Furniture Care

FURNITURE CARE INSTRUCTIONS

Tipping

Serious injury or death can be caused by toppling furniture. To help prevent tip-over:

- Anchor products to a wall or other suitable surface;

- Avoid placing TVs on top of furniture unless the TV is also anchored;

- Use drawer locks to prevent children climbing.

General

The location of your furniture can affect its longevity. Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight. Do not place furniture in moist, damp or overly dry environments. Arrange your furniture so it is not adjacent to heating or air conditioning outlets. On a day-to-day basis we recommend using a soft dust cloth/feather duster to remove any dust or debris.

Natural and Recycled Timbers

Due to the nature of natural and recycled timbers the products will come with some natural imperfections. It is this type of timber that gives this furniture a unique and individual charm. Sometimes cracks/splits may occur in natural and recycled timbers. This is a natural occurrence of this type of timber and is no way a fault. Natural and recycled timbers can expand and contract with extreme temperatures so it is recommended to avoid direct sunlight or heat or air conditioning.  The colours on the timber will vary from piece to piece. All pieces come in their own individual colour and finish and no two pieces will ever be the same. This is part of the charm of this furniture.

We recommend applying a high-quality natural furniture wax every 3-6 months to help maintain your timber. Timber needs to be polished regularly to maintain optimum condition – polishing cleans and nourishes the wood, protects it and highlights its character. It can also help to minimise movement and protects the finish from minor spills. When polishing, work along the grain of the timber, rub in the polish well and buff immediately, making sure you polish out all scratches. Avoid applying too much polish or wax as this will build up long term. Please note that slight variations in color and an incomplete seal may occur with any sealant; Always test on an inconspicuous area first. 

Where your natural or recycled timbers have a painted surface we recommend using a soft dust cloth/feather duster to remove any dust or debris. You may use a slightly damp cloth, as long as it is not excessively soaked to remove any staining liquids.

 Other general furniture advice for timber furniture:

    • The location of your furniture can affect its longevity. Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight. Do not place furniture in moist, damp or overly dry environments. Arrange your furniture so it is not adjacent to heating or air conditioning outlets. Your natural and recycled timber furniture is a natural product and may expand and contract due to temperature conditions, occasionally producing small cracks within or between the timbers. This is normal and often part of a piece’s character. To minimise movement the furniture should not be placed, in direct sunlight or in heavily air-conditioned areas.
    • Take care when placing plastic materials (lamp bases, ornaments, etc.) directly onto your furniture as certain plastics contain ingredients that may react with and damage the finish.
    • Use coasters or placemats to help prevent marks or stains. Although our timber collections often have lacquered or waxed surfaces and can mostly tolerate some heat, the general rule is: if something is too hot to hold, it is too hot to place on timber. Hotter items can mark timber. Do not place hot items directly on timber tops.
    • Logically, protective padding is strongly recommended when using your furniture as a writing surface, especially when using a pencil or ballpoint pen.
    • Clean up spills quickly. Depending on the piece of furniture and how it is finished, water left on the surface may cause damage. Other examples are alcohol, perfume, nail polishes, aftershave and other items may cause severe finish damage if not cleaned immediately.
    • Do not use any harsh cleaning products, especially ones that are silicone or petroleum based.

Leather 

As a natural product, leather’s beautiful look and luxurious feel give it year round comfort and appeal. Its unique ability to breathe also makes it ideal in almost any situation. Over time, leather will adapt itself to your lifestyle and give you a truly personalised feel.

The hallmark of genuine leather is its natural markings and signature imperfections. Because of its organic properties, there is no one hide the same. From horn wounds and barbwire scratches, to thickness variations, these markings make your piece unique. Grain wrinkles, stretch marks and closed scars are also typical characteristics of leather, the result of age, movement and comfortable wear. This further stamps its authenticity as a natural product. Our leather pieces are purposely made not to have a ‘perfect’ finish. All leather pieces have purposeful ageing including minor distressing in the colour/finish – this includes ‘shaving’ back of paint colour in areas, discolourations, blemishes and purposeful depressions which are not considered imperfections. All of these imperfections are evidence of the product being genuine leather and are not considered to be defects in any way.

We do recommend applying a natural leather protection/care product every 6-12 months to help maintain the product. Maintain your leather furniture with a light leather conditioner about once or twice a year. When choosing a leather conditioner, read the label and ensure that the product contains no silicone, alcohol, or wax. Only ever use industry recommended fabric & leather care products suitable for the type of leather you own.  Always test on an inconspicuous area first.

