Renaissance Furniture Restoration

We looked for several years for four dining room chairs and 2 armchairs to replace the set we had. Nothing worked for us so we decided to find someone to rebuild and re-​cover our chairs. We read reviews about Boris and his work and contacted him and emailed him photos, gave him measurements, color and type of fabric, type of wood and color of the frames. He sent us a preliminary estimate and explained what it would take to re-​build them and make them new, what he would do, made suggestions, and came over with his wife to look at the chairs and take them with him. Neither my husband nor I could do any lifting. Boris explained what it would take to re-​build them to new and estimated how long it would take. He matched the materials and colors of the chair, re-​built the frames and seats, made new cushions, and then like magic, our chairs re-​appeared! We love them and they are beautiful and comfortable to sit in.
Boris is precise, a man of his word, and his workmanship is that of an artisan. We could not be happier with our chairs. Thank you, Boris and Irina. Bruce and Moira C.

We can’t afford to get another sleeper sofa right now. But the cushions were killing our backs, so we shopped around for someone to replace the cushions for us.
Boris provided me a quote via e-​mail, even with my botched up measurements.
We made arrangements to meet so he could get accurate measurements and for me to provide the deposit-​50% down. Unfortunately, the cushion measurement was 1 inch over the standard high density foam, so he had to do a special order. He gave me an estimate of a week but it only took five days.
We dropped off the cushion covers and waited for about 15 minutes as they were being inserted and we paid the balance due.
Prices = moderate. $ 300 for two cushions of high-​density foam – very firm!
Be punctual, as he has a busy schedule. Make sure to call/​e-​mail him for specifics and arrangements.

We wanted to restore a very special (but tired looking) family heirloom dining room set that we call «the magical table». We researched to find someone who strips by hand since our previous experience with furniture that is dipped in a stripping solution is that the final look ends up too plastic-​looking. Boris was very knowledgeable and responsive. Each piece was then hand-​stripped; surface scratches were mended without compromising the overall rustic character of the set; and finally, all was beautifully stained and finished to its original luster. We couldn’t be more pleased with the results and are looking forward to many more «magical» dinner parties to come. This project wasn’t inexpensive but the outstanding workmanship is worth it.

Boris did a great job on my vintage Danish Modern dining chairs. He was very helpful when choosing materials and suggesting color tones. He listened to what I wanted, which was to make the chairs look as close to the original as possible, but using a material that would not stain easily and was breathable so I didn’t need to have holes drilled the original wood seat supports. Getting the result I wanted also depended on the right padding. He knew by memory the lifespan of each choice which was very helpful. One of the chairs required a difficult repair, and when he was done I could not tell which had been broken. I think the results were perfect.

I reached out to Boris for an estimate because the pull on my antique dresser was damaged in a move. While he found it could not be repaired, Boris responded and gave me information on where to find a replacement. I was very impressed that he went out of his way to respond and solve my problem. First class customer service

Business is closed. Where Renaissance used to be is now a B of A.

I had a table repaired that my friend knocked over. It was a difficult repair, a 2″ piece of trim was in 5 – 6 little pieces, and a leg had broken off. Boris managed to fix it quickly for $ 200, and it’s virtually unnoticeable where the repair is, you’d have to be looking for it. The table wasn’t worth $ 200, but it was my grandmother’s and had sentimental value. He’s no-​nonsense and a bit abrasive over the phone, not what I would call the best customer service, but we live in an era where everyone expects extreme courtesy all the time. That’s fine if you are calling a corporation that has people trained as greeters, but this is a one-​man show, don’t be put off by his phone manner, he’s great in person.

