Furniture Restoration
Most of us know that after a perfume’s scent is developed it is diluted with alcohol. But did you realize that full perfumes can contain up to 95 percent alcohol? That’s because a higher alcohol volume creates a more intense aroma. While a treat for your olfactory senses, it can be a disaster on your leather! Alcohol is a stripping agent and will pull the color out of leather, leaving the affect you see on this leather ottoman. Unnoticed, an overturned and leaking bottle of perfume remained laying here until the leather dye and protective top coat essentially turned to ‘goo’. While extreme, hopefully this accident will serve as a reminder of the potential hazards to your leather from products containing alcohol. Regardless of what you may have read or heard, it is never a good idea to try and remove stains or even clean and disinfect leather furniture with alcohol or alcohol wipes – especially when Fibrenew Upstate can take care of these needs for you!
Complete Sofa Restoration and Re-Dye
One of the fringe benefits of owning Fibrenew Upstate is the advantage of keeping our personal leather belongings in tip top shape. We have a 10+ year old leather sofa with non-removable cushions that had flattened over the years. Not only did this make the sofa look a bit tired, it just wasn’t as comfortable for sitting anymore. While somewhat laborious, dismantling sofas is a task that we tackle regularly. And since it also increases accessibility for re-dyeing, why not? We’re quite pleased with the customized tan color choice, newly stuffed cushions and overall ‘like new’ appearance.
If you originally invested in quality, thick leather hide furnishings that you still love and enjoy, restoring and re-dyeing may be a great alternative to buying new.
When restoring, re-dyeing and repairing leather and vinyl, whether it be furniture, car interiors, boat seats, restaurant seating, etc., every restoration is unique. There may be similarities in various jobs, such as pet damage, color loss, cuts and tears or just general aging. But we customize our work to suit individual needs. For instance, this sectional sofa had fading and was showing wear on the seating areas, while the remainder was still in good condition. So, obviously there was no reason for an entire restoration. We focused on renewing the areas in need and simply cleaned and conditioned the rest. Contact Fibrenew Upstate for your customized restoration needs.
The original Eames Lounge Chair & Ottoman were released in 1956. It was the first chair that Charles & Ray Eames produced for a high-end market and has been in continued production ever since. Their vision was for a chair with “the warm, receptive look of a well-used first baseman’s mitt”. Though many furniture companies have copied or been influenced by this design, Herman Miller (in America) and Vitra (in Europe) remain the only two companies to produce these chairs with the Eames name attached. You will find a 1956 original rosewood set in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and another on display at the Henry Ford Museum in
Dearborn, Michigan. And while the first public debut was on the Arlene Francis’ Home show, which later became the Today Show, it is still used in popular culture today. It was in practically every episode of Fraiser and in the first season of Friends, as well as in Cougar Town, Scrubs and on CSI. You can currently see it on Mad Men and in the Up All Night TV series, as well as on the cover of Larry King’s new autobiography. The modern classic style, coupled with comfort and usability, have made this leather chair and ottoman set iconic. There is a market for used Eames chairs, with some collectors willing to pay high prices. New sets start at around $4500 and can go up to $7000 (US), depending on the wood veneers and leather used in production.
So, imagine our delight (and nerves) at being asked to restore a 45+ year old Eames chair and ottoman! Since we do not specialize in antique wood restoration, we commissioned the best in the Upstate of South Carolina, Mr. Thomas Brannock (Branncok Custom Woodworking 864.281.0812). He meticulously stripped and refinished all of the wood, to include the re-gluing and replacement of missing or chipped veneers. Additionally, all of the metal on both the chair and ottoman bases was cleaned, sanded and re-painted, along with the replacement of other hardware and the metal feet. Old material was removed and replaced with newly, custom dyed leather. The set had originally belonged to the father of the owner, but had been in attic storage for many years. It was his wife that decided to bring his childhood memory back to life as a surprise. Needless to say, we had quite a feeling of pride and accomplishment in placing this very special gift under the family Christmas Tree!
