The Modern Furniture Guarantee

For your peace of mind, our furniture products come with a 2-year structural warranty as well as guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law.

Our two-year structural warranty is provided for the original consumer against defects in workmanship and materials on all furniture products. This warranty applies in addition to any rights or remedies you may have under the Australian Consumer Law.

  • To claim under the structural warranty, the defect must appear within 2 years from the fulfilment date on your original invoice.

  • The warranty will only apply to products that have been used in their intended manner and do not show signs of misuse.

  • The warranty covers structural integrity only; it does not extend to upholstery or surface wear and tear.

  • The warranty only applies to products used for residential applications.

  • The structural warranty is not transferable. It is limited to the original customer specified in the original sales order.

 

MAJOR FAULTS OR FAILURES VS. MINOR FAULTS OR FAILURES

You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a structural fault or failure that is deemed major. The Modern reserves the right to remedy a minor structural fault or failure by repairing or replacing your goods.

 

WARRANTY EXCLUSIONS:

  • Upholstery fabric or leather coverings that are marked due the transference of body oils, perspiration or the ingredients contained in personal care products.

  • Damage caused by dye transference from rugs, cushions, jeans and other clothing.

  • Damage caused by spills such as wine, acidic foods, solvents, or other corrosive materials.

  • Exposure to extreme changes in bright light, temperature and humidity which can cause both wood and finishing materials to shrink, swell, warp, split and glue seams to fail.

  • Direct exposure to strong air conditioning units causing the drying of timber.

  • Damage caused by improper cleaning and/or negligence.

  • Surface scratches, dents, chips, marks or damage resulting from misuse.

  • Upholstery fabric, leather or timber that has faded due to direct or indirect UV exposure.

  • Fabric pilling that is not considered a defect.

  • Normal and expected settling and softening of cushion foams and filling, such as polyester fibre and feathers.

  • Timber grain variation and marking resulting from the nature of the product.

  • Marble grain variation and marking which is characteristic of the product.

  • Leather wrinkling, creasing, marking and scars characteristic of the natural hide.

  • Slight variations in the colour and finish of leather products due to differences that occur in batch dying.

  

GRAIN VARIATION IN NATURAL MATERIALS

Our furniture is made of natural timbers, Carrara marble, travertine, and full grain leather. As with any natural product there may be variations and slight imperfections in grains, vein lines and surface tone. We appreciate these variations as natural characteristics which give a product a rich and soulful patina and visual interest. They are not considered defects and cannot be claimed under warranty.

 

COLOUR VARIATION IN TIMBER

Our timber furniture is finished by hand with natural timber oil or light lacquer so there may be some resulting variation in colour and tone from batch to batch. When purchasing two of the same timber products we recommend you buy them at the same time from the same batch.  All your timber products placed in the same lighting conditions will age at the same rate.  For the best advice on how to care for timber and protect against the harsh effects of UV exposure, please see our Care Guide here.

 

COLOUR VARIATION IN MARBLE

Carrara marble comprises of calcium carbonate - which gives it a white base with different tones caused by the other elements such as magnesium silicate, mica, quartz, chlorites and iron oxide.  These elements make the base colour vary from intense white to off white to pearl and grey-white. Additionally, the grain can vary from fine pale grey lines to dramatic deep grey markings. These variations are not considered faults and marble products cannot be returned for refunds. For care instructions for your marble and travertine, please see our Care Guide.

 

COLOUR VARIATION IN LEATHER

Our full grain leather is batch dyed by hand so some variations in colour and tone can occur from batch to batch. We recommend when purchasing a pair of leather products, you buy them at the same time from the same batch.

Aniline Leather 

Some of our upholstery leathers are referred to as aniline. Aniline leather is full grain leather that has been dyed exclusively with soluble aniline dye.  The dye colours the leather throughout the entire hide without producing the uniform surface of a topcoat paint or sealant.  The resulting product retains the hide's natural surface with visible pores, blemishes or scars.

Aniline leather is considered the best quality leather as it is taken from the thickest part of the animal hide and because it does not have a pigment-based surface finish it feels luxurious and soft.

As aniline leather does not have a topcoat it is porous and can be prone to scratching and marking which is not considered faulty and it needs to be treated with care. If looked after aniline leather will wear gracefully and develop a natural aged patina. Please see our Care Guide here.

