Everyone has THAT special piece of furniture…

In this particular instance, I mean my grandfather’s leather office chair, which is of upmost importance to him. This chair was one of the first major purchases he made as a young business man, and it was a large purchase some 30 or more years ago. Solid, thick, supple leather, bronze tackings and hand designed details. This chair was fit for a king, and king he was of his office and his nursery and business. In this chair many important decisions and purchases were made, deals penned, contracts written and so on.

But after many many years of use, as with any furniture, there are some changes that begin to occur. Leather furniture holds up better than most, especially when you have purchased a quality piece. But time will lead to visible changes in the furniture in your home. Leather is a skin and it needs to breathe, and just like our skin, the oils and dirt that accumulate over time will start to absorb. The color can fade, the hide can become thin or dry, sometimes even dry rotting.

So, you can imagine that his chair has certainly seen better days, but still remains in overall usable and good condition. It needs some leather repairs and color restoration, and if handled professionally, could look years newer in just a few hours.

There is a lot of crap out there that markets itself as “Easy to Use” and “Do It Your Self” or “Quick Fix!” But as most things go, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Leather Repair Kits, Leather Tape, Leather Kits and Instant Leather Repair products all “sound” fantastic but usually only make damage worse. No one wants to ruin their investments, especially not leather furniture that cost thousands of dollars!

The best thing to do is to find a leather repair specialist. I looked online and found the solution! There are Leather Repair companies that I researched online that came up with wonderful photos and videos that show their craftsmanship. As I kept looking at leather repair and furniture repair companies, I was completely certain that this was not a job to try on my own. I was certain that I was going to use a leather repair professional to help restore my grandfather’s prized chair.

The before and after effects on this chair were incredible. Guests that had seen the chair before can’t even believe that this is the same one! The Leather repairs made on the cracking and really thin areas not only look but feel smooth again. The holes and patches that were worn through are completely repaired and refinished. The pros were able to smooth away the lines and cracks of time, making this chair feel like the throne of a (businessman) king again. I had no idea that leather could be restored so well, or so affordably! To replace that chair would have cost over $2000, maybe even more because of the ever increasing inflation. And of course, was also not an option because that would have destroyed this family heirloom as well. But to have the leather repaired and leather color restoration completed was a mere fraction of the cost. And, of course, this keep sake chair now can last for many more years to come, which is a priceless investment.

What are you waiting for?

Leather furniture is something that can last through the decades, providing you comfort and quality as well as presence in your home or office. There are many ways to keep your leather beautiful other than waiting until it is too late!

There are some simple tricks that you can do at home by yourself to keep your leather last even longer. The pros taught us a few tips that really make a difference.

Make sure you clean your leather goods and furniture with a gentle cleanser at least once a month. A light mist of a very very dilute mix of a 20 oz bottle of water mixed with a couple of drops of dish soap is all you need to start. You can mist this solution onto a soft towel, and gently wipe the surfaces, particularly where you sit and touch the leather the most, clean away skin oils, dirt and grime. Human skin actually has a slightly acidic PH and this is what eats away at the leather, causing fading and cracking etc. And everyone’s is different, some are more or less acidic as well as sweat versus clean skin coming into contact with the leather all play a role in it’s potential to harm your leather goods.

After you have cleaned the leather with this solution, dry thoroughly with a clean soft towel or rag. Then use a very good quality that is a non-abrasive leather conditioner that is free from silicones or lubricants and oils. These will clog the pores of your leather and actually lead to more damage down the road. Lexol Leather conditioner is an excellent product and the only one that we keep in my home. It can be best compared to using high quality and scent free lotions on your skin versus something heavily perfumed and containing alcohol and dyes. Those type of products don’t really help moisturize your skin nor do they keep it looking young, in fact they often cause more damage than they combat.. leather gifts