Francisco Avila

How he works

Almost everything happens where the item lives. A sofa stays in the living room, a car stays on the driveway, a restaurant's booths stay bolted to the floor. Color is mixed on site against the actual material, in the light of the actual room — which is the only way to get a match that still looks right at seven in the evening as well as at noon.

Every job starts with the same question, and it is not about the damage. It is whether the material around the damage is still sound. Leather that flexes and springs back can be built on; leather that has gone board-like will keep failing beside whatever is repaired. That single test decides whether a job is a repair, a recolor, or a recommendation to leave it alone.

What that means for you

• An honest assessment first — including when the answer is that repair is not worth it
• Color mixed and checked against your item, not matched to a factory code
• Preparation done properly, because nothing bonds to a contaminated surface
• Repairs built in thin flexible layers so they move with the material
• A clear cure period and what to avoid during it, before he leaves

What he works on

The work spans domestic furniture, vehicles, boats and RVs, and commercial seating — different settings, the same underlying craft.

• Leather repair
• Leather restoration
• Leather recoloring and color matching
• Leather cleaning and conditioning
• Vinyl repair
• Automotive interior repair
• Marine and RV upholstery
• Commercial seating repair