Frequently Asked Questions

How can I tell if it's a Winchester Furniture Genuine product? At Winchester Furniture, we take pride in crafting high-quality leather chesterfields that stand the test of time. To ensure that you are purchasing a genuine Winchester Furniture product, look for the following features: 1. The Winchester Furniture logo - All of our products come with or logo that is located on the seat platform of the sofa or chair. This logo is a symbol of our commitment to quality and craftsmanship. 2. High-Quality Leather - We only use the finest quality leather to create our chesterfields. Genuine leather has a distinctive smell and texture that cannot be replicated by synthetic materials. 3. Handcrafted - Each Winchester Furniture chesterfield is handmade by skilled craftsmen in our workshop. This means that no two pieces are exactly the same, and each has its own unique character. 4. Made in England - All of our products are made in England, using traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations of skilled craftsmen. If you have any doubts about the authenticity of your Winchester Furniture product, please do not hesitate to email us for further information. info@winchesterfurniure.co.uk Unfortunately, an increasing number of retailers, distributors and manufacturers are copying our product and selling it as their own. Past and Present Designs Gallery Past & Present (winchesterfurniture.co.uk)

You can view the full collection and find the most up to date information on all our products on our website at winchesterfurniture.co.uk Digital Brochure (winchesterfurniture.co.uk)

Tolerances Although we have made every effort to be as accurate as possible, because many of our Products are Made to Order, therefore all sizes, weights, capacities, dimensions and measurements can carry a reasonable tolerance of 3% Dye Batches When selecting colours, it is important to understand that leather is dyed in batches, and unless purchasing multiple Products at the same time; a batches colour match cannot be guaranteed. Due to this; swatches should be used as a guide only and are not indictive of the exact colour you will receive. Natural Products Natural wood and industrial Products will exhibit variances in grain, finish and feel from one Product to another and should be purchased under the understanding that what you will receive will be unique to you, and rarely matches the exact finish to that which you viewed online. Leather Products can exhibit natural characteristics and variances for one panel to another. For the closest match, a corrected grain will minimize variances. Aniline, Nubuck, Top Grain, Pull-Up or any other leather which has not been corrected will however display natural markings such as tick and bite marks, brandings, scars, and significant grain differences from one panel to another as not all panels may have come from the same source.

