Leather sofa?

[Susan C.]

On your mark, get set, GO!!

 

Why or why not? And what questions to ask.

 

We have never had leather. I was raised with fake leather and despised sticking to the sofa. We live where summers are hot and humid, but of course have a/c. I really think I prefer fabric (feel and more colorful), but have looked a really long time (so current sofa is really tired) and I don't like the options. Of course I can look longer, hey, what's the hurry. :D

 

I always thought if you got leather, it was the chair.... So now, what to use for the chair?  And the sofa is kind of modern, and we currently have a chair and a half that many members of the family like to curl up in (it doesn't go with the sofa and its tired too). So a chair to match this sofa, well, I don't know. I might be able to get a love seat. But then everything would be brown...... so much for any color, right?  And, I run warm. Very warm. If by chance it builds heat, I will melt. And don't forget its humid here.

 

HELP!! and thanks.

 

ADDING: I'll keep adding here.... The seat cushions are attached, is that normal for a leather couch? It makes me nervous, since flipping them will never be an option. Thanks for all of the information so far, very helpful.

[5LittleMonkeys]

Make sure you aren't getting a bonded leather couch.  Bonded leather is "reconstituted".  They take leather bits and pieces and mold them back together with other material.  It's vinyl, not leather.  The durability of bonded leather is far less than that of 100% leather.  Depending on the quality it can wear unevenly and fade over time especially on parts of the couch that get the most wear.  

 

When you shop and they tell you it's leather ask if it's 100% leather everywhere.  Often, usually any couch under $1500 will have 100% leather only where the body touches.  So it will only be real leather on the back and seat cushions and the arm rests.  Everywhere else is going to be bonded leather. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing especially if the back of your couch is up against a wall and the sides aren't exposed so that they might get scratched, kicked, or rubbed excessively. Just be sure to ask though because it isn't something salespeople usually disclose unless asked. 

 

I've owned leather couches for over 20 years both in a high humidity state and a low humidity state.  I've never had issues with it getting too hot to sit on.  I've never, never "stuck" to it in hot weather, and while it is cool to sit on when you first sit on it in the winter, it adjusts to your body's temp quickly.  It always feels comfortable to me regardless of the room temp or my temp (I get hot flashes). 

 

I'll also add, even though you didn't ask, that when shopping for your couch you ask what the seats are constructed out of.  The highest grade cushions are actually constructed from individually wrapped springs wrapped in down sheeting and then wrapped in some type of durable fabric to create a barrier between the down and the cushion material.  These types of couches are on the expensive end - depending on the area - $2000 and up depending on the material you choose and length that you choose.  Next would be a high density foam core wrapped in down and fabric.  The type of construction 1 step down from this is going to be high density foam cut to the shape of the cushions.  This seems to be the most common construction in stores in our neck of the woods such as Haverty's, Ashley, and Rooms to Go.  This foam comes in many different densities.  1.8 is considered the lowest you should consider to ensure durability for average use.  Don't buy a couch with cushions that have a density lower than 1.8 unless you only plan to use the couch very occasionally.

 

Also ask about the frame construction.  Higher quality couches will have hand tide springs inside a kiln dried wood frame.  Next down the list you will find Sinuous spring construction within the kiln dried wood frame.  This is the most common for mid grade sofas.  The least desirable construction is a series of overlapping web bands that attach to the frame. 

 

As for color - I've always added color with curtains, pillows and the fabric I choose for my ottomans (we have two matching in front of our couch instead of a coffee table). I actually prefer a leather couch and chair so that I can change out colors and textures of fabrics whenever I want.  All different "looks" can go with leather. Having the couch and chair the same (but with different pillows\throws in complimentary colors and patterns) gives the room a more unified look in my opinion. 

 

Happy shopping! 

[mom@shiloh]

We have a leather couch and loveseat and I like it.  We've had no problems with it feeling "sticky" even in high humidity, but it does feel a bit cold initially in the winter.  Ours is cream colored.  I really loved the look of the brown leather, but I felt that cream would adapt better to color changes in other furniture and walls,  We have hardwood floors and lots of antique wood furniture, so the cream lightens things up.  

[Pawz4me]

Leather is the only way to go, IMO.

 

Our couch and loveseat are leather.  And we just ordered three leather recliners.

 

I love it mostly because it's so easy to clean and stands up very, very well to pets.  I can take a damp cloth and swipe over it once a month and know it's clean.  If I go longer than that, it's really disgusting how much dirt comes off.  And to think of fabric upholstery that never gets cleaned, or maybe only once every several years -- I can't imagine how disgustingly dirty it gets.  Ick.

 

It never feels sticky to me.  It gets very humid here (very), but we always have the AC on.  I suspect if we didn't use the AC everything would be incredibly sticky, leather or fabric or anything else.  I cringe when I think of sweaty legs on fabric upholstery and not being able to clean it easily.  Leather is sometimes a bit cool on first touch with bare skin during the winter.  But that goes away quickly.

 

As for color -- I add that with throws and pillows.

[Susan C.]

Added to original post, bumping.

