This advancement in leather dying techniques means that the classic style of a Chesterfield can be made available to suit any home and any décor.  They are of course still available in those early classic colours of brown, red and green – but how about a Chesterfield in vibrant blue, beautiful purple grape, or for a very contemporary look for a classic piece of furniture, jet black leather.  The Chesterfield with its classic low back was the height of sophistication when it was first designed – but even today this sofa design in one of the more contemporary leather finishes is still a sophisticated piece of furniture that alludes to modernity in many homes.

The jet black Chesterfield sofa can look amazing in homes that have gone for a more contemporary atmosphere.  Pale wooden floors help to set off this particular piece of furniture and by adding a touch of striking colour to the room in terms of a strategically placed vase or a modern art print the whole ambience is modern living with a classical twist.  The low back of the Chesterfield sofa also helps to maintain lines in a room – an important aspect of minimalist room décor.  No wonder the Chesterfield lives on as one of the most magnificent pieces of furniture ever designed.  It was obviously quite ingenious for a sofa to be designed that could remain popular regardless of changing styles in other furniture pieces and more importantly to be a design that fits ideally into any surrounding.

There is something special about the Chesterfield but for many having a handcrafted Chesterfield suite is most appealing.  The design is absolutely maintained, being that of the original Chesterfields but now created with superior products.  Chesterfield sofas will remain extremely popular and can be supplemented by beautiful Chesterfield chairs too.  For people looking to furnish larger rooms there is a whole variety of alternatives available in the Chesterfield range, from 4 seater sofas to smaller 2 seater sofas – that can look amazing as a pair in a room and create a modern style that is different to the traditional 3 piece suites.  Experimenting with the modern colours that the leather is now available in can help create a stunning room.

Handcrafted leather furniture including leather sofas, chairs and foot rests are crafted not only with love and care but to the highest quality.  Handcrafting high quality leather sofas is a tremendous skill and all comes down to the ability of the craftspeople involved and their knowledge of creating beautiful furniture as a result.

Looking for instance at the Keswick Three Seater Leather Sofa the process of handcrafting such a leather sofa is extremely complex, but with the knowledge of skilled craftspeople the complexity for customers is reduced greatly.  All handcrafted leather sofas can be built to a customer’s personal specification including the size of the sofa, the preferred colour of the leather finish even down to the style of studding and whether the sofa would be required with castors or a more fixed ‘bun feet’ finish.  This opportunity for a customer to build their own leather sofa design is a real bonus to selecting handcrafted furniture – it allows for individualism in furniture product choice.

The Keswick leather sofa is a beautiful sofa that has a design style that includes a traditional low back but incorporates a softer seating  – something that has been highlighted as a requirement for leather furniture in the more contemporary home.  What the Keswick leather sofa does maintain is the traditional deep buttoning on the arms and the very traditional studding to form the shaping of the arms in the face details.

It is very important to realise that handcrafted leather furniture does look fantastic in any setting, a lounge, a garden room or a conservatory and the scope of designing a personalised leather sofa is very appealing to many people.  The leather sofa has a history dating back centuries and yet still remains as popular today as ever.  What is emphatic about leather furniture today is that people are looking towards handcrafted sofas and chairs as the perfect addition to their homes.  This comes with a return to nostalgic thoughts of days gone by and the renewed emphasis on craftsmanship, quality and the personal touch when it comes to furniture.  There is however also a call for a contemporary twist on the more traditional leather sofas and chairs that brings handcrafted leather furniture right to the fore – it is beautiful leather furniture handcrafted for the 21^st Century with a classic touch and a contemporary twist.

These chairs are designed in formal yet elegant style, and will fit in with chesterfields, older furniture, wooden pieces, and particularly regency or old fashioned designs. Ideal for the Managing Directors office, or for the posh lounge or reading corner at home.