Natuzzi Leather Chair Cleaning
A lot of us spruce up our surroundings during the course of the holiday season. We deck the halls in preparation for family and friends, prepare festive meals, exotic cocktails . . . and then it happens! Cranberry sauce on the linen tablecloth, red wine on the carpet, or worse yet, someone has a ‘bodily fluid’ accident. Now there is just no way to broach this subject without a bit of crudeness, but Fibrenew Upstate has salvaged more than one piece of furniture that has been accidentally urinated or vomited on, by pets and people alike. And while this is not one of our favorite services to provide, we do have the capabilities of cleaning, disinfecting and deodorizing after these types of accidents. When dealing with leather, though you may have cleaned and disinfected immediately, the very recognizable odor may remain. When this happens, the furniture must be disassembled, so as to gain access to the back of the leather. We then clean and extract numerous times over multiple days to insure the odor has dissipated. While time consuming and laborious, salvaging an expensive leather chair or sofa is well worth it. We were recently called on to clean the cushion of a Natuzzi leather chair that had been accidentally soiled by an elderly family member who had become incontinent since her last visit. The owner has actually considered getting rid of the chair because of the lingering odor, but hesitated because it was part of a matching sofa set and was still in excellent condition. The cushion was non-removable, so the chair bottom had to be dismantled. The leather was turned inside out and we began a 3 day cleaning and de-odorizing process. Once we were sure the odor was gone, the chair was re-assembled, followed by an overall cleaning and conditioning. When returned, it was apparent that the sofa needed to be rejuvenated, as well, so as to look up to par with newly ‘refreshed’ chair. So, if your holiday entertaining has left you with a few unforeseen clean-ups, don’t fret over spilled milk (or worse), give Fibrenew Upstate a call. And, accident or not, winter is a great time to have your furniture cleaned and /or conditioned, be it leather or upholstery. Save your spring cleaning for the windows!
Fibrenew Upstate takes care of furniture warranty claims for a variety of companies throughout the Greenville and Upstate areas in SC. However, many times an issue arises that is not covered under a warranty, or as luck would have it, just after the warranty has expired. That certainly doesn’t mean you let the problem go and do nothing – especially if it’s a high quality piece of leather furniture – because it will get worse. The leather Lazy Boy recliner in these photos had no warranty and was experiencing a loss of the protective top coat finish along with color. While we could have custom matched and re-dyed the chair back to the original color, the owner decided on a color change so as to better match other furnishings within the room. This leather recliner was renewed for approximately 30% of replacement cost, making Fibrenew Upstate quite the economical choice. 
Remember back in science class when you learned that the skin is the body’s largest organ? Well, unless you were a science major, you probably haven’t given it much thought since, nor the by-products produced by this large organ – namely oil and sweat. And believe me, both of these can wreak havoc on your leather furniture. The skin has thousands of tiny hair follicles, each of which has a sebaceous gland that produces an oily substance called sebum. Men produce more sebum (oil) on their skin than women, which also in turn, causes them to sweat more. It’s purely hormonal and not a sign of cleanliness, or the lack thereof. This is a point we try and make clear when we first meet with a client and are immediately able to determine which is the ‘Papa Bear’ chair. Also, it doesn’t seem to matter whether the owner has a full head of hair or is completely bald. In time, oil buildup, along with sweat, will cause the leather headrest on chairs and sofas to lose their protective top coat and color. Eventually the leather may deteriorate so badly as to cause a hole in the headrest. If caught in the early stages, Fibrenew Upstate can clean and extract the body oils and sweat from the leather. This task is better accomplished when we are able to access the back side of the leather. Following a successful ‘oil clean up’, we re-dye and top coat the headrest to match the existing leather.
Headrest Restoration on Leather Recliner
In extreme circumstances, a new leather headrest replacement panel may be sewn in, followed by a custom re-dye process. It would, after all, be a shame to discard a big, comfy recliner or sofa that is in otherwise, overall good condition. So, don’t be embarrassed, we know you’re not a ‘Greaser’! Just give Fibrenew Upstate a call and let us bring your prized possession back to life!
