page.care-guide

Waxed Brass Products

The finish of these products is Solid brass with an applied bronze patina and hand-waxed finish, this traditional method gives a beautiful varied patina, but does mean it needs to be handled with care. To prevent finger marks we recommend wearing cotton gloves.

Over time the beauty of the brass will wear through, which is how Nicola designed it.

What will happen over time:

This finish is as dark as it will ever be, however, it will subtly change over time during the cycles of wear and patination. In areas where the piece is frequently used, the finish will appear more like mid-antique brass waxed until the natural patination gradually makes the piece darker and so on and so forth.

Where can it be used

We recommend that this finish is used in internal areas, avoiding highly chlorinated environments such as swimming pool areas.

Maintenance

Wipe clean with a soft lint-free cloth. This finish is not compatible with chemical-based cleaners, soaps or abrasive materials. 

‘Living’ finishes

‘Living’ finishes are produced by either careful and extensive polishing or brushing of the surface or by working a patination solution into the surface of the metal until the required patina is achieved. ‘Living’ finishes will naturally age and/or ‘wear’ over time and with usage, this allows each piece to develop a beautiful and unique look, adding character to the design scheme.

To clean paper lampshades, please carefully remove the shade from the light fitting or lamp base and with a dry, clean cloth or duster wipe the shade gently.

When removing the lampshade from the light fitting or lamp base, please ensure you handle it with care with clean hands. The shades are handmade with handmade papers and will mark easily.

Please keep the lampshades in a room with consistent atmospheric conditions, away from water. The paper on the lampshades could become damaged if they become wet, or are exposed to sources of condensation.

Please be careful not to place lampshades into direct sunlight, prolonged exposure to sunlight could cause fading or damage over time to the lampshade.

The lampshades are for indoor use only.

We recommend using low-wattage energy-efficient bulbs with all our lampshades to avoid scorch marks caused by high-wattage bulbs.

When it comes to deep cleaning our fabrics, we recommend that you seek out a professional upholstery cleaner who can offer expert advice and specialist care. However, there are some things you can do yourself to help keep the fabric looking its best.

General care

Once a week, use your vacuum cleaner’s upholstery nozzle to help stop dust from building up. You can also use a soft, clean brush to clean the fabric, paying particular attention to the arms and any pleats. This will help to combat fabric wear and stop colour fade. 

Avoid perching on the edge of the cushions or the arms of your chair or sofa as this may cause the fillings or fabric to lose their shape. Be careful of sharp parts on clothing or other objects that come into close contact with your upholstery, as these may catch on the fabric and cause it to snag. If it does snag, don’t pull the loose thread, instead carefully snip it with a pair of scissors.

Spot cleaning

Mop up any spillages as quickly as possible by using a dry, absorbent paper towel or clean cloth. Place the paper towel or cloth over the spillage and press gently to absorb as much of the liquid as you can. Avoid rubbing, scrubbing or adding more liquid to the stain, as this can result in watermarks or discolouration. We do not recommend the use of spirit cleaner to remove spots and stains, however, if you choose to use a cleaning product, always patch-test it on a less obvious part of the furniture, such as the back or under a cushion, before applying it more widely. If in doubt, always seek professional advice.

Mop up any spillages as quickly as possible by using a dry, absorbent paper towel or clean cloth. Place the paper towel or cloth over the spillage and press gently to absorb as much of the liquid as you can. Avoid rubbing, scrubbing or adding more liquid to the stain, as this can result in watermarks or discolouration. We do not recommend the use of spirit cleaner to remove spots and stains, however, if you choose to use a cleaning product, always patch-test it on a less obvious part of the furniture, such as the back or under a cushion, before applying it more widely. If in doubt, always seek professional advice.

Cushions

Regularly plump feather-filled, back, seat and scatter cushions to keep them in shape, and then flip, turn and rotate them to help the filling settle evenly. If you do this often, it will help stop the feathers from migrating and leaving your cushions misshapen and lumpy.

Fading

To avoid fabric fading, we recommend keeping your furniture away from direct sunlight and other sources of heat such as open fires or radiators.

Velvet

Velvets are prone to mark a little under pressure. However, most pressure marks are easily removed by brushing the velvet with a soft brush or in some cases, gentle steaming. 

Sofa legs

Every piece of wood has its own unique pattern, so naturally, there will be slight variations in colour and grain between our furniture’s wooden feet. You can help keep them looking as good as new by wiping away dust with a clean cloth every now and then. Steer clear of spray polishes or solvent cleaners as these may damage the wood or spill onto the fabric.

Cleaning

To keep your NiX product in the best possible condition, we recommend all fabrics should be dry-cleaned by an upholstery and curtain fabric specialist. Spot cleaning and the use of proprietary products are not recommended.

To ensure the colour balance between your various upholstery items remains consistent, we recommend cleaning items such as loose sofa and armchair covers and sets of curtains at the same time.

To prolong the life of covers further and reduce the need for cleaning, we suggest that you regularly vacuum and turn your cushions. 

Washing

It’s important to always follow washing and cleaning instructions. As a general rule, we recommend you don’t mix fabrics of different colours or use products containing bleach, optical brightening agents or conditioners. 

Loose covers and cushions

Please bear in mind that fabrics can shrink when washed, so providing a 5% allowance when making up loose covers and cushions is recommended. This will ensure they re-fit after cleaning and allow for any shrinkage that may occur. Shrinkage caused by washing can often be partly regained by carefully stretching the covers when damp before gently steam ironing. Overlocking of seams is recommended to help prevent fraying.  

Movement of curtains in situ

When making curtains, remember that fabrics absorb moisture which can result in stretching or shrinking. It is reasonable to expect as much as a 3% change in any curtain length due to changes in temperature and humidity. For instance, a 2.5m curtain length may move up to 8cm up or down under different conditions. Heavier fabrics, looser weaves, and those with thicker yarns of natural fibres will react to changing humidity and this should be made clear to the customer. 

For curtains, we recommend leaving generous hems to allow for easy alteration and adjustment after hanging. We also strongly recommend hanging curtains for at least 4 weeks before finishing the hems. Top quality curtain makers avoid ‘exact’ length curtains, i.e., floor-touching or to a window sill. Any adjustments remain the responsibility of the maker and cannot be accepted as a fault of the fabric. 

Fading

All fabrics will fade over time. To reduce natural fading, curtains should always be lined and, if possible, drawn back from the windows during daylight hours. Leading edges will always tend to fade sooner as they receive more light. Try to keep upholstery fabrics out of direct sunlight and avoid positioning furniture where excessive moisture, sunlight or heat could cause an adverse effect. 

Colour matching

Whilst we make every effort to ensure the closest possible colour match between our fabric batches, we cannot guarantee an exact match. If an exact match is required, then you should request a free stock cutting. Please inspect all fabric for colour match before cutting. Should additional fabric be required, please send a cutting of the original fabric with your order. 

Add on treatments after purchase

We cannot accept responsibility for changes in performance, appearance or damage or defect to fabrics treated after purchase. Similarly, we cannot accept any liability for changes in appearance, performance, or defects in any of our fabrics if they are treated after purchase, by spraying or processing of any kind, for any reason whatsoever, including flame-proofing or the application of stain repelling treatments.

To bear in mind

Fabrics do wear in use and change their appearance over time, this is natural and to be expected. Pile fabrics such as velvets, chenille and textured weaves may flatten and show a degree of optical shading when used for upholstery – this is a characteristic of these types of fabrics and is not detrimental to their durability. Likewise, flat weaves may pill or bobble to a degree.