The high back and comfortable padding combine with the sturdy arms to offer maximum comfort and posture support. The high quality padding and buttoning will remain plump and well stuffed for a lifetime, meaning that sitting working or relaxing for long periods isn’t a problem. As with all leather upholstery, the lustrous finish will remain looking fresh and new for generations, needing only the occasional wipe down after spills.

The Gainsborough chair is available in two designs, either with four solid hand crafted legs or with a convenient swivel base. The traditional four legged version features three supporting struts that add to the structural integrity of the piece, whilst maintaining the high standard of design.  This option is ideal if the chair is likely to be used in one position most of the time, for example in a lounge or library, where the user will be sitting reading or chatting.

The swivel design is more appropriate for offices or boardrooms, where the user want to pull the chair out from under a desk, push themselves closer to the table, and later turn towards a phone or filing cabinet and back again easily. The majority of office chairs now have a swivel base design because it really does make life at a desk much easier.

The swivel chair is slightly taller than the standard chair when at full height, although only by eight centimetres. The seat is adjustable from 46cm to 56 cm. On the four legged chair the solid seat is at 48cm.  This means an unusually tall person may find the swivel chair more comfortable, however any chair from Saxon Leather can be altered at very little extra cost simply by contacting our bespoke team.

There are a huge range of leather finishes to choose from for your hand crafted Gainsborough Chair. Simply look through our colour swatch page or send for a sample from our collection of leather finishes. The wooden parts of the chair too are made to your order, and can be finished in various effects. Choose from mahogany, dark oak or yew.  The metal studs in the buttoning on the back of the chair are available in antique, brass or chrome.

Now there’s a way to avoid all these problems and still have a sofa that fits in with your older furniture and looks as though it has had a life of its own.  Simply look through our range of antique effect leather finishes! Our range mimics’ the lustrous tones of older leather, whilst offering the support and comfort of a new, well padded piece of furniture. Antique metal studs complete the effect and help create a convincing yet sturdy and hygienic aged chesterfield sofa.

Whether you are looking for a sofa to last for decades, or simply want to furnish a guest or waiting room, a leather chesterfield sofa is ideal. With its low, broad back giving excellent support, and a wipe clean surface that minimizes slops and spills, a leather chesterfield is a great investment for anyone. Buying a new sofa gives you the advantage of knowing that the upholstery is clean and densely padded, whilst giving you the opportunity to choose your ideal colour and finish.

Antique effects come in a wide range of colours, all aged by craftsmen in our workshop.

Colours include: Antique Autumn tan, Antique Blue, Antique Brown, Antique Chestnut, Antique Gold, Antique Green, Antique Olive and Antique Red. Each reflects a different natural shade which has been popular in bygone times. All of these shades will complement an older style of furniture and look like the real thing.

The multi-tonal patina of aged leather is achieved by dying the leather in the normal way, but applying a darker top coat, which is then removed with careful expert precision to leave an impression of wear across the raised upholstery, making the whole piece of furniture look like a much loved relic.

Perhaps the most famous chesterfield sofa is the one supposedly used by Sigmund Freud. Many experts believe that Freud used a chesterfield sofa to sit his patients down during hypnotherapy sessions. During the nineteenth century the chesterfield sofa became synonymous with psychiatry and hypnosis, and became a regular fixture in waiting rooms and treatment rooms of all kinds of doctors and therapists. There are also many different pieces of art, usually depicting nudes, sprawled across a chesterfield sofa, painted to fit in with the Freud reference.

In the book ‘A hitchhikers guide to the galaxy’, the main character Arthur Dent and his acquaintance Ford use a time travelling chesterfield sofa, that drops them off in various locations throughout the space – time continuum. This sofa appears in part of the books, and radio series, although not in all versions.

In one famous scene, Arthur and Ford become sofas and are matching white and brown leather chesterfield sofas that speak using their cushions as mouths. Each is adorned with two small cushions, in the colours that the character was wearing, which give the sofa the shape of a face.

Many people believe that the television series ‘Friends’ features a chesterfield sofa, however this is a myth and the sofa in central perk is a high backed sofa, whilst the ones in Monica’s apartment are also high backed.

