Stories

  • Re-furbish Library chairs

    Upholstered library chairs

    The History of These Upholstered Library Chairs (William IV Chairs)

    A set of two leather look library chairs were presented to us by a gentleman who wanted them rejuvenated. These chairs were purchased new in the 1920’s by his grandfather in England. “Library” chairs also referred to as “William IV” chairs were initially constructed in the 1830’s thus this design of chair had already been in circulation for almost a century.  

    Library Chair Details

    These chairs were constructed from English Oak and traditionally upholstered in a tapestry fabric. They had then been re-upholstered in the 1970’s using a Nylex vinyl named “Deerhide”. Deerhide was a product of its day and although extremely popular, perhaps these chairs deserved to be covered in something slightly more elegant.

    How We Beautifully Restored These William IV Chairs

    We stripped these well worn chairs completely back then cleaned and polished the elegant carved timber frames. We used the original upholstery methods. This included jute webbing, coil springs and stitched edges and indulged in a final thin layer of premium foam. The upholstery was also finished to the original standard with space studded self-covered banding.

    This resulted in this pair of two library chairs being brought back to their former glory and a very happy owner.

  • Refurbish Moran chairs

    Our Clients’ Favourite Two Moran Chairs

    A local Perth client approached us who had acquired quality pieces of furniture during the 1960’s and 70’s but was having to downsize and could only take her favourite two Moran chairs purchased new in 1972.

    The Moran Furniture Story

    The Moran story started with John Moran completing his upholstery apprenticeship then starting John Moran Furniture in 1950 at his mother’s garage then shifting to a rented factory. Moran Furniture grew over the decades providing furniture for several generations of Australians.

    The Steps for Repairing These Chairs

    These Moran chairs were worthy of complete reupholstery as the frames were sturdy and the sprung edge was in good condition. The original upholstery was stripped to the frame and the rejuvenation process began by doing the following:

    • new jute webbing
    • hessian
    • high density foam overlays
    • polyester encased premium cushion inserts

    The result is these two luxurious chairs are in new condition ready for many more years of enjoyment.

    The Moran Five Points of Difference

    Moran Furniture was always marketed with the “5 Points of Difference”

    1. Genuine 8 way hand tied springs
    2. Spring cell seat cushions
    3. Body correct lumbar support
    4. Kiln dried, close grain hardwood timber
    5. Premium leathers & fabrics

    Our customer was thrilled with their Moran Furniture repairs.

    Call us Today to Have Your Moran Furniture Repaired
  • Issues with reconstituted leather

    The background to these dining chairs

    Our client from Nedlands, W.A contacted us saying that they had purchased a new solid timber dining suite with eight chairs about ten years ago. They liked the solid structural design of their furniture however the “leather” was disintegrating. We inspected the dining chairs and asked a few more questions. The clients shared that the upholstery on the dining chairs was “reconstituted leather”.

    What is reconstituted leather?

    Reconstituted leather which is occasionally referred to as bonded or blended leather can only be described as a very poor substitute for real leather. The process starts with leather off-cuts and reject hides which are shredded and made into a pulp. This pulp is then mixed with bonding materials and rolled into a continuous layer and then coated with polyurethane. The polyurethane coating is available in various colours and embossed patterns, usually following market trends.

    What are the main issues with reconstituted leather?

    The main issues with reconstituted leather are as follows:

    As polyurethane fabrics act like a semi-permeable membrane, hydrolysis takes place over time with body oils and perspiration causing cracking then peeling of the polyurethane coating.

    • Contrary to most sales explanations reconstituted leather unlike real leather does not breathe and is no different to sitting on a vinyl
    • Reconstituted leather does not develop the patina effect over time like real leather
    • Reconstituted leather has a comparatively short life span (when compared with real leather)

    Happy clients with long lasting leather dining chairs

    Our clients decided to have their dining chairs re-upholstered in a high quality semi-aniline leather from Tasman (Matisse Black). They were exceptionally happy with the finish and no doubt will enjoy them into the future as they age beautifully.

    Call us about getting your furniture restored