1. SUMMARY 1.1 Winchester Furniture Limited are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy at all times. 1.2 This policy (together with our terms of use and any other documents referred to on it) sets out the basis on which any personal data we collect from you, or that you provide to us, will be processed by us. Please read the following carefully to understand our views and practices regarding your personal data and how we will treat it. 1.3 For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998 (Act), the data controller is Winchester Furniture Limited, Preston PR5 6RE. 1.4 We may record telephone conversations to use in our internal staff training programme. 2. PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT FROM YOU 2.1 We may collect, process and store the following data about you: i) When you purchase a product Online, in one of our stores or by phone ii) When you order a brochure from Winchester Furniture iii) When you sign up for our email newsletter iv) When you review or comment on our products and services v) When you engage with us on social media or through surveys we may send you vi) When using our website, we may collect technical data about your equipment, browsing behaviour and any websites that referred you to winchesterfurniture.com. We collect this personal data by using cookies and other similar technologies. vii) When you apply for a trade account with us through our website, over the phone or in one of our Retail stores. 2.2 Personal data, or personal information, means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data). We may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you which we have grouped together follows: Identity Data including first name, last name, title. Contact Data including billing address, delivery address, email address, telephone numbers. We will also collect your social media username, if you interact with us through those channels. Financial Data including bank account and payment card details Transaction Data including details about payments to and from you and other details of products you have purchased from us. 2.3 To deliver the best possible web experience, we collect Technical Data including internet protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform and other technology on the devices you use to access our website. Profile Data including purchases or orders made by you, your interests, preferences, feedback and survey responses. Usage Data including information about how you use our website. This includes information gathered by the use of cookies in your web browser. Learn more about how we use cookies and similar technologies by reading our cookie policy. Marketing and Communications Data includes your preferences in receiving marketing from us. We also collect, use and share Aggregated Data such as statistical or demographic data for any purpose. Aggregated Data may be derived from your personal data but is not considered personal data in law as this data does not directly or indirectly reveal your identity. For example, we may aggregate your Usage Data to calculate the percentage of users accessing a specific website feature. However, if we combine or connect Aggregated Data with your personal data so that it can directly or indirectly identify you, we treat the combined data as personal data which will be used in accordance with this privacy policy. We do not collect any Special Categories of Personal Data about you (this includes details about your race or ethnicity, religious or philosophical beliefs, sex life, sexual orientation, political opinions, trade union membership, information about your health and genetic and biometric data). Nor do we collect any information about criminal convictions and offences. 2.4 HOW AND WHY WE USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA 2.4.1 We will only use your personal data when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we will use your personal data in the following circumstances: Where we need to perform the contract we are about to enter into or have entered into with you. Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests. Where we need to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation. Legitimate Interest means the interest of our business in conducting and managing our business to enable us to give you the best service/product and the best and most secure experience. We make sure we consider and balance any potential impact on you (both positive and negative) and your rights before we process your personal data for our legitimate interests. We do not use your personal data for activities where our interests are overridden by the impact on you (unless we have your consent or are otherwise required or permitted to by law). You can obtain further information about how we assess our legitimate interests against any potential impact on you in respect of specific activities by contacting us Performance of Contract means processing your data where it is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party or to take steps at your request before entering into such a contract. Comply with a legal or regulatory obligation means processing your personal data where it is necessary for compliance with a legal or regulatory obligation that we are subject to. 2.4.2 If you choose not to share personal data with us, or refuse certain contact permissions, we might not be able to provide some services you asked for. Examples of how we use information held about you include: To process any orders that you make on our website or in store. If we don't collect your personal data during checkout, we won't be able to process and deliver your order and comply with legal obligations. To respond to your queries, refund requests and complaints. Handling the information you send enables us to respond. We may also keep a record of these to inform any future communication with us and to demonstrate how we communicated with you throughout. We do this on the basis of our contractual obligations to you, our legal obligations and our legitimate interests in providing you with the best service and understanding how we can improve our service based on your experience. To process payments and to prevent fraudulent transactions. We do this on the basis of our legitimate business interests. This also helps to protect our customers from fraud. To listen to recorded telephone conversations for internal staff training. To send you relevant communications by email or post in relation to updates, products and services. We'll do this on the basis of our legitimate business interest. You are free to opt out of hearing from us by email or post at any time. To administer any of our prize draws or competitions which you enter To develop, test and improve the systems, services and products we provide to you. We'll do this on the basis of our legitimate business interests. To comply with our contractual or legal obligations to share data with law enforcement. To send you survey and feedback requests to help improve our services. These messages will not include any promotional content and do not require prior consent when sent by email or text message. We have a legitimate interest to do so as this helps make our products or services more relevant to you. 2.5. WHO DO WE SHARE YOUR DATA WITH? 2.5.1 We may have to share your personal data with the parties set out below for the purposes of operating our business. Examples of these third parties we would share your data with are: IT companies who support our website and other business systems Operational companies such as our third party delivery couriers