Dying leather furniture, prefer to dye white but black would work

February 16, 2018 2:11 AM

I have put together a few pieces of leather (couch/love seat/ottoman) together and it's super comfortable. None of the colors match, which isn't some big terrible problem but it would be great if they *did* match. Bright white preferred, black the alternate.

So my condo is small, white makes things look bigger, plus I like white leather furniture. (not cream, not off-white -- bright white) Two of the three pieces are like beige, the ottoman a royal brown. To get this stuff white, I can't imagine that a dye can be used, more a paint of some sort. To get this stuff black, I'm betting that would dye pretty easily. Or would it? Have you done this? I don't want black die on my clothing every time I sprawl here and watch a movie, it would have to be sealed I would guess. Google and youtube give all kinds of contradictory advice -- it can be done easily, it cannot be done at all, blah blah blah. So, I'm coming here.

Have you dyed leather furniture? White? Black? Did you have good results? If yes, what did you use, what product and what method.

posted by dancestoblue to Grab Bag (4 answers total)

Best answer: This guide from a specialist company in the UK claims that dyeing from dark to light is as feasible as the other way around. It looks like preparation is the important thing.

I did dye a piece of leather furniture once, many years ago. The results weren't great, but I think that was more my sloppy technique than anything else.
posted by pipeski at 2:25 AM on February 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

It depends on the type of leather. I had a similar problem, I wanted to get a pair of shoes restored- like you I encountered a lot of conflicting advice and youtube videos. Despite asking like 10 different professionals and a couple false starts- I eventually spoke to someone who referred me to the people who managed to do it. A different pair of shoes that looked like an easier job to dye were actually impossible to do anything with because they were suede or nubuck.
posted by catspajammies at 2:29 AM on February 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

YES- the furniture clinic linked above were who helped me, they have amazing knowledge and great technicians!
posted by catspajammies at 2:32 AM on February 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Anything you apply to the surface will eventually wear away -- so "bright white" paint is not really feasible. Bleach will weaken the leather, without ever achieving brightness. Go for the deepest possible black, with pipeski's guide.
posted by dogrose at 9:57 AM on February 16, 2018 [3 favorites]