Burning Question: Whether To Leather?
We’re back with our query o’ the week and this time we’re taking your pulse on sofa or sectional upholstery. Namely, do you prefer leather for its easy wipe and pet friendly benefits, slipcovers for their toss-in-the-wash simplicity, or some other textile like hardworking microfiber or a super soft velvet or chenille?
We’re excited to hear where you stand on the issue. In fact, we whipped up this handy little poll to keep everything tabulated:
[poll id="25"]
We’d love to hear more about why you voted the way you did, so feel free to comment away with more details.
Image courtesy of Fresh Home.
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I love leather and slipcovers! We actually have both in our house (as you can see here: http://hernandohouse.wordpress.com/our-house/) but recently I’m in love with our leather sofa because (knock on wood) it seems so spill-proof!
I have really bad allergies to dust mites, so I have to stick with leather furniture. I guess I could get slip covered furniture, but the thought of actually HAVING to wash them every week because of my allergies makes me just stick to leather. It’s a whole lot easier with our furry son too!
I love leather, but I live in florida and would spend 1/2 my year stuck to the couch if we went leather.
We have velvet now, and I would LOVE to get slipcovers. It seems like the velvet is a magnet to pet hair. I will admit it vacuums easily, but I also love the look of slipcovered furniture. It has to be a well made slipcover though, made specifically for that piece of furniture so it fits snug.
I can’t wait to see these poll results. We’re looking for a new sectional and it needs to be super durable and easy to clean. I wan’t a light color but hubby likes dark tones. The biggest problem we’re gonna have with light fabric is HIM! He’s always coming in from the garage and plunking himself down on the couch before he gets rid of all the grease, welding sparks, and grime. Drives. Me. Nuts.
real leather might be ok but fake leather is so sweaty and sticky in summer and cold and clammy in winter. yuck!
Leather and microfiber for us. With a husky/shepherd mix who sheds like crazy, the leather was a must. We have a leather couch and chair that are kind of his. :D They are so easy to clean. Our sectional in the family room is microfiber and with a baby and a dog, any cleanup we have needed to do has been easy!…it is also easy to just vacuum the microfiber and throw pillows.
We have a 3-year-old leather sectional and 2 youngs boys. The sectional looks like we just brought it home. We love the practicality of leather and the way it feels/smells. My *dream* sofa would be slipcovered in linen…but that’s just not a good idea with our rowdy lil’ ones.
That’s a tough one. I like leather for it’s easy ‘spill proof’ reliability, however I also like the softness of a microfiber sofa. Our current sofa is not microfiber [I honestly don’t know what the material is] but it cleans up well with spills. In the end though, we really have to go with what works with our 2yr old… who seemingly always has ‘sticky hands’. –I would love for a nice slip covered sofa [preferably in a nice white] but between working full time, college, commutes and being a Mom and Wife, I just don’t have the time to be washing slip covers every time my son decides to have an all out tirade on our sofa, which is almost an everyday occasion lol. SO.. in the end we go with what works for the moment.
With 2 growing boys and a 5 year old girl, I went with microfiber. I also chose a dark color to help hide the dirt. Maybe in my later years I can enjoy a white, cotton sofa! ~Tracy
I’ve found leather doesn’t hold up well to pet nails, especially cats, so we’ve stuck with microfiber, which is pretty stain resistant and the pet fur comes off easily.
Currently we have a tan colored textured sofa which is impressively animal friendly — you cannot see pet hair, which I love. However after having done my research, my next couch will have a slip cover (designed speicfically for that couch), I long to be able to wash my couch easily and whenever I want.
We recently had this debate when buying our new couch. While we loved the look and price of fabric options leather was much more practical for our lifestyle now with a busy toddler and plans to have a few more kids in the next couple of years. We agreed that once we had a family room (either by addition or moving) we could have a fabric sofa in the living room and stick with leather in the family room. It was a good decisions. There have been several occasions in the last 6 months I have found myself saying “I’m so glad we picked the leather, this would have ruined a fabric couch”
I don’t like leather, but now I have two dogs and feel like it’s such a struggle to keep the house clean….so I might go leather in the future….can’t get rid of the dogs!
We have the IKEA Ektorp with an extra set of slipcovers. With two under two, it’s necessary. Buuut… you can’t put them in the dryer. So THAT is a pain. :/
Nothing screams ‘bachelor’ like leather. I also associate it with American football, cheap beer and chips. It is just so unbelievably ugly (and uncomfortable too!)
My husband & I are Vegan, so leather is out of the question. We love living animals in our house not dead animal remnants.
Love the allergy benefits of leather upholstery . . . but my fave is really brushed denim twill in whatever color fits the room – looks crisp, feels like your best jeans.
I tried leather once, and even with back claws only, my cats had it ruined in under 6 months. They poked holes in it and scratched it all up. Plus – winter + leather = brrrrrr!