Absolutely astonishing work quality. We had 2 19^th century British chairs restored. Boris helped pick out the fabric, his taste is impeccable, incredible attention to detail and he’s very honest about what can be done for old furniture. He is an artisan. Very rare to find such people these days. — Jack

Boris is a craftsman and a professional who recently and brilliantly repaired, refinished and reupholstered my six 30 year old mahogany dining room chairs.
The chairs were originally beautiful, but after raising two kids who leaned back on them and spilled all level of things on the (white) fabric seats, they were embarassing– even after my many attempts to fix and clean them myself. Every time my family gathered with guests I made a promise to myself that I would find someone to fix and reupholster these wobbly stained chairs. Not so easy to find someone these days who does this type of work. I found Boris on Unilocal,and was hoping he would be interested in the job.
I emailed Boris early in the summer and this is something you can count on. He will email you back and pretty darn quick too. He was just about to go on vacation and gave me the exact dates of when he would be available to take a look.
I took the chairs into his shop and he took a good look at the structure, finish and upholstering– and even cushioning– and told me they were of a good quality, but they would not look profoundly better unless he refinished them while reupholstering and and adding to the cushioning. I wasn’t expecting that, but when I took a step back– the finish on the chairs was really awful and the seats were flat in addition to being stained. 4 of the 6 chairs needed structural repairs as well.
I showed him a picture of my dining room and he had samples of fabrics– (lots!) –right there in his office that we chose from. When he went over how much it would all cost I was resistant at first. But again I stepped back and realized the extensive and tedious work that this process involved, and I agreed to it. After our discussion I trusted him, and took his advice.
He called me when the chairs were finished (about 8 weeks) and OMG!! – they were TRANSFORMED! The fabric, structure and reupsholstering– as well as the meticulous RESTORATION of the finish was so impressive!!! The chairs look better than they did when they were new~!! Truly!
I have hired a lot of skilled people over the past few years and it is a privilege to have met and hired Boris and now to have these chairs back in my house.
You may not get the cheapest price from Boris but I will say it is a fair price for the high quality impeccable work of Boris Leavitt. I look forward to the Holiday season with my lovely restored chairs around the table!

Stay away. Storefront is closed.
We went to Boris to get a single button replaced on a tufted chair because of the Unilocal reviews. He quoted us $ 20, but said that his warehouse was full and to call back in a month. The next month, he said he was too busy and to call back in 6 weeks. After six weeks we arranged to bring the chair in. At that point, he said the price was now $ 40. When asked what changed, he said «that was when I was poor and desperate, now I am rich and greedy.» I am not making this up. We arranged a time to come by his store on Ocean. He did not answer the phone when I called at 10am to confirm 11am appointment, so we waited. I called again at 11:30 and he was very upset that we had not come at 11, though he did not answer. I went to the address listed and it was a closed storefront. I called and he did not answer again. A few minutes later he called back, upset that I did not know that his store had been closed for 2 years.
His store is closed and he seems to work out of his garage.
I had to drive to Daly City to his house, where there was no street parking due to street sweeping. I had to carry the chair into his garage because he said he cannot move furniture because of his back. He also left a sharp, broken button on the street for me, or his neighbors to run over.
He had some trouble with the repair because, in his words «your chair is nice looking and cheaply made.» He didn’t have the right button or the right fabric, but did the best he could. After finishing, he pronounced «it should look fine once it is used and gets dusty.»
When I asked him why the price had doubled, he got very defensive and asked why I was arguing with him. I merely asked, «Is this really what you want to charge us?» He got really pissed at this point and demanded to speak with my boss. Once he got the boss on the phone, he got even more upset and threatened to pull the button out, leaving the chair in worse shape than when it arrived. I just wanted to put the unpleasant situation behind me, so I paid him cash. You have to pay 3% extra for credit cards. The sign is clearly posted on his desk where no one will ever see it unless he invites you into his house.
I do not appreciate him threatening me and trying to get me in trouble with my employer, so I wanted to leave as soon as possible. He is an unpleasant man. I packed up the chair and was trying to leave when he came out and met me in the middle of the street. I have no idea why this happened, but it seemed important to him that he get the last word. In the middle of the street he says something to the effect that he would have done the job for free if I had not questioned the price. As I did not question the price until after he tried to charge me, I am not sure how that would have been the case. I told him to run his «business» any way he saw fit and wished him a great day.
I returned to the office where my supervisor had received an email saying he would not do business with us and didn’t appreciate us questioning the price.
One other word of warning, if you appear elderly, be careful. He ripped off my 90 year old grandmother when he had a store on Ocean. Get the quote in writing and make it clear that you will not pay over the quote without written authorization ahead of time.
While he may have been very helpful in the past, I think he is getting too old and cranky to provide polite or courteous service.

