A leather back cushion from a family sofa came to us with a bitten-off corner — the family dog had bitten through the leather, leaving the synthetic filling exposed underneath. Damage like this from pets' teeth and claws is a common reason people reach out to us.
The Problem
One corner of the cushion had been bitten through, exposing the synthetic filling underneath. Three panels were damaged in that area — two side panels and one center panel. A full reupholstery of the cushion wasn't necessary — we replaced only those damaged panels rather than resewing the whole cushion.
Before — bitten-off corner, filling exposed
The Repair
We took the measurements and pattern from the original cushion and matched a leather with the same texture. The grain and color transitions were hand-painted to replicate the original pattern, so the new panels wouldn't stand out against the rest of the leather.
Texture matched, leather painted and ready for sewing
The Result
We sewed in the new panels, and the cushion now looks just like it did before. The leather that wasn't damaged was left untouched. This is a typical example of the leather and vinyl repair work we do throughout Chicagoland.
Repaired cushion after sewing
This kind of targeted repair is a good example of how a piece can be restored to its original look by replacing just the damaged part, rather than reupholstering it entirely.