I’d love to find a slipcover, but my oversized couch is hard to fit for a decent price (under $60). I found a nice, BRIGHT red microfiber, 2-piece stretch slipcover at WalMart for $3 on clearance once. It was supposed to fit 90″ couches, and I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. BUMMER – it was a no-fit. Got my $3 back, but there was no love in it…
Microfiber for us! We actually just ordered new couches and after 9 weeks of waiting… they’ll arrive tomorrow! Can’t wait.
We actually have leather and microfiber in our living room. A leather daybed, and then a microfiber sofa. We got the leather because Hubsey likes to sit on it in the summer and cool himself off. I wasn’t sure if I’d like it since my family never had any leather furniture, but it’s totally growing on me. Plus it’s big enough to take a nap on, so it gets points for that!
Growing up, my mom would NEVER buy leather furniture saying how it would get ruined. I never understood but I kinda do now. We don’t have any leather as of yet, but I would like to!
I’m with Kim above – no leather for us. My family and I are Vegan, so the thought of sitting/laying on dead animal skin is not at all appealing.
I love leather – but the cats do too…Their needle nails have punch holes in the arms of my nice leather chair.
: (
We have a hand-me-down leather loveseat and I can’t wait to replace it with a slipcovered sofa – I like the look, the ability to wash it is just a bonus. Leather is not my cup of tea and is definitely not pet friendly when you have cats. This is unrelated, but has anyone had a problem with their cats and curtains? I bought the Vivan panels at Ikea but my cats love to claw them and now there are little holes poked all over and the ends are frayed.
I’m sitting here looking at a $750 leather recliner that my cats have almost ruined. I like the look and feel of it, but evidently so do the cats!
We have a chenille couch and loveseat in the den and the cats like that texture too. It also catches the dogs claws and parts pull up.
The only one that has survived unscathed from 2 cats and 2 dogs is the tan microfiber couch. Even though it is not my favorite in terms of comfort or looks, I like my pets better so eventually all seating in the house will be replaced by something with the same type of fabric.
We got our leather sofas about 2 years ago now. I love them. No, scratch that. I ADORE them. With a potty training toddler, a housetraining puppy, and 3 other messy kids, I don’t have to worry about peanut butter, a leaky sippy cup, or any other “accidents” that would ruin just about any other set of furniture. Truly, I’m in love.
Leather looks great but I would get absolutely stuck to it in the summertime! I’m also pretty sure my cat’s flying leaps and skids would tear is up pretty quickly. :)
I do like the look of leather, but I hate how cold it is. We have a microsuede couch and it’s nice. The best part? The cushion covers can be removed and thrown in the washer and dryer! I love it, the best of both worlds.
http://ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com/
Leather! We had a cotton upholstered sofa before we had kids and it was trashed within 2 years of having our first baby plus it always attracted dog hair. We chose leather for ease of care but I figured it wouldn’t be as cozy, cold in winter, etc. But, I was surprised! It actually warms up really quickly. I expect to have our leather sofa practically forever.
leather=animals=bad
We have a small microfiber couch, which I love because it’s so easy to clean. I really don’t like leather because I stick to it when it’s hot, and I prefer the feel of fabric anyway. We are actually having our new couch delivered tomorrow (yay!), and it’s a cotton/linen fabric couch. I am worried about cleaning it, but we fell in love with the color and fabric. Guess we’ll just have to be extra careful!
Our cats have also scratched our leather sectional and made us sad. :(
Though they no longer fit our style, I’d go back to slipcovers in a second. Unfortunately, our house is modern(ish) so they just don’t work.
Wow, there are a lot of options. And it seems people are very passionate about their couch coverings – who knew! I used to think leather on a couch was just odd, but after seeing it on a design show once, I loved the clean lines and how it never shows wrinkles (unlike our slip-covered hand-me-down couch). But, I also enjoy the easy washable cover we have now.
I’m on the fence as far as coverings so I’m happy to see all the different choices and opinions!
And I didn’t see Oil cloth on there – I personally don’t have any but I’ve heard it’s cheaper than leather, with the same crisp lines, easy to wipe off, and very durable.
I just bought a leather set. I didn’t start out looking for leather. I too thought it looked too manly. But during the hunt I started to be atracted to its easy clean qualities. Especially since the reason I was looking was because the odor from our used fabric couch was unacceptable to this pregnant lady’s nose. Leather = easy clean for our upcoming bundle of joy and no odors or pet hair from our furry kids. I also got a great deal from buying from a closeout store. And it’s soft leather and extremely comfortable. I am concerned about kitty’s claws though. Time will tell.
Leather kind of creeps me out — I try to avoid buying leather shoes, clothing, and yes, furniture! (And eating factory-farmed meat, but that’s a different story.) Our couch is some sort of cotton something or other, and it’s been great for the past couple of years. Cat hair doesn’t show up on it, and neither do stains. We can also take off the cushion covers and toss them in the washing machine, if we choose to do so.)