Our family just inherited an old dark mahogany Duncan Phyfe dining room table with 6 chairs. My husband found RFR online and sent in some photos. We asked if Boris could tone down the mahogany to match a drawer from a china cabinet we already have (which is Oak). He told us that it’s not easy to do and suggested darkening our china cabinet instead. We took a chance and had him refinished the table and chairs and reupholster the chairs. Well, they are excactly what we wanted and it all looks fantastic. We have several other inherited pieces that without hesitation will go to Boris. He’s knowledgeable, friendly, and prompt.

Our antique oak dining set was a goner: the table was falling apart and badly stained, two of the chairs had been hit by the bumper of our car and broken. Everyone said it was beyond repair… but they didn’t know Boris. Boris took our dilapidated furniture and turned them into showpieces. He repaired the damage, refinished everything in our preferred dark walnut stain and reupholstered the seats. When friends came to visit, everyone thought we had bought new furniture; no one recognized our old dining set and were amazed at the transformation. Now, the set rests proudly in our dining room and is a showstopper in the house. Boris is an incredible craftsman and so easy to get along with. He’ll be my go-​to guy for restoration from now on… because I’ve seen first-​hand that he can bring the dead back to life.

Boris did a beautiful job of restoring an old Knoll chair that I found on the street! Very nice and easy to work with. He had to refinish the base, replace all of the springs and stuffing, and reupholster it. I’m thrilled with the results. Thank you Boris!

Very wonderful restoration on a rocking chair I brought in! Boris was very great at communicating and the finished product was nicely done.

Boris was easy to work with and does excellent work!
My husband and I received two very high quality bar stools but I hated the upholstery and the color of the stain… In steps Boris. He turned our bar stools into beautiful and modern pieces of furniture that compliment our home rather than stand out as out of place.
Thank you!

I brought in a fancy mid-​century chair on a Saturday without an appointment. The leather back was broken off the walnut frame and hung down on one side. 10 minutes later I left with a completely repaired chair and a bill for ten dollars. That’s right, you heard me. TEN. ten minutes, ten dollars.
Not only was this incredibly economical, but the gentleman working there was also efficient as can be, and obviously knew exactly what he was doing. I wouldn’t hesitate to bring other furniture there in the future.

I am a 65 year old native San Franciscan.
Over the decades I have seen expert professional refinishers retire. .. never to be replaced. There are a handful scattered of refinishers all over the Bay Area. But, there is only one Boris. (Renaissance).
First I have to let you know I am very fussy. Back in the 70s I used to use a fine refinishing Company ~ John of Ciarlo Bros on Union Street. . John Ciarlo is no longer with us. (I think his company has a new owner south of Market St)
RENAISANCE Furniture Restoration is one of the last truly super-​fine
detailed old-​country wood furniture restorers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Every few years I’ve need refinishing of piano stools, benches, piano body parts, interior/​exterior doors, highly decorative wooden desks and other items restored.
Boris has been an absolute godsend. His work exceeds the factory!
I think he’s a one to two man operation so his output turnover could be limited.
It is sooooooooooooo worth the wait (in gold). Boris can strip off the old finish (requires much professional knowledge of wood and finishing) and reapply
a gorgeous new finish that only the highest quality standards furniture factory can provide.
His choice of color, finish and technique is truly the holy grail of decision making
to show off the best wood grain appearance and color.
I’m sure if fine art museums found out about Boris’ craftsmanship we would never see him again.
Boris has a rare and particular gift, and that is his style of meticulous
refinishing style (which is bar-​none the trickiest and hardest to get it right).
Boris is able to refinish in such a way as to reveal the beautiful texture of the grain appearance and feel of the wood.

