Sofas....leather or fabric

I'm thinking of buying a new sofa. I am considering leather because I have never had a leather sofa before. Are they comfy, mostly carefree, and worth the money? I am open to suggestions. Right now, I have a Lazy boy sofa recliner. I hate it! It is uncomfortable. I am going to sell it to my nephew, if I can find another one I like. The sad thing is we bought it only about 1.5 years ago. Our other sofa (another Lazy Boy) was 15 years old and worn out. It was a non-recliner. I loved it and would have reupholstered it but it would have cost as much as a new one~~so we got a new one. {{Big Sigh}}

Hi Cookie, great to see you back here again.

I have a leather sofa and matching love seat. The sofa is a queen size hide-a-bed, though it doesn't look like it is.

I bought them at least 15 years ago and they have been in use every day since then. They don't really look any different than when we bought them. Which is a very good thing, IMHO. And they are easy to care for.

My only objection to them -- and it's very minor -- is that the leather is cool to the touch when you first sit in it. Not something I ever noticed in a fabric upholstered piece. So if it is winter and you are a bit chilly, you'll probably end up wanting a nice cozy throw on the couch, so you can cuddle up in it when you first sit down.

I also have leather seats in my car, and they never seem cold to me when I first get in, so I'm not sure what to make of this. Except that the couch and loveseat are not as firm as the car's driver's seat. They're sort of down filled, so they are "poufy" when you sit in them. But both are very comfortable...

(Also I just realized, I my seat in the car is heated. And if it's cold, I'm usually wearing a coat. So between the coat and the button to push and warm up the seat, it's pretty hard for me to compare the two experiences.)

I'll be interested to hear what other's experiences have been.

Anne

Thank you, Anne! I am neither a writer nor an entrepreneur, and that is why I have never posted too much in the past neither. Years ago when I joined, I understood it was a forum for all Boomers but mostly a place for Boomer writers or business ladies. I have always enjoyed most of the ladies and the conversations that went on here. Seems everyone has moved on to Facebook or someplace else, which is part of life, I guess. This was my first forum I ever joined so I have fond memories.

I am leaning heavily towards leather, but wanted opinions of others who have or as had experience with leather furniture. In the past, I always have a throw or a blanket on me in the winter---not so much anymore with hot flashes, lol. So I don’t think the cold part will bother me so much right now, ha. I was thinking that leather would hold up very nicely too! Shoot, I have a couple of leather jackets that are 20 years old and look new. Granted, they haven’t gotten as much use as a sofa would get but still…..

I like leather seats in a car too, and I have never noticed them to be cold in winter or sticky in summer either, come to think of it.

Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it.

I bought a black leather couch and like it. Make sure the style is rounded on the backseat and armrests.

And the leather when turned over (a sample piece), really is leather all the way. It will last a lot longer.

I keep my place warm in winter and so couch doesn't feel "cold".

Hope it lasts forever for me. Seriously. I don't want to spend more money on another couch. I had a lovely faux French style in burgundy red fabric, which got worn down after 12 years.

We've had leather for 17 years. Had our older set (sofa/loveseat) reupholstered. Fabulous! Worn only by the animals.

LOVE it! Easy to clean. You can SEE the dirt. Spills wipe right up.

and no you do not stick to it!! (every one always asks!)

We've had leather and loved it because it's so much easier to clean, but if it's bonded leather, it doesn't hold up to wear like the full-grain leather. Bonded leather is made from leather pieces 'bonded' together, so is easy to tear. We recently bought fabric sofa and chair that's guaranteed against stains etc. for 3 years, and bought waterproof covers to protect against the dogs. The leather sofa we had was bonded leather, so as soon as one of the dogs put a hole in with a claw, it ripped, so we wouldn't do that again.

You are right, yonuh, I have been reading about leather furniture and have read that bonded isn't the best. You get what you pay for in leather, is what I understand. There is a furniture store in a neighboring town that is going out of business that sells high end leather. I am going to go there and see if they have anything I would like as soon as the roads get a little better around here. We have had quite the winter storm move through last weekend with some rain/sleet/ice/and snow.

Di, I am all bout EASY cleaning, lol. That is another one of my reasons for wanting a leather couch too. I get tired of vacuuming my cloth furniture. I must be getting lazy in my middle years. We both have allergies so I would think fewer things that would attract dust to stick on would be good...especially if you can see it and get it wiped off.

The fun thing is the upholsterer gave us the leftover scraps. I use them for just about everything....they are tough.

Awesome! My husband would love the scraps. One of my husband's hobbies is woodworking and he uses leather scrapes in some of the things he makes.