Solid Timber & Parquet Timber
The timbers that we use are very well seasoned, reclaimed imported timbers. Solid timber is a natural product which can continue to behave as an organic material. Despite being dried and seasoned you may find it may move, develop cracks, swell, or shrink and have surface irregularities such as colour variation which are all and integral part of solid real timber. This is what helps to make each piece an individual and stunning statement in your home.

Different climates, air conditioning and heating can cause timber in some cases to move and crack. Strangely, it may happen to one piece in a room but not to another. This is because every piece is unique and no two pieces will react the same.

The lacquer that we use on our products is very durable and hard-wearing but it is not waterproof. Furniture can be wiped down with a damp cloth. Spillage of water or any liquid should be wiped away immediately.

If you notice any small cracks or imperfections appearing in a piece of furniture, we suggest you rub some dark wax onto the offending area and then buff the wax off with a towelling rag. We also strongly advise that every six months or so the piece of furniture should be waxed thoroughly to ensure a longer life for the table.

To do this you will need some beeswax, very fine grade steel wool (e.g. 000 grading), and a towelling cloth.

Put some wax on the steel wool (not too much or you will be there forever getting it off) and rub on the table using a gentle circular motion. The idea of using the steel wool is to get the fine rough residue off the tabletop that would have built up over the preceding months. This procedure would be best done through the warmer months so that the wax is not too hard to remove. It is much more solid through the winter months. After applying the wax, buff off with a soft cloth. The waxing process protects the timber and over time a beautiful patina builds up on the furniture.

Tribeca Console
The Tribeca Console is made from mahogany wood.

It is particularly special as solid pieces of this size are unusual and hard to come by. It will have naturally occurring knots and undulations – we have purposely tried not to cover up these details, as we see them as adding to the character of the piece.

It has been kiln dried, but because of its density, and the fact that wood is like a sponge, it will take on and lose moisture according to the humidity in the air. Therefore, from time to time it may leak moisture. If your piece is sitting on carpet it may be wise to place a protective waterproof sheet under its feet.

All wood products should be protected from direct sunlight and heat to avoid fading and shrinkage. This is especially important with this piece due to its density. If the environment is particularly hot or dry cracks can potentially occur.

The Tribeca console has a stained/waxed finish. Hot items placed on your furniture should have protective mats under them to prevent marking. Wipe up liquid spills when they occur.

To keep your piece looking beautiful with a lovely lustre you can use a furniture wax – simply wipe this onto your furniture with a soft cloth and buff off with a dry rag.

Drapery Fabric
To ensure your drapery fabrics are maintained correctly, it is important that the fabric is protected from any direct sunlight where possible. Some fabrics are more resilient than others, so it is critical that you read the care instructions and composition of each fabric before cleaning. Cleaning and washing is the same as with slipcovers.

Floor Rugs
Our floor rugs are made from jute or a jute/cotton or a cotton/wool mix. We recommend that you regularly shake your rugs outside to clean them. This is by far the best way to remove dirt. Vacuuming is harder on rugs but is a second option if you cannot easily shake the rug. Our woollen Flokarti looped rugs should never be vacuumed as it can pull out the wool threads, these rugs must be shaken for cleaning. Protect your rug from direct sunlight to avoid fading in the wool and cotton rugs. The jute rugs will become more golden with time if they are not protected from sunlight.

Slipcover Fabrics
In general terms loose covers are always better dry-cleaned than washed. Why?
Linen, linen/cotton and cotton can shrink when it is washed, even though it has been pre-washed when manufactured.If a customer does want to wash it, then they should use gentle wool wash liquid detergent, not powder. Powder often has some strong enzyme particles in them, which can strip the colour if there is colour in the fabric. By that we mean, it would strip the colour in streaks, not all over the fabric. If a customer wants to wash a cover, they must do so in cold water, and the cover must be hung out to dry; never dried in a dryer. It’s often a good idea to put the cover back on when its damp and the let the cover dry on the furniture. By doing that, you get the cover back on, before it has shrunk to the level it will as it dries. Do not sit on the fabric until it is completely dry.

It is important that the fabric is protected from any direct sunlight where possible as our New Zealand and Australia sunlight has the highest ultra violet light in the world and this can fade and break down the actual fabric in time.

Upholstered Fabric
Generally we recommend you have your fabric scotch guarded prior to starting use. This provides a coating over the fabric that holds spills from penetrating the fabric so you can quickly wipe the soiling away preventing staining or water marking.

All spills must be wiped clean as the spillage occurs. If left, they can penetrate the scotch guarding on the fabric and stain it permanently. Protect from sunlight to avoid premature fading and breaking down of the fabric over time.

Lightbulb Guide
Standard lightbulbs produce far more heat than regular lightbulbs. An energy efficient lightbulb directs its energy into producing light and less into producing heat which is why they are cheaper to run and better for your light fitting. We recommend using LED bulbs in all our light fittings.