[MrsMe]

I like leather because I have pets.  On the other hand it's cold in the winter and any pillow or throw slides off all the time. 

 

Agreeing that you need to be careful to make sure it's not bonded leather.

[Happy]

We love leather here. The couch and loveseat we have now are 13 years old--they've lived through the teen years when lots of young fellas hung out here.

 

We really like that leather is easy to clean--our youngest still lives at home and his allergies are awful. Fabric sofas just hold pet dander and dust.

 

I do get sticky in the summer--we keep our house on the warm side and I wear shorts a lot. To combat that, I keep a large beach towel nearby to sit on.

 

Yes, it can get to be a lot of brown if you aren't careful...just paint the walls a warm green or a sunny yellow. (or some other color) Add drapes, artwork, pillows, and other accents to break up the brown.

[PeterPan]

I don't care what kind of leather my butt sits on, so long as it has plenty of ROOM, as in the seat depth.  Our current couch is sorta shallow, and that was a BIG MISTAKE.  Or a shallow mistake?   :)  Whatever.  No, it won't run hot, at least not here.  It's easy to clean.  Even the ink my ds dragged all over it, the red window clings, the pink highlighter...  Oh yeah.  And you know, I'd be hard-pressed to say I like my snooty upstairs sofa (the one with the removable cushions, blah blah blah) that is too shallow better than my cheap(er) Lazyman hunk u' synthetic and whatever with cupholders downstairs.  Kinda like those cupholders and all the modern features.  We like how the newfangled ones will glide and pop your feet up and hold your drinks and say SLEEP IN ME!  while you watch your fav movie.  

 

So I say wait for the visceral response.  Visit more stores till one calls to you in the nicest way.   :D

[Whereneverever]

I have a white leather couch, four small kids, a dog, and a cat. I love it. It's so easy to clean. It doesn't get too hot and isn't sticky. Love love love.

[Halftime Hope]

Susan, if you are looking for a really good, long-lasting couch, Massoud is a wonderful family owned business in the Dallas area.  They make wonderful, long lasting furniture.  They sell through retailers, so you'd have to call them up and find out who is carrying their couches now.  We're more than twenty years into one set and have six years on another.  We're sold with the way they last.

[Susan C.]

Susan, if you are looking for a really good, long-lasting couch, Massoud is a wonderful family owned business in the Dallas area.  They make wonderful, long lasting furniture.  They sell through retailers, so you'd have to call them up and find out who is carrying their couches now.  We're more than twenty years into one set and have six years on another.  We're sold with the way they last.

 

What is the price point? The only place here that carries that brand is extremely pricey.... I can check again, but the $8,000 wall unit scared me off a year ago. :D

 

Now I am remembering why I haven't been couch shopping.....

[Susan C.]

I don't care what kind of leather my butt sits on, so long as it has plenty of ROOM, as in the seat depth.  Our current couch is sorta shallow, and that was a BIG MISTAKE.  Or a shallow mistake?   :)  Whatever.  No, it won't run hot, at least not here.  It's easy to clean.  Even the ink my ds dragged all over it, the red window clings, the pink highlighter...  Oh yeah.  And you know, I'd be hard-pressed to say I like my snooty upstairs sofa (the one with the removable cushions, blah blah blah) that is too shallow better than my cheap(er) Lazyman hunk u' synthetic and whatever with cupholders downstairs.  Kinda like those cupholders and all the modern features.  We like how the newfangled ones will glide and pop your feet up and hold your drinks and say SLEEP IN ME!  while you watch your fav movie.  

 

So I say wait for the visceral response.  Visit more stores till one calls to you in the nicest way.   :D

 

Oh Elizabeth, your name is so appropriate today!  I guess you are giving permission to get the cheap one and not look too hard..... I so wish it would happen.  No selection here!! I've threatened to get a U-haul truck and drive four hours to a real city.... But I bet I still would have to order it and they wouldn't have one for me to sit in (for it to call me..). And I need to see it made for it to call me..... Its happened every other time I bought a sofa, why not now?

 

Having trouble figuring what to put with the maybe leather sofa.... dh went today, they said if we get the loveseat, we need to order both, and its made in China, so a four month wait. And I'm sure we would have to pay up front, its like that here.... No. Just no.

[MommyThrice]

I had one when the kids were young b/c it was easy to clean, but I never really liked it.  It was nice leather (and the pillows were attached) but the brown was boring and it was hot in the summer & cold in the winter.  I tried colorful pillows, but they kept sliding off the slick leather.  I sold it on Craigslist.  With that money I bought a down-stuffed sofa, also on Craigslist, and had a linen slipcover made for it.  It is amazingly comfortable and cute.  I did go back and get a new leather chair.

[shanvan]

Replacing our old plaid couch with a leather one changed my life!  No more hours of vacuuming pet hair and dander!  Easy clean.  Wish I had Aime's info back when we were looking.  I'm not entirely sure what we bought.  It came from Macy's and wasn't the highest priced, but not the lowest either.  It was the one that felt most comfortable to me.  It's holding up well so far and we've had it for about 5 years.