Visiting stately homes or taking guided tours of palaces or castles will very often result in seeing a chesterfield sofa in beautiful surroundings. However a hotel or bar will be just as likely to have a chesterfield, and many establishments design their interior to fit in with chesterfield sofas in order to attract a more discerning clientele, and to create an air of affluence.  A trip to chesterfield itself may pay off for the keenest fans, however chesterfields can be found all over the world, in court buildings, wealthy homes, offices, waiting rooms, meeting rooms, coffee shops etc. You will never have far to go to find one.

There is a long specially built chesterfield sofa at Dunster Castle, a national trust property. Other properties will also feature specially constructed pieces, it is just a case of looking.

For example, the term ‘green sofa’ was typed into the Google search engine roughly 12,100 times in the last month. People all over the world are looking for green sofas. The more specific term ‘green leather sofa’ was only searched for 2,400 times, which shows that only a small percentage had specifically a leather sofa in mind. A percentage of them again would have been thinking of a chesterfield sofa, and would have then doubtlessly been presented with a list of suppliers of chesterfield and other sofas.

The most common search involving specifically chesterfield sofas was not a certain colour, but ‘antique chesterfield sofa’ with around 590 global monthly searches. We can deduct from this that a lot of people simply prefer the aged look of a chesterfield sofa, and this statistic highlights the benefit of the antiqued effect leather. By using an effect such as this, you can achieve the look of an antique piece, but still benefit from extended use and a much firmer seat. A new piece will last longer and can be made exactly to your order, matching any existing furniture perfectly. Most people worry about bringing a second hand piece of furniture into their home, as things can go wrong, such as a woodworm or bug infestation or poor springs.

Cream sofas are also popular, as are black sofas, possibly because both can look great in a modern setting, with contemporary furniture and accessories. Cream sofas are great for bringing the spring or summer sunshine into a room, and reflect lots of light back into the room.

Purple is a surprisingly popular colour, with an estimated 5,400 searches monthly for ‘purple sofa’.

Red is a traditional colour for a chesterfield, and unsurprisingly is one of the most popular colours, with green and brown.  A lot of people choose brown, tan or cream to fit in with a neutral interior of creams and beiges, which has become an increasingly common style of decoration. The days when bold colours and dark wood were a symbol of wealth have gone, and been replaced with simple yet stylish furniture and light boosting cream walls.

Euro Price €1,125.07 | was €1,575.55
US Dollar Price $1,624.87 | was $2,275.47

This beautiful piece from our occasional collection is now even more affordable!

Add an air of luxury and elegance to any room with this gorgeous chaise longue, ideal for reclining to read a good book, settling with a glass of wine or just to sit and chat with friends. This is a stunning addition to any set and will definitely create a talking point for visitors.

Even in an office environment, it can lend an air of decadence, promoting the idea that your company is not only wealthy but tasteful. It is not only a seat, but a statement of quality, class and an example of high craftsmanship and design.

Two people can sit comfortably on this seat, and it’s ideal for snuggling up with a loved one. Often called a love seat, it is reminiscent of young love and romantic memories.

If you regularly have young children around, but don’t want to spoil the elegant look of your room with gaudy children’s chairs or stools, this is the perfect solution. Adults will see it as a lovely addition to a leather suite collection, whilst children will see it as an exciting novelty feature for small people. It is also perfect for sitting with children, reading a story or brushing their hair etc. Young children taking an afternoon nap may also utilise the day-bed function, as the low height and length, combined with its safe rear arm, make it far safer than taking a nap on the sofa, and perfect for a quick forty winks!

The wooden spindles running along the facing arm at the back of the seat form the perfect arm rest and a strong support for leaning or resting a book, newspaper or laptop.

These wooden details also tie in with other occasional furniture such as our captains chairs.

If you already have leather furniture, the upholstery and wood finish in this piece can be made to match the leather finish and overall style of your existing set. Simply choose from our wide range of finishes, or contact us for a colour match on 01204 365 377 or email Saxon Leather. This model features deep buttoning throughout, created by our master craftsmen.

