleaning, conditioning, and repairing to maintain its value, appearance, and durability. Proper restoration methods not only extend the lifespan of these chairs but also preserve their luxurious look and feel
Full Grain Leather
Full-grain leather is the highest quality leather, made from the top layer of the hide, retaining its natural grain. It is often used in luxury chairs due to its strength, durability, and ability to develop a rich patina. For restoration, full-grain leather needs careful handling to preserve its unique surface while maintaining its natural oils and patina, using professional-grade conditioners to enhance longevity and appearance.
Aniline Leather
Aniline leather, a type of full-grain leather, is dyed with soluble dyes to maintain its natural surface characteristics like scars and wrinkles. Often used in high-end chairs for its softness and natural look, it is more prone to staining and fading. Restoration requires gentle cleaning, conditioning, and precise color matching to address scratches or discoloration without compromising the leather's soft feel or natural beauty.
Semi Aniline Leather
Semi-aniline leather is similar to aniline but with a light protective coating to guard against stains while retaining its natural appearance. Used in high-end chairs for a balance of durability and aesthetics, it requires careful restoration to maintain its protective layer. The process involves addressing minor scuffs, stains, or color loss without over-conditioning, preserving both its slight protection and natural look.
Corrected Leather
Corrected grain leather, or top-grain leather, is sanded to remove imperfections and embossed with a consistent grain pattern, often with a protective finish. Used by quality brands for uniformity and durability, it offers a balance of quality and affordability. It requires proper care since once the grain texture wears off, it cannot be effectively restored. Refinishing focuses on repairing any damage to the protective finish and maintaining softness, while ensuring the leather's grain pattern and uniform appearance are preserved.
How We Restore Quality Brand-Name Leather Chairs
Step by Step
Assessment
We assess the leather's type and condition. Quality chairs often use aniline leather, which is prone to stains and fading and requires specific care. We tailor the restoration accordingly.
Leather Cleaning:
Our process starts with a gentle cleanse to remove dirt and buildup while preserving the leather's surface. This step restores the natural shine without damaging the leather's finish or texture.
Leather Conditioning:
Next, we apply a specially formulated conditioner to moisturize, soften, and reinforce the leather. This step guards against cracking and water spots, ensuring the leather stays supple and strong.
Leather Recoloring:
We carefully treat scuffs and faded areas by matching the original color, renewing the leather's appearance while maintaining its matte, medium, or gloss finish
Leather Protection:
Finally, we apply a protective layer that seals in color and provides a barrier against future damage, like stains or water spots, keeping the leather's preserved.
Faded brand-name leather chair showing discoloration before restoration.
Common Leather Chair Repairs
→ From Fading to Cracks
Dry & Rough
Leather may become dry and crack from lack of conditioning or exposure to sunlight. Look for fine lines or splits, in high used areas.
Discoloration
Sunlight can fade leather and create uneven coloring. Watch for dark or light patches, paneling, or areas with mismatch color or dullness.
Stains & Soiling
Spills and dirt can cause spots or color changes. Liquids may soak in quickly, leading to stains that darken or discolor the leather easily.
Before & After
→ Leather Chair Restoration Results
Before
After
- Service type:
- Custom Color Change
- Furniture:
- Designer Tub Chair
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Semi-Aniline Leather
- Problem:
- Custom redyeing espresso brown
- Location:
- Los Angeles, CA
- Description:
- This designer leather tub chair was revitalized with a fresh, custom color to enhance our customer's living room. The chosen espresso dark brown shade beautifully contrasts with her existing decor, adding a sophisticated touch. Our customer expressed her satisfaction with the outcome, praising our "job well done!"
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Recovering
- Furniture:
- Cromwellian Chair
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Aniline Leather
- Problem:
- Tears stains dryness age
- Location:
- Oceanside / San Diego, CA
- Description:
- We had the opportunity to recover a set of Cromwellian chairs passed down through generations. Tears, stains, dryness, and age had taken their toll. The customer chose distressed waxed leather to preserve the rustic look. With new brass nails and foam, we completed the restoration of this historic 17th-century style.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Restoration
- Furniture:
- Swivel Chair
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Protected leather
- Problem:
- Faded wear cracking spotting
- Location:
- Indian Wells Palm Desert, CA
- Description:
- This designer swivel lounge chair is glowing again after a full leather restoration. The metallic finish had faded, and the seat showed wear, cracking, and spotting. We custom-blended metallic dyes to match the original tone and restore its brilliant gold color and refined appearance.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Recovering
- Furniture:
- High Back Dining Chairs
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Protected Leather
- Problem:
- Wear cracking bonded leather
- Location:
- Orange County, CA
- Description:
- These elegant tall-back dining chairs from Macy's were originally upholstered in bonded leather. Our customer observed wear and cracking on the seats. We replaced the faux material with durable, high-quality brown leather for a long-lasting, refined finish.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Recovering
- Furniture:
- Wingback Chair
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Protected Leather
- Problem:
- Ripped worn Chippendale style
- Location:
- Irvine, CA
- Description:
- These elegant tall-back dining chairs from Macy's were originally upholstered in bonded leather. Our customer observed wear and cracking on the seats. We replaced the faux material with genuine brown leather, ensuring greater durability and longer-lasting performance.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Restoration
- Furniture:
- Bustle Back Recliner
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Protected Leather
- Problem:
- Oil stains bustle pillow
- Location:
- Newport Beach, CA
- Description:
- This Century Furniture recliner had oil stains on the top bustle back pillow due to body oils. We treated the leather to remove buildup, refinished it to restore the original saddle color, and sealed the leather to protect against future oil damage.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Recovering
- Furniture:
- Wingback Chair
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Distressed Leather, Hair-on-Hide
- Problem:
- Custom zebra distressed recover
- Location:
- Huntington Beach, CA
- Description:
- We refreshed this antique wingback chair with custom leather upholstery. It now features a striking mix of African Tanned Zebra Print hair-on-hide leather and distressed brown top-grain leather. The seat cushion is reversible. We also restained the carved frame and polished the brass tacks.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Restoration
- Furniture:
- Bustle Back Chair
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Semi-Aniline Leather
- Problem:
- Fading two-tone recoloring
- Location:
- Huntington Beach, CA
- Description:
- This Century Furniture recliner with a bustle back and nailhead trim was restored after fading from age. We re-dyed it to match its original hue and revived the natural two-tone finish with a fresh lacquer coating.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Restoration
- Furniture:
- Recliner Chair
- Color:
- Type of leather:
- Protected Leather
- Problem:
- Cracked beige embedded soil
- Location:
- Irvine, CA
- Description:
- This Stickley Morris chair had cracked beige leather and embedded soil that resisted deep cleaning. We resurfaced and recolored the leather, restoring both its texture and the original warm tone.
Before
After
- Service type:
- Leather Restoration
- Furniture:
- Club Chair
- Color:
- Blue
- Type of leather:
- Protected
- Problem:
- Faded discoloration nailhead trim
- Location:
- —
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I have my leather chairs restored?
The frequency of leather restoration depends on usage and wear. Typically, professional restoration every 5 to 7 years maintains appearance and durability. Regular care—like conditioning and cleaning—helps extend time between restorations.
Can leather restoration fix deep scratches and cracks?
We can resurface scratches and cracks during restoration. However, if the crack is too deep, it can't be fully repaired without compromising the leather's integrity. We assess the damage and tailor our service to restore the leather effectively and safely.
What will be done to the nail heads of my chair during restoration?
We may either carefully mask each nail head with tape to protect it or remove and replace them with new matching ones, depending on the condition and your preference. Our goal is to preserve the original look while restoring the leather.
