Refurbish your Aniline Leather, don't discard it.

last month

Anniline leathers can have the color restored, and you can do it yourself . (Finished leathers must be repainted). Here's my Hancock and Moore # 079 Cocktail Ottoman appx 12 years old that is sun-faded. What I did to restore it was have Pam Villegomaz at Damaged Leather Solutions send me four products to put the original color back in. Here's where we start:

1) Clean the leather. I use my own mix of water, 2 oz white vinegar and a single pump of Mrs Meyer's hand soap in a spritzer bottke.

2) Apply THREE applications of Conditioner / Softener. Failure to do this will mean the hide soaks up too much color and gets muddy-looking.

3) One coat of dye formulated for Tiburon Chestnut leather color. (Do this outside as its a dye)

4) One coat of Wax Pull-Up Cream

5) One coat of Oil Pull-up Cream.

And its finished, good for another dozen years.

Featured Answer

canorton824

22 days ago

I was also able to refurbish a heavily faded leather chair that was purchased for a song and I was informed that, even after 5+ years, the color is still looking good.

Before and after:

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Comments (9)

NiCOZ5
last month
I wouldn't be happy with that result. It's discolored. Not all furniture is going to last a lifetime.
PRO
The KEEPING ROOM
Original Author
last month
You don't seem to know about Italian pull-up leathers. The toning effect is intentional.
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wsea
last month
last modified: last month
@The KEEPING ROOM Can you change the color of leather this way if its a lighter color?
PRO
The KEEPING ROOM
Original Author
last month
Yes, most definitely. But ONLY if its a pure aniline leather. You have to know what kind of leather you are working with. Most leather is finished, which means it has to be painted, Anilines are dyed.
Mary Elizabeth
22 days ago
I need to carefully check our pair of Hancock & Moore chairs! I try to keep a throw over the back, and the (light filtering) shades down in the living room so they're not getting any direct sun.

IIRC, they are 15 years old.

One of our sons has asked that they be left to him in our will for his law office!
wsea
22 days ago

@The KEEPING ROOM is there a way to identify whether tye leather is analine vs finished in another way? ty
PRO
The KEEPING ROOM
Original Author
17 days ago
It's not always easy how to identify an Aniline from a Finished leather, because the tanneries doing Finished leather have become very, very good and improved their product considerably. Generally, Pure Anilines (which are dyed leathers) are softer, show more variance in coloration, and are most natural looking (less processed). Aniine hides are not sanded down and impervections are left in the leather. Finished leathers are sanded down, the grain pattern is embossed into the leather, and they are painted.

You cannot dye a painted leather, they have to be re-painted. Anilines don't use paint, so they are indeed dyed. On older leather upholstery, painted leathers will look cracked and chipped in spots. Anilines will sun fade and absorb stains, that's primarily how you can tell
wsea
17 days ago
Thank you @The KEEPING ROOM, based on what you describe I'm guessing i have aniline. specifically your last sentence on fade and stain.