In the past, when nearly everyone filled their homes with incandescent bulbs, brightness was measured in watts – which is actually a measure of power. Since the introduction of LED energy-saving bulbs this is a less useful measure of brightness as new bulbs use a lot less power to produce the same amount of light.

So, instead, light output is measured in lumens. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter

the light. As a rough guide, around 400 lumens would be suitable for a bed-sized table lamp, whereas you might want between 1,500 and 3,000 lumens in total (from more than one bulb) for a good-sized living room.

Now you have decided on how bright you want your bulbs, you need to decide on the colour of the light. Warm white offers a lovely soft glow (similar to a regular bulb) whereas cool white offers a very bright ‘clean’ light. We recommend using ‘warm light’ LED bulbs for all our lights.

Solid Brass Lighting
Our solid brass lighting collection has a base metal of brass and is then finished in a silver plate finish
or bronze finish. The silver plate is not lacquered and will naturally age to a pewter finish. If you wish to retain the silver finish, then your piece will need to be lacquered.

If your piece has glass it has been hand-blown and may have natural variations in thickness and with small bubbles. Hand-blown glass has a natural beauty and character that is not seen in manufactured glass. Some of our bigger glass hanging lights have adjusters so you can easily adjust the glass to hang straight as it is not possible to blow a completely perfect glass of this size.

Over 80% are discarded at making.

Kitchen
Our beautiful handcrafted kitchens and kitchen islands are made from old recycled pine and a granite top called Bluestone.

As the top is made from 100% natural stone it is important that at all times you protect it from acids and alcohol. The top can be protected by waxing regularly with clear bees wax. Specialised waxes and products for your top can be purchased from a NZ company called Aquamix. Wipe up spills immediately. Use a chopping board for all chopping and preparation of foods as foods are often acid based and can cause pitting.

The recycled wooden base may have small imperfections that give evidence of its past life – we purposely do not try to cover up these details, as we see them as adding to the character of the piece. Protect the wood at all times from direct sunlight and heat. Wood is a living product and will dry out and split if subjected to an overly dry or hot environment. Wood needs good ventilation and some humidity. Modern heating methods (eg, dehumidifiers, heaters, etc) often produce an unnaturally dry atmosphere.

For maintenance of this piece you can wax the furniture with clear bees wax, especially if it is looking dull and dry. To wax, simply wipe clear wax onto the wood with a soft cloth and buff off with a dry cloth before it dries hard. Brands such as Liberon or Myland can be purchased from antique dealers or hardware stores.

Metal Furniture
Our stunning MJ collection of metal furniture has a base metal of aluminium with an anodized paint finish in the top and a powder coated finish of the legs therefore each piece is unique.

We recommend protecting the tops by using coasters, as acid products such as wine will damage the special finish. Wet spills should be wiped up as they occur. Use a soft damp cloth for wiping up. Do not use abrasive cleaners.

It is recommended that you occasionally wax the tops to maintain the wax coat using a clear furniture wax or polish.

Vincent Sheppard
Lloyd Loom weave is made from twisted Kraft paper on the one hand, and Kraft paper spun around a steel wire on the other hand. With just the twisted paper as the warp and the steel and paper combination as the weft, Lloyd Loom is produced on rolls in just the same way as textiles. The Loom sheets are submerged in a bath of glue to ensure the firmness and are then cut to the proper size.

Subsequently, highly skilled craftsmen shape and staple the loom sheets to the rattan or wooden furniture frames by hand, thus producing a smooth and attractive finish that will, unlike normal wicker, not snag clothing or skin.

Care & Maintenance
To be able to use Lloyd Loom for outside furniture as well, a specific technique was developed in order to make the material waterproof. Our outdoor Lloyd Loom models can thus simply be left outside, although we recommend storing them inside during cold or rainy periods.

Remove dust from Lloyd Loom furniture using a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attached. To clean Lloyd Loom, we recommend that you use a weak solution of a household washing up liquid in warm water, on a soft (non abrasive) sponge and dab dry using a soft cloth.

For any difficult marks, use a medium/soft toothbrush with a weak solution of a household washing up liquid in warm water and dab dry using a soft cloth.

Do not use aggressive detergents and hard brushes.
Do not allow water to accumulate on or around the furniture.
Use touch-up paint when the furniture gets damaged as a result of scratch.
Lloyd Loom needs to be used under cover or stored inside during the winter.

Indoor Lloyd Loom
Our indoor Lloyd Loom furniture can easily be maintained with a moist towel and some natural
soap. Each Vincent Sheppard product is available with nylon or felt gliders in order to protect the feet and all types of floor surfaces. Using the correct gliders will prevent any damage due to contact between the feet and the ground.