Following on from Stage One (see previous entry on 1/12), the hide is bathed in chromium salts – these are absorbed deep into the skin.

This stage is called ‘Wet Blue’, so called due to the chromium salts turning the immersed hide a blue-ish colour. The hide is then checked for quality. This assessment is carried out by a trained professional. They choose certain hides for grade one, or otherwise known as top quality, applications and they choose others for more hard-wearing applications. This is an extremely specialised stage.

After this process, the leather is then separated in to layers. The top layer is the most luxurious aniline leather, known also as ‘full grain’. The second layer, known as corrected grain, is the leather most commonly used in furniture production. And finally, the lower layers being the lower quality split leather.

The hide is then shaved to create a consistent thickness all over the hide. Following this, the hide is re-tanned and re-dyed using different forms of oils and dyes. This adds colour and gives further lubrication too, so the leather takes on a more supple feel. The leather is then stretch-dried in a specially equipped oven.

The Dorset is your definitive range of Leather Chesterfield Sofas. Full hide upholstered in a choice of standard antique leather colours, this Leather Chesterfield Sofa is a timeless classic.

The deep luxurious cushions are hand-stuffed with high quality fibres or, if you prefer, duck down – this can be done by request. The fullness of the cushions allows supreme comfortableness. The straight arms and level back are all fully sprung and deep foamed for optimum comfort and longevity of shape.

The Dorset’s finer details, such as the hand-nailed brass studs on the arm facings and solid polished mahogany bun feet, add to it’s supreme beauty.

The Dorset Leather Chesterfield Sofa is one of Distinctive Chesterfield’s best sellers. It is unrivalled in it’s class.

Looking for a Leather Chesterfield Sofa but don’t know where to start?

Well, take a look at Distinctive Chesterfields website. Under the ‘Products’ section, you will find a vast array of Chesterfield Sofas to choose from.

All our designs are alphabetically categorised and are shown in full colour. There is a brief description of each Leather Chesterfield Sofa and there are also some smaller photographs that show the piece of furniture in more detail.

Then there’s the choice of leather. We have an abundance of colours in either antique leather, premium leather or hand-dyed leather. And if you can’t find the colour you are looking for, then just give us a call and we will do our utmost to satisfy your requirements.

You will also find each Leather Sofa’s dimensions – it might seem like a trivial thing but if you live in, say a modern loft apartment, then you need to measure your door/access point to make sure you can actually get it in! If you want something a bit smaller, or maybe a bit larger, then call us – this is our speciality! We make what you want.

And finally, there’s the price – and that’s the surprising bit! So go on, check it out for yourself!

Ever wondered how the leather for your Leather Chesterfield Sofa gets treated? Well, let’s get technical now!

Before your Chesterfield Sofa can be covered, the leather has to be ‘finished’. There are three stages to this. Here is the first stage – known as “Rawhide”. (Put all thoughts of country and westerns, cowboys boots and whips to one side for a minute!!)

This is the term used basically for raw leather, once it has been removed from the carcass of the animal and cured.

Fat and flesh deposits are removed from the hide after the leather has been taken to the tannery. This process is actually called the beam house process. It got it’s name, as traditionally the fat and flesh deposits were removed by laying the hide over an oak beam and then scraped off with a sharp knife. However, this process is now performed mainly by machine, as it is more precise and a lot quicker.

The next step is called liming. The hide is placed in a large drum and spun with a lime or calcium carbonate solution. This makes the hair and any other deposits soluble which can then be washed away. The excess lime is then removed and the hide is treated with enzymes to remove any final proteins.

Keep your eyes peeled for Stage Two!

You’ll look at your new Chesterfield Sofa in a whole new light.