I’ve always had fabric sofas (not slipcovered), usually in a darker color/pattern that doesn’t show too much. I love this question, though, because I want to read everyone else’s answers. I’ve considered leather for years (because of kids and pets). I don’t think I’m a slipcovered kind of gal, though.
Leather + a squirrely little dog = no way. I need something durable that doesn’t show signs of little nails.
I wish our slipcovers didn’t get so baggy (we have the exact same couch as you – PB Basic, same color and everything!) but I do really appreciate the fact that we’ve been able to wash them. There are a few stains that haven’t come out 100% but a) we just flip the cushions and b) I’m looking into replacement slipcovers anyway since these are getting old (PB themselves will often sell used floor model slipcovers at a huge discount, plus the Ikea Ektorp covers work on the PB Basic, I’m told). I love that I can get a brand new looking couch just by replacing the covers!
We’ve got microsuede on our den sectional. Everyone says it’s sooooo easy to clean. Well, my MIL put her dirty suitcase wheels on it, and no matter how hard we tried to get out the stains, you can still see them! Ugh! Thankfully it was a cheap sectional, plus we got the “Goof Proof” protection plan that covers stain removal, so… we’ll probably be calling that in soon.
I love leather, but I wouldn’t exactly call it pet-friendly. Not for cats, anyway. A friend of mine has leather sofas and cats and her sofas are a mess!
I really don’t like leather. It’s so slippery and uncomfy and makes weird noises and your skin gets stuck on it. I love cotton slipcovers though. You can remove and wash them, and if you buy something like IKEAs Ektorp you can buy slipcovers in different colors and switch them out. I’d prefer white in the summer but probably switch to a warm beige or even red in the fall and winter.
When we bought our section we debated between microfiber & a more textured fabric. We went with the more textured fabric and LOVE it. It hides the cat hair (mostly) and in three years we’ve only had one little stain not come out and become noticeable (this is with two little ones & its the only couch we have.) The texture just visually hides a lot more than the smooth microfiber.
My folks have leather and it’s held up great, isn’t too uncomfortable for hanging out but doesn’t do it for naps/sleeping which is a requirement for us since that is where we end up when the girls are sick at night.
Slipcovers just always look rumpled and “off” in real life but in pictures – - – - drool!
Good question!
We have a leather couch, which I was hesitant about at first, but now I love. It is SO comfortable and if you spill something you just wipe it right off with a wet towel. I downplay the masculine factor by adding some fun pillows and a fuzzy white blanket. Surprisingly, it’s not overly cold in the winter or hot in the summer. However, I would not want a whole room full of leather furniture. I like a mixture of leather and upholstery to keep things from getting too dark and heavy.
We are actually looking into options right now because our current couch broke. It was from IKEA but we bought at a yard sale for $10. We are bigger people and I don’t know if I want to go buy the same couch at IKEA for it to break again, but we already have 3 slipcovers for it… and slipcovers are nice when you have a cat that throws up her food on the couch sometimes! I don’t much care for the feel of leather and I don’t trust the cats claws, lol. We really want to get a nice sectional, but again.. I’m nervous about the cat ruining it within the first week we have it.
If we didn’t have dogs that shed their body weight in hair on a daily basis I would totally want some sort of cloth couch. But with our four legged family members – leather it is! And I have to admit, it does look pretty.
I’m sitting on our leather sectional right now! It was not initially my first choice, but it’s what my hubby and I could agree on. Now that our son is here, it’s been the best choice possible because spit-up is easily removed!
I bonefide pro in this department because I think we’ve had a couch made of just about any fabric you could imagine. Leather, pleather, denim, velvet, microfiber suede, cotton slip cover, tweed, plastic/vinyl slip cover, we even at one point had a sheep skin couch. I don’t know where my parents found that thing at.
By far my favorite is the microfiber suede section we own now. It’s easier to clean then almost anything that isn’t plastic or leather. It holds up well and as it ages it seems to add more rustic charm to it. HOWEVER, I would never pick this color again. We have a light celery green color, and the one down side is that it does show wear more easily. I’ve got a chair in the same fabric but much darker and you can’t tell it as much.
Just my thought.
Oh, and I HATE LEATHER! if it’s cold in your house, you’ll freeze your hiney off, same goes for hot weather. And if your animal even so much as looks at a leather couch it will tear, and those are hard and costly to repait.
I’m too vegan for leather! ;)
We have leather & a microfiber type set right now. We also have 2 (soon to be 3) Great Danes. The leather holds up well to being wiped off, but after a few years their nails have taken a toll. I want a slipcovered one so that when company comes I can just ‘easy-off’ the dirty one and set the room up. Also, being able to toss ‘em in the wash = awesome.
I have a leather sofa that’s as old as I am, and I love it. My dogs can’t destroy that thing!
On the other hand, I would love to have a big soft cozy couch that doesn’t freeze you in the winter. There’s no way I can have one though, I have 2 dogs that shed like crazy, and I am mess prone!