We just bought a leather couch and I am having some trouble getting used to it. We had a fabric couch previously and that lasted us a very long time. I have always wanted a leather couch, but now that I have one, I dont know. Do leather couches hold up better than fabric? I'm afraid to move on the couch cause it seems so fragile, like it can tear at any moment. Someone told me that she has had a leather couch for 13 years and it's still going strong. I'm just a little nervous, as this is my first leather couch.
Thank you all for your responses. We are keeping the couch, especially since I am finally starting to get more used to it!
Did you get bonded leather or top grain leather? There's a BIG difference. One is fake and one is real. We paid the extra money to get the top grain and two years later they still look fantastic.
I didn't love it at first, because we had microfiber before as well, but now I LOVE them and will likely stick with leather.
ETA: you should have a warranty if for some reason you are not happy with the furniture....if you bought it from a reputable dealer.
I LOVE my leather furniture!!!
I just replaced a leather couch and loveseat with a new custom leather loveseat with recliner and ottoman.
The couch I replaced was still great even tho I purchased it in 2000! I gave it to my daughter's BF for his apartment.
It's super easy to clean, comfortable and I love mine. I purchased from Leather Sofa Company and got custom pieces handmade to my specs. Love it and it's worth it!
My mom had one - it lasted quite a while but I do remember playing "house" and when I changed the baby's diaper, I used the couch as a pin cushion. Boy, did I get in trouble. I can still see those holes, LOL! But it was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I personally prefer cloth.
is it REAL leather? Real leather does NOT feel like it's fragile. it's STURDY.
Real leather furniture has a distinct smell to it. Yes the smell will fade over time...but new?? nope. distinct.
Real leather furniture backing has a distinct look - open the seat cushion - via the zipper. If it looks like suede - it's real. If it looks like woven fabric? It's fake.
I have a leather couch set - I have had dogs with sharp nails on it and wrestling on them - no problems....We bought the set in December 2008. Still looks brand new. We were VERY lucky and got ours on sale for less than $4K for the set (half off). How much did you pay for yours?
Was the purchase from a reputable store??
Did they give you any details on the leather - is it rawhide, Naugahyde, etc.?
Can't help you without those questions being answered!
good luck!
We've had ours for 14 years and still looks great. If you have the soft leather it may not hold up as well. I will never have a cloth couch again b/c they are so unsanitary. With leather just wipe off and go...love it!
I have 2 leather couches in my family room. We love them and I wouldn't have anything else for my family room. I feel like they are so much cleaner than fabric...I can clean them, wipe them down, and even use a sanitizer wipe on them if need be.
Unless it's really cheap leather, it should hold up quite well. I love my leather couch. It's easy to clean, and I've never had an issue with it, in 10 years.
Was it inexpensive?
I bought a very inexpensive leather chair and it felt very soft but thin. It never tore but got marks in it from kids with stuff in pockets and it scratched (mine you it was a toddler and a fork).
Good quality leather usually feels much more substantial.
They hold up well. We had one but got rid of it because it was "cold" to sit on. If durability is your concern, don't worry.
we are the second owner of our leather couch set. it held up thru my 4 nieces and nephews, and is doing well with my 2 monkeys. its probably 14 years old if not older and looks its age. but still going strong.
We have two leather sets. The one is over 10 years old and still looks new. The other set has problems with some of its leather. We bought them at the same store, same quality. No clue why the one couch has issues. We think a kid destroyed it.
I love my leather couches! So easy to clean. I've never had any issues.
We have leather furniture and it has lasted probably about 10 years. We are now looking to replace it because it is, in fact, ripping. Coming apart at the seams and and two holes. This is because of children. If you got it treated, then it will last longer. We made the mistake of not treating it and the surface is getting quite worn. It will do well for you for some time, but eventually tearing is a possibility, especially if you have kids using it as a jungle gym like we do.
A resource for you to determine what kind of couch you have and help you make decisions going forward:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2012/08/bonded-leat...