Clean your item regularly using a dry method. A gentle, hand-held vacuum and dry cloth will take care of most day-to-day soiling but for light stains a slightly damp cloth can be used. Avoid excess moisture by following it with a dry cloth to absorb any leftover water.

Other general furniture advice for leather furniture:

    • Your leather furniture is a natural product. The location of your furniture can affect its longevity. Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight. Do not place furniture in moist, damp or overly dry environments. Arrange your furniture so it is not adjacent to heating or air conditioning outlets. Direct heat penetration can permanently damage the leather. 
    • We do not recommend covering your leather furniture with plastic. Leather needs to breathe and plastic coverings may bring about mildew growth and void your warranty.
    • We do not recommend that you allow pets to sit or climb on your leather furniture. Pet fur contains oils that can discolour and deteriorate the high quality leather used to upholster your items and pet claws can leave scratch or puncture marks that will detrimentally affect the look of the leather.
    • You may use a slightly damp cloth, as long as it is not excessively soaked to remove any staining liquids. Clean up spills quickly. Depending on the piece of furniture and how it is finished, water left on the surface may cause damage. Other examples are alcohol, perfume, nail polishes, makeup, aftershave and other items may cause severe finish damage if not cleaned immediately. In the event of an oily stain, gently wipe the stain with an absorbent paper towel or a damp cloth, making sure not to press hard so as not to permeate the leather further.
    • Do not use any harsh cleaning products, especially ones that are silicone or petroleum based.
    • Natural leathers may incur marks or discolourations where they have come into contact with belt buckles or studding etc. This is a standard occurance and forms part of the character of the leather over time. 

Fabrics

We recommend regular cleaning by an industry professional. Always test cleaning an inconspicuous area first.

    • The location of your furniture can affect its longevity. Avoid placing your furniture in direct sunlight. Do not place furniture in moist, damp or overly dry environments. Arrange your furniture so it is not adjacent to heating or air conditioning outlets. Whilst fabrics are susceptible to fading over time, avoiding sunlight and heat sources is the best precautionary measure.
    • Pilling can sometimes result in fabrics. Pilling is not a defect and can be removed by a pilling appliance by an industry professional.
    • All fabrics are prone to some shrinkage over time.
    • Follow all care labels on your item carefully.
    • Most upholstered items can only be professionally cleaned.
    • If spot cleaning is recommended on the care label, always test cleaning products on a hidden part of the fabric first. Be careful about over-saturating fabrics to avoid watermarks.

Stone

We recommend applying a high-quality stone sealer (suited towards the type of stone purchased (i.e. marble)) every 3-12 months to help maintain your stone. Always test on an inconspicuous area first.

    • Stones are porous and delicate. If spills do occur, blot dry with a damp cloth and lukewarm water as soon as possible. Avoid abrasive soaps or cleaners. When a heavier cleaning is periodically needed use a pH neutral cleaner.
    • Clean up spills quickly. Depending on the piece of furniture and how it is finished, water left on the surface may cause damage. Other examples are alcohol, perfume, nail polishes, aftershave and other items may cause severe finish damage if not cleaned immediately.
    • Take care when placing plastic materials (lamp bases, ornaments, etc.) directly onto your furniture as certain plastics contain ingredients that may react with and damage the finish.
    • Use coasters or placemats to help prevent marks or stains. The general rule is: if something is too hot to hold, it is too hot to place on stone. Hotter items can mark stone. Do not place hot items directly on stone tops. Heat can damage or discolour the stone or the sealer.
    • Logically, protective padding is strongly recommended when using your furniture as a writing surface, especially when using a pencil or ballpoint pen.

Metals

Many of our metals are industrial in nature and have a rust finish to them. Our Industrial pieces are purposely made not to have a ‘perfect’ finish. All industrial pieces have purposeful minor distressing in the colour/finish – this includes rust marks, discolourations, blemishes and purposeful depressions which are not considered imperfections.

Metals and Industrial items sometimes have rust present as part of their feature. Please keep your floors in mind. 

We recommend a dry cloth/duster for day-to-day dusting.

    • Keep metals dry to prevent tarnishing and rust.
    • Don't use abrasive cleaners.
    • A damp cloth can be used sporadically.
    • Metal surfaces scratch easily; do not cut directly on metal surfaces.

Glass

We recommend a dry cloth/duster for day-to-day dusting.

    • Use coasters or placemats to help prevent marks or stains. The general rule is: if something is too hot to hold, it is too hot to place on glass. Do not place hot items directly on glass.
    • A glass-cleaner can be periodically used.