I’ve recently purchased a high-back leather Siesta chair (black/black), designed by Ingmar Relling and produced in Norway by Westnofa Møbelfabrikk. The leather is in great condition for its age with no rips or tears and is soft and supple. The wooden base is in good condition with just a few slight scuffs, again, commensurate with its age, but nothing that detracts. Only the front edge and the back of the canvas seat is a little discolored.I bought the chair of an older woman who had purchased it about 40 years ago. The woman was recently moved to a smaller house and had no space for the Siesta chair. She wanted to have 75 Euros for it, but I managed to lower the price to 55 Euros. To me it seemed like a good deal.What's the best way to maintain this chair and can I do something about the discolored canvas?Anyway, I’m very happy with it, I really like the design!
Congrats on the purchase. It's such an under-appreciated design. I've had a few of these, both high and low back and with and without arms. They're all beautiful and comfortable in different ways.
I don't think there's much you can do about the discoloration. However, the front bottom edge is prone to fraying when the seat cushion gets pushed back too far as one sits in it. I always make sure to place seat cushion on top of the canvas so my thighs aren't rubbing on the canvas. Good luck.
Great purchase, I must say that this piece of furniture looks stunning. I guess the best way that you can keep the sofa in its best condition is by doing the proper way of cleaning it. Here are some steps:
1. Dust the sofa thoroughly.
2. Gently wipe it down using a damp, soapy cloth.
3. Spray a mild solution of vinegar and water to get rid of mold or mildew.
4. Use a leather cleaner.
5. Spot test the cleaner.
6. Use a damp cloth in using the cleaning product.
7. Wipe off excess cleaner and remove the stains.
8. Let it Dry.
The front edge of the canvas is indeed a little frayed, but not very visible. Thanks for the tip kin1117 and thanks for the cleaning tips EddyB. They will certainly come in handy!
By the way, I´ve noticed that some of the nuts and bolts are a little rusty. Do you know what I can do about it or would you recommend to replace it?
I had a chair that had a missing bolt and I had the hardest time replacing it. Some forum members said they had some but I wasn't able to locate then. I even contacted the current manufacturer of the Siesta Chair in Norway but they only had the current bolts which didn't match what I needed. On the other hand, Home Depot carries the bolts and caps of the same dimensions although they look different than the original.
I have restored many Siesta chairs, and found all types of hardware at larger hardwares stores, such as Ace and Home Depot in the US. The cap nuts can be found tinted black, dark bronze, copper, dark gold and antique silver
To care for the leather - I disagree with EddyB. Leather is very sensitive to the pH (acidity) of products, which should be close to pH of 4.5. Only use products designed for specifically for leather. If you care for it with the correct products, it will last many years, averaging 4 times longer than fabric. If you mess around with home products, you shorten the life of the leather, but damage will show up later, so usually you won't know that you caused deterioration to accellerate.
With older leather that has probably become dry (shoud be 25% water and conditioner) - and you can safely assume that it has - restoring moisture and conditioners will restore supplenss and durability. It is more importatnt to do this than any surface care, and adds longevity like putting a new engine in an old car. Leather this old needs this treament from the inside with a specialized penetrating moisturizer. This is a professional product which you apply by removing the buttons, taking the padding out and turning leather inside out, so you apply to the raw leather on the suede inside surface. Products made for routine surface care do not penetrate far enough to restore the moisture needed to the full thickness. Consult a leather repair / recoloring professional for products and questions. It is easy to re-attach the buttons using upholstery cord, which an upholsterer will probably sell you, or you can have an upholsterer do it at low cost.
Important: Vinegar is way too acid for cleaning leather, even diluted. Damage occurs whether you see it or not, and leads to cracking and rotting early. Soap will leave a dull residue and even water alone is the wrong pH for frequent cleaning. Here is a video that explains pH and leather care:
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