Leather is often perceived as a material for the wealthy. For years, this upholstery option was incredibly expensive and only available to those with disposable income, but with new technology and access to the source, leather has dramatically decreased in price while maintaining its value. Aside from the price drops, leather has many benefits that makes it an obvious choice when looking for new furniture.
Here at Mum’s Place, we want to make it easy for you to find a leather sofa you’ll love, so before we dive into our favorite manufacturers, we want to reassure you that leather is one of the best materials on the market.
Appearance
It goes without saying, a leather couch just looks good. Like a fine California wine, leather furniture only gets better with age. Now, the degree of the patina will depend on the grade of leather you’re working with, and while judging the grades of leather might be a little confusing to those who don’t have much experience with customizing furniture, we’ll explain the process so it’s easy to understand. This may sound like contradicting information, but higher grade leather (i.e. the more expensive stuff) wears in faster, while the lower grade (and less expensive material) won’t show marks and scratches as much or as quickly. You might think that the more expensive leather should “hold up” better, but in fact, the higher grade leather will be the most pure, untreated leather, making it susceptible to wear. Because it is the least treated, the leather essentially has to be perfect before the tanning process, while the heavily treated leather could be sourced from a hide that had scars and other marks “worked out.” A more “perfect” hide will come from a more expensive and pampered cow.
Coming back to appearance, a low grade leather will look perfect. Even pebbling and pigment throughout the hide will provide a modern and sharp look to your couch, while a higher grade leather will allow for natural and rustic style. Regardless of the grade of leather, you can be sure that your leather couch will look sophisticated and chic over the years because it is incredibly durable and resistant to staining.
Durability
Briefly mentioned above, leather is one of the most durable materials out there and although we mentioned that some leathers wear over time, it’s more of a favorable patina than an example of poor quality. Liquids just roll right off the material, preventing almost any stain from wreaking havoc on your furniture, and the thick, tough hide is resistant to scratches and slices from pets.
Comfort
Perhaps the most important quality of leather, and reason why leather is one of the best options for living room furniture, is comfort. Aside from the obvious appearance and durability differences between leather and fabric, comparing the two materials in regards to comfort is difficult. If you’re looking at the high-quality sofas we sell in our Monterey furniture store, your probably won’t feel a difference in comfort between fabric-covered frames and leather because they are made with following specific and consistent standards. But if you want to get down to the nitty-gritty, there are some differences you may notice.
Fabric tends to have a little more “give” than leather. That means, when you sit on a fabric-upholstered cushion, the fabric will stretch and move in conjunction with the movement of the cushion. Leather is not quite as stretchy, as you can probably imagine, so it provides a bit more structure to your seat as you relax on the couch. The slightly more firm leather cushions do not make the sofa any less comfortable than a slouchy fabric sofa because the extra firmness provides support in all the right places. You also don’t have to worry that the soft leather surface will ever be scratchy like wool or other fibers of a fabric against your skin.
Our Favorite Leather Frames
Georgia Sofa by Omnia
One of the more traditional-looking sofas on the list, this Georgia Sofa flaunts beautiful rolled arms, rounded legs, and t-shaped back cushions, this sofa will bring a refined look to your home. Nailhead-trim is available with this frame as well, allowing you to customize this sofa beyond just choosing the leather covering. Although the reddish-brown leather that is shown above is a great option for anyone who wants to stick to a classic brown leather sofa, Omnia offers countless other options to match any color scheme.
Omnia is an often under-rated furniture manufacturer that offers a great variety of leather sofas ranging in style, comfort, and added details. Swap out the cushions with down for an extra plush seat or add nailhead trim to elevate the elegance in your home. Whatever styles and design elements you might be looking for, Omnia will have a leather sofa for you!
Bryant Sofa by Flexsteel
You’ve probably heard about the Bryant Sofa by Flexsteel a few times already. We have written about it extensively in many of our blogs including our Flexsteel blog and our Modern Sofa entry, and it made this list because it is one of the padded track arms and low back and loose square cushions, this sofa is modern and inviting, and the heavy thread stitching can give it a great rustic look if you cover it with a lighter brown or reddish-hued leather.
Build with the same level of care and attention to detail Flexsteel gives to all of its products, the Bryant Sofa is constructed with the Blue Spring Steel technology that makes this sofa the durability and support that so may loyal consumers love.
Buckingham Sofa by Stressless
This Stressless sofa is offered in high and low back options, giving you the option to fit the sofa to the needs of your family. Utilizing both the Glide System and this Buckingham Sofa will be one of the most comfortable and user-friendly leather recliners. The Glide System allows you to set the tension of th wheels in the reclining mechanism so you can adjust your sitting position with only the weight of your body, while the Plus System causes your headrest to adjust as you recline, ensuring you will not have to put in any extra effort in order to find the most comfortable relaxing position. As with all Stressless reclining products, every seat in this sofa reclines providing comfort and relaxation for every patron in your home.
Available in many different leather textures, grades, and colors, the Buckingham Sofa is a versatile piece. The beautiful wooden legs bring some natural elements into your home while the gentle curves and padded seats look sleek and feel plush.
Carson Sofa by American Leather
Implied in the name of this manufacturer, American Leather supplies a wide range of styles and leather options for their stationary sofa collection. One of our favorites, the Carson Sofa, is a classic track-arm sofa that can adapt to fit any room with the right choice of leather. A crisp white leather will look sleek and modern, while a high-grade brown leather will look comfortable and welcoming in a rustic style home as it ages.
The quality of this Carson Sofa is unbeatable, but one of the best qualities of this piece is that is a very versatile frame. Available in a two seat sofa, three seat sofa, and customizable sectional, this piece will fit into any space and conform to your style and functionality needs. The wedge pieces will allow you to float your sofa in an open floor plan space while the corner sectional will easily slide into any right angle in your home and if you are in need of saving space or are trying to fit a large family in your living room, you can add or subtract individual seats within the sectional. The benefits of this sofa go beyond function. The leather itself is high quality and American Leather offers countless options ranging in grades, styles, durability and color. It’s impossible to find a leather sofa you won’t like with this manufacturer!
Explore More at Mum's
If you’re looking for a leather sofa in Monterey but aren’t completely sold with these options, stop by our furniture store in Monterey to speak with our talented designers.
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