You just need to run a few quick errands and since the puppy training has been going so well, you decide to give freedom a chance – after all, you’ll only be gone twenty or so minutes. So, rather than putting Fido into the crate, you give a quick pat on the head with instructions to be good. And just as planned, you’re back in twenty only to find the center console / armrest that was left in the down position on your double leather recliner has been chewed unmercifully. Tail wagging, with bits of chewed and tattered leather scattered on the floor, Fido doesn’t understand your dismay – but Fibrenew Upstate does. Our services vary depending on the extent of damage your belongings have endured. Small holes and tears may require a leather sub-patch along with a custom matched re-dye. In more extreme cases where there is leather missing, our goal is to closely match the existing leather grain with a similar hide, again, followed by a custom matched re-dye of the replacement leather. The furniture is then dismantled and readied for the upholsterer. Many times new or additional foam and stuffing are also required. While restoring leather furniture can be quite a labor intensive undertaking, and we can’t always be miracle workers, you may be pleasantly surprised at our refurbishment fees when compared to buying new. This is especially true when dealing with an expensive three seat or sectional leather sofa, for example, where the damage may be confined to one section. So, why don’t you give us a call before you head to the junk yard with that leather furniture? Fibrenew Upstate has a pretty good record of easing puppy pain!
Leather Sofa: Re-Dyed, Restored, Restuffed - RE-NEWED!
There are many reasons we move – perhaps due to a job relocation or retirement, up-sizing or down-sizing, the list goes on and on. Regardless of the reason, there’s always going to be some degree of decorating or re-decorating involved. With our last move, we chose a completely new paint scheme for the main living areas and then used the same paint chip color cards to customize a new color for our leather sofa, changing it from a buttery beige to a darker taupe. And why not? The sofa was in perfect condition; it was just the right size, just the right shape and design. But just the wrong color for our new home. Not a problem when you know a Fibrenew technician! So, ever since our own personal leather sofa re-dye transformation, we always encourage people to hold on to that expensive piece of leather furniture and let us make it look and feel like new again – especially if it’s being placed in a new surrounding. These before and after sofa pictures show a recent restoration for a couple that’s in the midst of building a new house. The sofa, originally in the blue family, had some light scratches and scuffs along with some body oil build up and discoloration. The owners picked out a paint chip that would be complimentary to their new house color scheme. After the re-dye and a little new cushion stuffing, the sofa took on a completely new look and appeal. Better yet, this restoration was completed before the house, so it’s move in ready! The cost of moving, regardless of the reason, is typically more expensive that anticipated. So why not let Fibrenew Upstate ease that pain a bit by saving you the expense of buying new furniture. Let us re-new what you already have and love!
Most of us already know there are great bargains to be found in consignment store shopping – regardless of what you’re in search of. However, when it comes to shopping for used furniture, you may have more options than you realize. A good bargain shopper immediately envisions how a tired and worn upholstered sofa or chair can be transformed with new fabric. It’s so easy to personalize your bargain when all you have to do is walk into a fabric store and choose the color palette and pattern your heart desires. What most people don’t realize is that should you be so lucky as to stumble upon a great used piece of leather furniture that is a bit tired, maybe has a few scratches or is a little faded, Fibrenew Upstate can help you transform this furniture bargain, as well. Or, perhaps like a recent customer of ours, you find a ‘like new’, over sized, high quality leather ottoman at your favorite consignment shop, but the color just won’t work in your family room. No problem! Just go to your nearest paint or home improvement store and pick a paint chip. Now, do you prefer a dull, flat finish or do you prefer a shinier, glossy look for your leather furniture? Thanks to Fibrenew, the Experts in Leather, your choices are endless. It’s all about personal taste and individual needs. We can completely re-dye your leather furniture bargain with a customized color and final top coat finish. So, hit those consignment shops, happy bargain shopping and please, spread the word!