Google, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to show you products that might interest you while you're browsing the internet. We'll also use your data to identify other internet users who share similar interests. This is based on your acceptance of cookies on our website. For more information about the cookies we use, please see our cookie policy. We may also share your personal details, such as your email address with third parties, such as Pinterest, Facebook and Google, for the purposes of targeted online advertising. To opt out from this form of email-based advertising please email info@winchesterfurniture.co.uk We may also be required to disclose your personal data to the police or other enforcement, regulatory or Government body, in your country of origin or elsewhere, upon a valid request to do so. These requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis and take the privacy of our customers into consideration. We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow our third-party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes and only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions. In order to protect your privacy we will: Only provide the information necessary to perform their specific services Only use the data for the exact purpose we specify in our contract with them Work closely with them to ensure their privacy is respected and protected at all times 2.6 Cookies You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this website may become inaccessible or not function properly. 2.7. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER OF DATA 2.7.1 We will never transfer your data outside of the EEA in compliance with data protection laws. 2.8 PROTECTING YOUR DATA 2.8.1 The security of your personal data is very important to us and we are committed to treating it with the utmost care, taking all appropriate steps to protect it. We have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed in an unauthorised way, altered or disclosed. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality. Access to your personal data is password-protected, and sensitive data (such as payment card information) is secured and tokenised to ensure it is protected. 2.8.2 We secure access to all transactional areas of our websites and apps using 'https' technology. 2.8.3 We regularly monitor our system for possible vulnerabilities and attacks, and we carry out penetration testing to identify ways to further strengthen security. 2.9 KEEPING YOUR DATA 2.9.1 We will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. 2.9.2 To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements. For example, if your order included a product guarantee, the associated personal data will be kept until the end of the guarantee period. 2.9.3 At the end of that retention period, your data will either be deleted completely or anonymised, for example by aggregation with other data so that it can be used in a non-identifiable way for statistical analysis and business planning. 2.10 WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS OVER YOUR PERSONAL DATA? 2.10.1 Under certain circumstances, you have rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data. You have the right to: 2.10.2 Request access to your personal data (commonly known as a "data subject access request"). This enables you to receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it. 2.10.3 Request correction of the personal data that we hold about you. This enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate data we hold about you corrected, though we may need to verify the accuracy of the new data you provide to us. 2.10.4 Request erasure of your personal data. This enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal data where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it. 2.10.5 Object to processing of your personal data where we are relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground as you feel it impacts on your fundamental rights and freedoms. You also have the right to object where we are processing your personal data for direct marketing purposes. In some cases, we may demonstrate that we have compelling legitimate grounds to process your information which override your rights and freedoms. 2.10.6 Request restriction of processing of your personal data. This enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of your personal data in the following scenarios: (a) if you want us to establish the data's accuracy; (b) where our use of the data is unlawful but you do not want us to erase it; (c) where you need us to hold the data even if we no longer require it as you need it to establish, exercise or defend legal claims; or (d) you have objected to our use of your data but we need to verify whether we have overriding legitimate grounds to use it. 2.10.7 Request the transfer of your personal data to you or to a third party. We will provide to you, or a third party you have chosen, your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format. Note that this right only applies to automated information which you initially provided consent for us to use or where we used the information to perform a contract with you. 2.10.8 Withdraw consent at any time where we are relying on consent to process your personal data. However, this will not effect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent. If you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide certain products or services to you. We will advise you if this is the case at the time you withdraw your consent. In cases where we are processing your personal data on the basis of our legitimate interest, you can ask us to stop for reasons connected to your individual situation. We must then do so unless we believe we have a legitimate overriding reason to continue processing your personal data. 2.10.9 You have the right to stop the use of your personal data for direct marketing activity through all channels, or selected channels. We must and will always comply with your request. If you wish to exercise any of the rights set out above, please contact: Data Privacy Officer Winchester Furniture Preston PR5 6RE or email info@winchesterfurniture.co.uk 2.10.10 You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we may refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances. 2.10.11 We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response. 2.10.12 We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated. 3. Yes Winchester Furniture We love your passion for Winchester Furniture products and interiors and the photos you post on Instagram and Facebook under #Winchesterfurniture. That's the reason we're asking you if we can share these photos on our website and our social media pages. When you confirm the use of a photo with #YesWinchesterFurniture you are agreeing to the following conditions: You are granting Winchester Furniture permission to publish any photo tagged with #Winchesterfurniture.co.uk on social media or our newsletters. There is no payment for this agreement and it does not exclude any other agreements. Winchester Furniture will at no time claim ownership rights for these photos, and only has the right to use them for marketing purposes on winchesterfurniture.co.uk, social media and in newsletters and catalogues. This means all image rights remain with you; every person depicted in your photos also agrees to our use of the photos; and the use of the photos by Winchester Furniture does not infringe upon the rights of any third party nor does it violate in any way any other relevant, valid rights. We look forward to sharing your passion and your photos for our products and interiors!