Other refininishers can coat over the grain so you see the grain underneath the finish (like a piece of glass atop of the wood). Boris’ style of refnishing is so much more exciting and attractive.
Boris is able to fefinish the wood in such a way that the beautiful grain’s releived grains and texture can be felt ever so slightly by hand.
I could go on and on.
Boris’ pleasant demeaner and kindness and diligence will convince you right away you are dealing with a refined old-​school professional, a true artisan and craftsman.
Boris is your guy.
J Alexander ~ Diamond Hts San Francisco

Simply put, Boris is a true craftsperson. I pay special attention to detail and am disappointed a lot in the way people carry out their work but Boris over delivered. My Danish Credenza came back gorgeous! My chair is perfectly stuffed too. Boris is a man of integrity who takes pride in his work. He is kind and professional. You will not go wrong with Boris!

After speaking with Boris on the phone I delivered my 8 dinning-​room chairs and the bolt of the fabric we had chosen. Boris accurately assessed the condition of the chairs, helped us choose the best foam and edging and gave us a good bid and timeline for the job. He met the short timeline and helped me reload the chairs into my SUV. The upholstery work is beautiful and the chairs are more comfortable than ever. Thank you Boris; you are a master!

Mr. Levitt is a true master when it comes to furniture restoration! He’s an expert craftsman with a true passion for his work.
I took an old, tufted, barrel, swivel chair to Boris for resuscitation. The chair was covered in white, threadbare cotton. It was missing buttons and the base looked like driftwood. After bringing my chair to him, Boris mentioned refinishing the chair would be more work than he anticipated from the pictures I e-​mailed to him. I began to get that uneasy feeling. A couple days later, Boris opened up the chair and he called me inquiring why the inside of the chair was soaking wet. (My friend spilled red wine and I used Oxyclean; thinking the water would eventually evaporate) Now I thought the balance owed would surely rise. However, Boris did not raise the price! He stuck to his original estimate, even though the time and effort Boris put into the chair was obviously much, much greater than the amount he charged me. Who still does that?
I asked Boris to change the fabric from white cotton to white leather. The definition of the tufts dull a bit when switched to leather, since the leather is thicker. In order to make the tufts really pop again, Boris took the time to pipe each stitch between the tufts. This is serious time consuming, pain-​staking work! He could have replicated the existing stitches, but Mr. Levitt made the extra effort to ensure my chair looked it best. Every seam and every detail is flawless. The leather transformation proved better than I ever hoped. Boris also managed to transform the ragged, driftwood base back into smooth, shiny walnut! Mr. Levitt simply could not have done a better job (everyone who has seen my chair concurs)!
If you’re in the market for furniture reupholstery, Boris is your man!

Renaissance Furniture Restoration is not a fancy showroom in a fancy neighborhood — it’s a simple workshop run by a passionate craftsman who does excellent work at a fair price. I found Boris via Unilocal,and proved to be a great partner in the restoration of a Biedermeier desk chair. Recommended quality fabrics for the seat, and left it to me whether or not I wanted to have the chair refinished before re-​covering the seat. No pressure, just a nice outline of the options — and good value for the services.
I love finding people who bring mastery and passion to their work — Boris is one of those people — and I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

I’ve taken four pieces in for Boris to refinish so far, and I suspect there will be more. He always does an impeccable job, and although it’s not cheap, it’s always worth it. Just looking at the newly restored pieces around my house makes me happy, thinking of the history and life behind each one.
In an age of disposability (Ikea must die!), I’m grateful that craftsmen like Boris are still around to bring new life to beautiful old furniture. I only hope that he finds an apprentice to succeed him when he’s ready to retire.

Boris Levitt has just restored and repaired a very old ecclesiastical chest of mine … and the results are stunning. Here is an experienced, knowledgeable craftsman who takes pride in his craft. He’s not cheap — and he refused to take my dog in part payment, but apart from that I can’t fault him. He was fast, too.
And if that’s not enough, he also has a great sense of humor.