The chaise longue measures 180cm long, and 86cm high, with the seat at 43cm high and 63.5cm deep.You can choose from left or right hand facing arm, and also whether to have brass, chrome or antique studs.

Our antique effect finishes involve an extra staining process which only affects the top surface with a floranteak. By using solvents and sealants our craftsmen create a worn antiqued patina that is realistic and long lasting.

If you have a minor slop or spill don’t worry, just wipe it off as soon as possible with a damp cloth, and then dry with a dry cloth. This is part of the convenience of leather, most substances won’t sink into the surface straight away.

If your leather ever gets wet, don’t be tempted to dry it with heaters or hairdryers. Overheating or fast drying can cause the natural oils to dry out and make it brittle, and cause ugly breaks or cracks. If you think your upholstery is getting too dry, due to temperature or humidity levels, there are oils and creams on the market, which may help. Always read the label though, and use on a small area first.

There are many leather protection sprays available and these can help to prevent staining in the case of an accident. Manufacturers usually recommend that you use these when the leather is still new, however using them at any time will still provide future protection. Try to avoid any that contain wax or silicone as these ingredients can cause damage to the natural oils in the leather.

Do not be tempted to use cleaning fluid, shoe polish or cream, saddle soap or mink oil on your sofa, as these products may cause damage to the surface.

Test any product you intend to use on a small area first, and only once you know it is safe, use it no more than once every three months, as over-cleaning can also damage the finish. If you do decide to use a protective spray, this may be applied after cleaning.

Leather can be affected by direct sunlight and heavy use, so try repositioning furniture to make each piece in a set receive similar amounts of light, or wear. Make sure that leather furniture is positioned in a well ventilated area. Never leave leather covered in plastic for extended periods of time. Leather is a natural product and needs good ventilation, to prevent mildew growth and damp.

If you do have a severe stain or mark, or any issues with springs or shape, contact us for advice on 01204 365 377 or email Saxon Leather.

Wood is another natural product we have in abundance and when it is polished or finished the beauty and warmth really shines through. The best types of wood for sofa frames and feet are hardwoods, such as seasoned beech hardwood. Wood should be taken from renewable sources where possible and feature straight grain and the fewest knots possible for strength and durability. Find out about the workshop where your furniture will be made. When choosing any new furniture it is important to consider where the piece has been made and therefore its carbon footprint. Try to look for items made locally, or within the same country. By doing this you will also help your own economy.

Buying a good quality leather sofa or chair will mean that it will last longer and you will avoid sending a large item of furniture to the rubbish dump in the future. Leather is easy to maintain and can be wiped clean and will stay looking new for longer, even with a busy family lifestyle or heavy wear. By finding the best piece that you can afford you will help to ensure that you don’t contribute to the worldwide landfill problem.

All Saxon Leather Sofas come with a 10 year construction guarantee and are all hand made to order in the UK. If you live in the North of England, come to visit our Furniture Showroom in Bolton. There is a special viewing area where you can watch your chesterfield sofa being hand made in the workshop. If you are further afield, don’t worry! Click here to take a tour of our furniture showroom.

The original chesterfield sofa is made from leather and some leather finishes have an obvious natural warmth, such as reds or browns. A green colour finish tends to blend in well with most other colour schemes, just as green does in nature.

Vivid hues such as bright blue, yellow or purple, will struggle to look natural and may stick out like a sore thumb in the wrong environment. Even a cream chesterfield sofa will tend to look more natural.

Another way to achieve a natural look is to pick curved or rounded furniture, for example a chesterfield with curved roll top arms or a rounded captains chair. It is rare in nature to see a solid rectangle or ninety degree angle.

A chesterfield sofa will also have deep buttoning, creating plump padded diamonds on the back and arms, which give a fat rounded effect that mirror natures round curves and bulges.

Shop for the natural sofa look – find out more about our popular Belgravia Chesterfield Sofa.