You can order from any country, we deliver worldwide. Making a purchase could not be easier. Just browse our store, and add any items that you wish to buy into the shopping cart. After you have finished your selection, click on 'Checkout' and you will be asked for a few details that we need to be able to complete the order.

There are two reasons. Our prices are fair and honest, without the artificial inflation common in the furniture industry. While many retailers overprice their products to create the illusion of "tremendous savings," we refuse to play that game. Our standard prices already deliver exceptional value for our customers Over the past four years, our material costs have increase tremendous, yet we've maintained consistent pricing on our furniture this benefits our customers.

Complete customer satisfaction is a matter of pride here at Winchester Furniture therefore we offer three guarantees for total piece of mind: 1) Choosing the right piece of furniture can be difficult even in a showroom. And often a wrong choice only becomes evident when you see the item in your own home. It may be too big, or too small, the colour may be too loud, or too subdued. You may even wish you'd chosen a different colour. Whatever the reason, if you're not delighted with your choice, you have 21 days to let us know and we'll collect the item(s) and refund your money, less any collection costs. 2) Assuming you are happy with your choice, and assuming fair wear and tear, every item is then guaranteed for one year against any defect of manufacture or materials. If a problem does arise you can inform us straight away. Within this guarantee period, we are able to treat your furniture as if you had purchased it locally. We usually require two repair estimates from your local repair centres and, once submitted, we are then able to assess the quotation and notify you accordingly. We manufacture to the highest standards and we carefully inspect every item before delivery. Complaints are therefore extremely rare, but if you're not entirely happy, we're sure that you'll find our concern matches yours. Should there be a fault in one of our suites or chairs, we will gladly replace the item free of charge or refund your money in full. Please remember that you have 21 days after delivery to change your mind giving you complete peace of mind! 3) Finally, we also offer an additional guarantee of 10 years for all our frames. Our guarantee is in addition to your statutory rights which remain unaffecte

When placing an order through our website; you can select all the options. Once submitted, you will receive an email notication listing your Order Acknowledgement and the Products you have selected.

You can cancel your order within 48 hours of purchase by telephoning or emailing us. Made to order items cannot be cancelled after 48 hours. In-stock items can be cancelled up to 14 days of the purchase date subject to a 20% re-stocking fee and the balance will be refunded by store credit.

If your furniture was ordered in a standard size and in a standard fabric or leather and trim, we will accept returns with a full refund of the purchase price provided that you notify us, in writing, within five days of the delivery of the furniture, of your intent to return the furniture. You will be responsible for the return shipping charges. The furniture must be returned in pristine condition and you will be responsible for any damage or wear to the furniture while it was in your possession. Refunds will be processed immediately upon our receipt of the returned furniture. Associated shipping costs for returns unrelated to damaged goods or manufacturing defects are the responsibility of the purchaser. The above, not withstanding, unless agreed to at the time of the order, we cannot accept returns or provide refunds for Custom Leather or Fabric or COM items. "Custom Leather or Fabric or COM" is defined as any leather or fabric which is 1) provided by the customer or 2) is a leather or fabric not shown as an option on this website at the time of order. If you need assistance with a return contact us by email at: info@winchesterfurniture.co.uk

Once your order is ready for delivery, our deliver partner will be in touch to arrange a convenient date. We offer a white glove delivery service, with delivery rates dependent on where you live. To ensure a smooth delivery: It is your responsibility to ensure your items will fit through any access points such as doorways, stairways, hallways, and lifts. We offer a handy Will it Fit guide to help you measure your access points. Should you have any concerns, please get in touch with us. What to expect on the day: On the day of delivery, you'll receive a call from our team when they are one hour away. We'll carefully unpack and inspect each item, place it in a room of your choice, and assemble it for you. We will also ensure all packing materials are removed and recycled where possible. We are unable to install mirrors, artwork, or any electrical items including.

