We recently restored an antique fireside chair in this leather hide. There was just enough leather to cover this footstool also. So here it is about completed waiting on the bench for the finishing touches of upholstery round headed pins in each corner. See the ‘Rolls Royce’ corner stitch in the detailed photo – Lovely!
This is restoration. As you can see in the photos below; we strip the furniture back and remove the, in this case 200 year old, padding and reconstruct using modern variations of horse hair and modern wadding. Checking and fixing the frame then we re-fit/replace and tie-in with twine the coil springs.
Modern furniture is not built this way. And this type of furniture was an expensive luxury in its day, therefor it was built to a very high standard. The comfort is something else.
We have a 1904 chair in our shop – come and sit in it, you wont want to leave – remember we close at 5!
Restored and reupholstered in a modern fabric creates a classic that will last for a very long time. A lovely antique button back chair restored and reupholstered in a light soft velvet – gorgeous!
Really popular in the 1960s and 1970’s Parker Knoll chairs have often visited our workshop for 30 years. Easily recognised by the clean lines with small rolled arms and wings. To check, look under the seat cushion to find round springs covered in a canvas material. Then look under the frame base to see the stamp ‘Parker Knoll’. Always super quality, almost bulletproof, it’s rare to have to repair a Parker Knoll frame. We love them!
Started in the 1930’s Parker Knoll is a British furniture manufacturing company, originally formed by Frederick Parker and Willi Knoll, a German inventor of the distinctive form of springs under the seat. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1950, but taken private in 2004. After financial problems, it was acquired out of administration by Sofa Brands International. In recent years, the brand has moved back to the higher-quality end of the domestic furniture market.
Prices for new Parker Knoll furniture are still a great value, chairs about £1000 for example. They are quite plain but have clean lines, quite small therefore fit well in modern houses. I like them as they are not ‘flash’ but a recognised quality that can be used for generations -, good value style that can be used every day.
Here is a delightful restored Parker Knoll chair we recently completed. Isn’t she lovely!
Operating a commercial business with upholstered units? Trust us for quick restoration, repair, and reupholstering. We are trusted by Toby Carvery, McDonald’s, HeadlamHall, Rockcliffe Hall, pubs, restaurants, spas, and hotels across the North East and Yorkshire.
Fast turnaround as needed, including out-of-hours service. We specialise in bespoke repairs, restoration, design, and full construction for all commercial upholstery settings.
It was in bad condition but the frame structure was good and most importantly the owner found it so very comfortable. Indeed we had to wait till after a comfortable Christmas to collect and start the restoration.
Many of us have modern leather chairs – we repair and reupholster a lot of them. Sometimes the ‘leather’ is not actually leather though. Modern factory produced leather furniture can sometimes be a treatment cover to look, feels and smell like leather but its not. Sometimes the leather is only on the parts you touch and sometimes it is very thin rolled leather.
The ‘leather tanned hide’ we use is about 1/4 cm thick, tanned from a genuine hide and will last as long as Sherlock Holmes leather library chair.