 

COLOUR VARIATION IN UPHOLSTERY FABRIC

There may be very slight colour variations in the fabric swatches and upholstery of our sofas due to variations in dye batches during production. These variations are not considered faults.

 

PILLING OF UPHOLSTERY FABRIC

If your fabric is looking a little fuzzy or matted, this is an effect commonly known as ‘pilling’.  Pilling often occurs during the settling stages of a new item (3 to 4 months) and is the process of a new fabric ‘shedding’ fibres. Fibres also transfer between different fabrics (such as throws, pillows or even clothing) which means that pilling may present itself later in the life of your furniture too.

Pilling is considered normal in fabric – it’s not a fault or a sign of an inferior product and it can be successfully and easily removed using a battery-operated de-pilling device. If you are concerned about pilling or any maintenance of your fabric, the best thing to do is to contact your nearest showroom and have a chat with our friendly showroom staff.

For full upholstery care instructions please see our Care Guide. 

 

FLOOR STOCK

Please be aware that if an item is sold off the shop floor it is sold ‘AS IS’. Please check all goods carefully to ensure you are happy with the condition of the item at the time of purchase as there are no refunds for change of mind on items bought off the shop floor.

 

HOMEWARES GUARANTEE INCLUDING RUGS & LIGHTING

If your homeware product has a manufacturing defect, please contact your closest showroom within 7 days and we will repair it, exchange it or offer a full refund to the original consumer.

 

FLOOR RUGS

Our floor rugs by Warwick Weave and Bayliss are handwoven by artisans and as such each one is unique and some variance is to be expected. The common rug traits below are not considered to be faults: 

  • Sizing – As the rugs are made by hand a variation of up to 5% of the finished dimensions is completely normal.

  • Colour - Our rugs are made primarily from natural fibres, some colour variation from rug to rug can be expected.

  • Shedding/Pilling - Shedding and pilling is a natural characteristic of a new rug, and any loose fibres can be removed by regular vacuuming with a good quality vacuum cleaner that has a flat head attachment to avoid agitating the fibres. Rugs should be regularly rotated to ensure even wear.

  • Pop Ups - are a normal characteristic of hand-woven rugs and can occur when the end of a yarn works its way loose. It can either be left alone or gently pushed back into the structure of the rug. Do not pull or cut out threads as this can lead to holes in the rug.

  • Odour - Rugs are shipped in a sealed wrap to protect them from damage. On occasion, the odours from the raw materials can be concentrated during shipping. Once the rug is exposed to fresh air the odour should dissipate within a few days to a week.

  • Creasing - Rugs are rolled for shipping and some creases may occur. Creasing should disappear within a few weeks of rolling out. Reverse rolling your rug overnight will accelerate this process.

  • Fading - Placing indoor rugs in direct sunlight for extended periods of time may cause fading. We recommend rotating your rug frequently to avoid uneven fading across the rug.


CLAIMING A WARRANTY

If you discover a defect in the goods covered by our warranty during the warranty period, please cease use of the goods straight away and contact your closest showroom.

 

SHORTAGES & DELIVERY DAMAGES

  • Customers are responsible for inspecting all goods upon delivery. Any shortages or delivery damage must be noted on the delivery docket presented to you by the carrier for signature.

  • Please notify us within 48 hours of delivery by contacting your nearest showroom. The Modern will not be responsible for any claim of damage unless we are notified within the specified time frame.

  • We are here to help you so when you make contact, the showroom manager will ask you to send an email with details of the damage and clear, close-up photos of the issue, photos of the item in its entirety and photos of any damage to the internal and external packaging.

  • The goods must not be used prior to determining a resolution.  We will either repair to as new condition or replace the item at no cost to you. If we cannot replace the item, we will refund you in full including the delivery charge.

 

SELF ASSEMBLY
If you are self-assembling your furniture, please inspect the furniture prior to assembling for any damage which may have been caused during delivery. If there is any damage, please do not commence assembly but contact your nearest showroom. The Modern is not liable for any damage that occurs during assembly or because of being assembled incorrectly.

We want you to be completely satisfied with every step of your experience shopping with us. If you have any questions or concerns about our warranty policies, please speak to our showroom team members. Alternatively, you may contact your nearest showroom.