Mainland UK Our Standard Delivery Areas serviced; covers UK Mainland (excluding Northern Ireland). Non-Mainland UK If you are outside our Standard Delivery Area; and wish to place an order with us to the UK Highands, Islands or Northern Ireland, our website will calculate a price and extended lead time taking into consideration your location. We may on occasion use a specialist 3rd Party logitics company to service a Non-Mainland UK area. Non-Mainland UK Postcodes: AB37,AB38,AB44,AB45,AB53,AB54,AB55,AB56 BT1,BT10,BT11,BT12,BT13,BT14,BT15,BT16,BT17,BT18,BT19 BT2,BT20,BT21,BT22,BT23,BT24,BT25,BT26,BT27,BT28,BT29 BT3,BT30,BT31,BT32,BT33,BT34,BT35,BT36,BT37,BT38,BT39 BT4,BT40,BT41,BT42,BT43,BT44,BT45,BT46,BT47,BT48,BT49 BT5,BT50,BT51,BT52,BT53,BT54,BT55,BT56,BT57,BT58 BT6,BT60,BT61,BT62,BT63,BT64,BT65,BT66,BT67,BT68,BT69 BT7,BT70,BT71,BT72,BT73,BT74,BT75,BT76,BT77,BT78,BT79 BT8,BT80,BT81,BT82,BT9,BT92,BT93,BT94 CA18,CA19,CA20,CA21,CA22,CA23,CA24,CA25,CA26,CA27 FK18,FK19 HS1,HS2,HS3,HS4,HS5,HS6,HS7,HS8,HS9 IM1,IM2,IM3,IM4,IM5,IM6,IM7,IM8,IM86,IM87,IM9,IM98,IM99 IOM IV1,IV10,IV11,IV12,IV13,IV14,IV15,IV16,IV17,IV18,IV19 IV2,IV20,IV21,IV22,IV23,IV24,IV25,IV26,IV27,IV28 IV3,IV30,IV31,IV32,IV36 IV4,IV40,IV41,IV42,IV43,IV44,IV45,IV46,IV47,IV48,IV49 IV5,IV51,IV52,IV53,IV54,IV55,IV56,IV6,IV63,IV7,IV8,IV9 KA27,KA28 KW1,KW10,KW11,KW12,KW13,KW14,KW15,KW16,KW17 KW2,KW3,KW4,KW5,KW6,KW7,KW8,KW9 LA15,LA16,LA17,LA18,LA19,LA20,LA21,LA22,LA23 PA20,PA21,PA22,PA23,PA24,PA25,PA26,PA27,PA28,PA29 PA30,PA31,PA32,PA33,PA34,PA35,PA36,PA37,PA38 PA40,PA41,PA42,PA43,PA44,PA45,PA46,PA47,PA48,PA49 PA60,PA61,PA62,PA63,PA64,PA65,PA66,PA67,PA68,PA69 PA70,PA71,PA72,PA73,PA74,PA75,PA76,PA77,PA78 PA87,PA88 PH17,PH18,PH19 PH20,PH21,PH22,PH23,PH24,PH25,PH26 PH30,PH31,PH32,PH33,PH34,PH35,PH36,PH37,PH38,PH39 PH40,PH41,PH42,PH43,PH44,PH49,PH50 PO30,PO31,PO32,PO33,PO34,PO35,PO36,PO37,PO38,PO39 PO40,PO41 TR21,TR22,TR23,TR24,TR25 ZE1,ZE2,ZE3

Whilst you may have measured your room of choice to make sure your new furniture will fit the space correctly; it is important to remember we need to ensure the access into that room is not impeded. This may include asking you to send photos and dimensions of doors and hallways, and discussing any exterior challenges the drivers may face. Whilst we will make every effort to alleviate your concerns and offer the very best advice for the furniture you have chosen with a thorough discussion around access; you are ultimately responsible for determining if the products will fit though. When a Product may not fit on the day of delivery, we will work with you to find a solution such as disassembly or removing doors / windows if possible; however this will result in additional services and re-delivery charges at your cost.

Free collection is available on all products - call or email.

If you need to amend your Delivery Address please contact us as early as possible; preferably no later than 7-days before your Delivery date. Depending on your payment method; we may need to take upto 2 forms of ID. To avoid any errors; we will require a Change of Address form to be completed.

On the day of delivery, please ensure our delivery team have easy access to your Product; and the room of choice and the walkway to that room is clear of obstructions and safe for our delivery team to work in. We need you to inform us of any special factors to form part of your Order Confirmation that may result in your delivery being more costly and/or taking longer than it would otherwise be expected; such as parking restrictions. If we are unable to deliver your order due to access problems at the address, the Products would not fit into the room you intended them to go into, the delivery proved unsafe (eg. Breach of Health & Safety legislation), or unlawful (trespass or there was no one present at the delivery address aged 18+ with authority to sign for the delivery of the Products) we may need to bring to goods back to our Distribution Centre and re-arrange delivery with you. We always want your delivery to go into your room of choice; safely and swiftly the 1st time, but if we have to re-deliver due to any of the issue's above we may need to impose a re-delivery charge of £75.

We understand emergencies may arise; but if you have placed an order and made arrangements for someone else ito accept delivery on your behalf they need to be at least 18 years old. If no-one is available to accept delivery however; or there is not a person of at least 18 years old available to sign for the products; your Order will be returned to our Distribution Centre. As we schedule our delivery routes upto 2 weeks in advance; a re-delivery charge of £75 will become due.

Our furniture is constructed to very high standards from carefully selected materials Full grain leather is easy to care for and unlike many other fabrics, real leather has a natural resilience to wear, more or less taking care of itself. There are a few things you can do however, to ensure its long lasting pleasure: MAKE SURE THAT THE LEATHER doesn't dry out, as this will affect its suppleness and softness of touch AVOID EXPOSING THE LEATHER TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT for prolonged periods of time. The sunlight will bleach both the leather and the wood. Protect it where possible by drawing the blinds or curtains WATCH OUT FOR SHARP OBJECTS like toys, jewellery, buckles on shoes, pet claws as these can score the leather BEWARE OF PLACING THE LEATHER too near to direct strong heat sources such as open fires, heat outlets, open windows, or sources of damp LIGHTER COLOURS will wear just as well as darker ones, but will need to be cleaned slightly more often DO NOT ALLOW GRIT AND DIRT to build up to excessive levels as this could have an abrasive affect IMPORTANT NOTES: Over a period of time all leather will be inclined to stretch, this may lead to the opening of the pleats, do not worry it is not a fault, it is a common occurrence especially in deep buttoned cushioned upholstery The cushions will also form creases, again this is a natural occurrence of the leather as it stretches slightly and in no way affects the quality of the furniture Your suite is designed to be sat in comfort, so use it properly for that purpose. Sitting on the edge of cushions or the arms and backs may cause premature wear and distortion of the padding and leather If your furniture is in constant use, all reversible cushions should be turned daily and positions changed where possible, this will prevent excessive soiling and wear to one side

Leather tanning is without a doubt one of the oldest human activities. In the beginning, skins obtained from hunting and livestock breeding could be used for clothing or tents, but they became stiff at low temperatures, while they rotted with heat. It was probably then that attempts were made to render them more flexible and stronger by rubbing in animal fats, the first rudimental tanning process is mentioned in Assyrian texts and in Homers Iliad. Another process was smoking, which almost certainly started by accident, and which later became formaldehyde tanning, as this substance is found in the vapers produced by burning green leaves and branches. It was soon discovered that the rotting process could also be stopped by drying, carried out by exposure to the sun or by the dehydrating action of salt. Vegetable tanning was also known in very ancient times although it is not clear how the tanning action of the tannin contained in the bark of some plants (especially oak) was discovered. Another method known since the earliest times is tanning, based on the use of alum, a mineral which is fairly widespread in nature, particularly in volcanic areas. These methods, which gradually became more refined and efficient, allowed skins to be used in the ancient world and continued to do so for century after century up to the present day. That the use of these techniques was widespread is witnessed by numerous written documents and paintings as well as archaeological finds. In Mesopotamia between the fifth and the third millennium B.C., for example, the Sumerians used skins for long dresses and diadems for ladies. The Assyrians used leather for footwear but also for liquid containers and as inflated floats for rafts. The ancient Indian civilization first processed the type of leather known as the "Morocco" today. The Egyptians also achieved considerable skill in processing leather, which they used for clothing (even for gloves), tools, arms or simply for ornament. The historian, Strabo, tells of an interesting use developed by Phoenicians who made water pipes from it. During Roman times, leather was widely used in all the provinces of the empire, and more efficient tanning techniques were introduced where they had not been developed locally. The Romans used leather both for footwear and clothing and for making shields and harnesses. A tannery was uncovered amid the ruins of Pompei and the same equipment of the kind still in use for centuries thereafter was found in it. Skipping forward to the 8th century of Spain (then under the dominion of the Moors) we have the development of the production of "Cordovan", thanks to important progress in tanning, a type of leather famous throughout Europe for centuries. That skill in leather tanning was not a prerogative of the western world as recounted by Marco Polo. In his "Travels" he tells us that the Mongols used leather flasks, covers, masks, and caps, decorated artistically, and it was him who coined the expression "Russia Leather" to indicate a type with a characteristic fragrance. A considerable improvement in processing techniques occurred in the 12th century with the result being that between then and the last century, there were no substantial changes to tanning systems. Even oil tanning was used to produce protective garments while tawing was widespread although the results were not always satisfactory. Often, finishing operations were carried out to improve the malleability of the leather and improve its appearance, especially by dyeing. The products, though essentially practical, also met decorative requirements. In the fourteenth century, for instance, leather was being used in combination with wood in chairs, arm-chairs, and settles with craftsmanship that reached the levels of an art-form. This was also the case later on with tapestries (especially in Venice in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries) with chests and cases, and of course, with book bindings, perhaps the most lasting and refined use of the material. Going back to tanning techniques, it is more or less in the Middle Ages that the depilating action of quick lime was discovered, a technique which is still valid and normally used today. A radical shake-up was provided in the middle of the last century with the discovery of the tanning power of chrome salts which led to a drastic improvement in production and was applied in practice in industrial production towards the end of the century. Another revolutionary element was the substitution of the tanning pit with the rotating drum, along with the discovery of new types of tannins. As a result of all these innovations, the time required for tanning was shortened incredibly from eight months to a year, to a period of a few days today. But let us take a step back again to have a look at the system and tools that were once used to work leather. We immediately discover that from Palaeolithic times, almost to the present day, the processes and tools remained almost unchanged, gaining only in efficiency and comfort. Similar tools for fleshing, scraping, shaving, perching, and trimming are found in practically every epoch known to us. This is a further demonstration of the fact that leather tanning has gone hand in hand with the history of mankind, maintaining those features of "craftsmanship" which even today with increasing automation are an essential part of the personal sensibility and solid experience of those carry it on.

Leather and Wood are the only materials that get better and more luxurious with age. No other material is so durable as leather, it is easy to care for and natural. Because leather "breathes," it won't pick up on surrounding room temperatures, whether too cold or too hot. As your leather furniture matures it will crease and soften to look better and become more comfortable the more you use it. Inevitably there are variations in the grain and texture, these are not faults but help to show the authenticity of the real thing Leather begins with an animal hide that is tanned or preserved. The first quality issue is where leather is taken from the hide. The best leather is always top grain, from the topmost layer of the surface. Less expensive and weaker leathers, including suede, are taken from lower layers or splits of the hide The quality of leather is also based on the dyeing process. Soft and supple aniline leathers are considered the most luxurious and stylish, but they are not necessarily the most practical option Aniline is a transparent liquid dye (and natural derivative) used to color high quality hides. These dyes provide permanent color that also allows natural grain and markings to show through. Caution: The word "aniline" is used in a couple of ways, which can be confusing when you're just learning Pure aniline leathers are created from the highest quality top grain and are best for adult use. No additional pigment or surface treatments are applied after the dyeing process, so the quality of the leather must be outstanding. Like silk or hand-woven fabric, pure anilines are prized for their natural look and soft hand. Less than 5% of the world's leathers qualify as pure aniline... explaining their high cost Semi-anilines are soft leathers that are also more practical and easily maintained, making them a safer family option. In addition to aniline dying, these hides are given added color and/or protective finishes. Surface corrections are also made to correct imperfections and pigmenting. These are a safer option, but not as heavy duty as corrected grain leathers Corrected grain leathers are also top grain-but not quite as flawless as the most expensive hides. They are buffed to remove unattractive surface markings before color pigment is added, then embossed with a natural grain pattern. The resulting surface is somewhat stiffer than pure aniline leather, although it will soften with use Nubuck and suede are both buffed for a soft, velvety nap, but there's a big difference. Suede is made from splits, so it's a less expensive and less durable leather product. Nubuck is aniline dyed top grain leather, so it lasts longer and shows more natural markings. Because of its nap, Nubuck often receives a protective coating to guard against stains and markings Suede isn't the only product made from splits. Finishing techniques like embossing or antiquing can be applied to splits to make them resemble top grains. Such leather is less expensive, but does not have the same hand or strength as true top grains Our leather is fashioned from hand-picked, hand cut, soft, smooth and supple hides to express the elegance and creative flair of our talented designers. Remember - with leather, Nature also takes a hand in design, we use as many as 6 hides for an average suite, with each one bearing the individual imprint of its original owner, therefore the suite that you have bought has its own exclusive character which is unique to you Leather is forever and unlike many 'trendy' fabrics, its qualities are fully tried, tested and proven. It never dates. Never goes out of fashion and its tough and hardwearing that its impressive good looks won't deteriorate with the years. Along with the many thousands of contented customers, you too will have many years of sheer enjoyment and add classic luxury to your home Leather a Miracle of Nature Leather has been used by man since the dawn of time and now in the age of the modem techno world we continue to do so. All attempts to replace leather have ended in failure, what other material could spend 200 years on the ocean floor as in the Mary Rose and remain intact, there is only one - that miracle of nature REAL LEATHER. Leather is made up of millions of fibres which permit air to circulate naturally, therefore allowing the leather to 'Breathe'. The surface is not affected by heat or cold. Leather is both comfortable and pleasant to touch Natural Characteristics Leather has many natural characteristics that gives the furniture its very special character. On some parts of the hide, the grain will have a tight appearance; whilst other areas will more loose, but equally hard-wearing. Characteristic marks found illustrate the unique beauty of leather: DUNG MARKS - these are seen in hide as more textured areas than normal FLY MARKS - Occasionally cattle are attacked by small insects which leave the marks of their bites in the hides, these occur as tiny cuts on the leather surface CREASES - these appear in the neck areas of the hide, Because of their heavy grained effect, they will appear as textured lines in the smooth hide SCARS - are caused in many ways for example cattle being caught on barbed wire fences, pests or horns of other cattle, in its healed form the new skin is as strong as the remainder of the fide and these marks help to differentiate real, natural leather from its substitutes GROWTH MARKS - reveal the age of the leather, as with scars, growth marks really do show off the full bodied character of real leather No effort is made to conceal any natural flaws such as these in the leather, in fact highlighting them enhances and gives the finished product that real antique look that is so characteristic with real leather furniture Real Leather is full of natural characteristics, the classical finished look, together with its soft textured feel gives hours of endless pleasure. All our staff pride themselves in having captured the complete fullness of real leather, along with its looks which are sure to give delight and the maturity of the leather as it ages will give you satisfaction for many years to come Using both applied finishes and hand-rubbing, each piece of wood is finished to highlight the natural beauty of the solid wood itself. Just as no two trees are alike, no piece of wood will look just like another. Variations in colour and grain patterns are directly related to where the individual pieces were cut from tree. Natural markings such as knots, mineral streaks and gum pockets have no effect on the furniture's durability. They are proof that the furniture is indeed truly solid wood. Like leather, solid wood mellows and ages with time and grows more beautiful through the years

It is your responsibility to ensure your items will fit through any access points such as doorways, stairways, hallways, and lifts. Should you have any concerns, please get in touch with us.