Anyone have opinions about leather sofas?

[cynatnite]

We start sofa shopping this week and leather is appealing to me. Husband isn't sure and my mother swears that leather sofas sweat.

Anyone have advice?

[InvisibleTouch]

1. Not advisable if you have cats.

My brother once spent an absurd amount of money on a leather sofa, and it looked nice for all of a few weeks. After that, it had little pinprick claw holes all over it.

If that's not an issue for you, and you like the cool texture, I think they're fine.

[TZ]

2. I was JUST about to post that.

Yeah cats and leather sofas don't mix well...:)

[cynatnite]

3. No cats, but I love how they look. n/t

[DeepBlueC]

30. so true, so true

she said, wearily, having had a $3000 judgment proven "cat"astrophically flawed within weeks, and this while I thought I had the couch armored with coverings when I was out or in bed. And not just pinpricks either. I had the arms covered with throws but still they managed to get up underneath to rake the front of the arms. When I bought it I chose what seemed to be a thick sturdy-looking leather but nothing stands up to a cat's diligent attention. I wish I had known about Feliway when I first bought the thing. I think it might have helped blunt the territorial claims.

[NYC_SKP]

4. Um, maybe your mom is just echoing an ancient misconception?

My dad has one, "don't get a convertible, they all leak!"... :eyes:

I've had many a leather sofa, never seen them sweat.

My favorite chair was my nonnie's leather arm rocker, never sweated.

Some advice, avoid cream colors and light colors unless you're really easy on your furniture, medium to dark greens and browns age well, even as they start to crease and kind of crack, it adds "character" but looks like hell on light colors.

:patriot:

[cynatnite]

5. My mom said a relative had one that sweated....

it was over twenty years ago and in a mobile home, too.

Thanks for the advice. I'll remember that.

[BensMom]

6. Love leather

And I never have had sweat from the sofa. Maybe your Mom is thinking of the old synthetic type?

I love it because it is always clean, doesn't get grungy like fabric.
We use a quality leather cleaner every 6 months or so.

We have a dog, and the dog hairs just wipe off.

[the_chinuk]

7. Well, they look smashing at first ...

... but you better stay on top of taking care of it and you better keep all pets away from it.

Leather is durable and looks great, but only if you stay on task with maintainance.

And nothing looks older than a used leather couch.

I'd stay way from them, but that's just me.

[lizziegrace]

8. They're great if you have allergies

they can be wiped clean rather than have the allergens find their way into the foam and padding.

[WCGreen]

9. No sex, you will sweat and stick to the damn thing...

[NYC_SKP]

10. Sometimes "traction" is a good thing...

...just sayin'...

[Minimus]

11. Don't sit on it naked - especially in the summer.

[no name no slogan]

18. ....unless you got a spatula and some kool-aide

[2Design]

12. Cold for sitting in the winter - just uncomfortable n/t

[NMDemDist2]

13. i don't care for them, but I have a great suggestion for you

save some $$$ support american workers and an American company

www.homereserve.com

they have some great leather looking fabrics too, many that are pet friendly

I almost got this one myself, but with my decor went with another style for the chair I already owned from them. got all new fabric for less than $100. what a great deal!

http://www.homereserve.com/shop-furniture.cfm?fid=1&style=25&item=1#

[no name no slogan]

14. I love mine, and I have cats

I have two love seats in my small living room. I got them so the hair wouldn't get stuck on them, like it does with fabric sofas. They're pretty easy to take care of, and look really good. I would guess the sweating depends on your climate. I tend to live in a fairly dry, cool climate (except in the summer), and I haven't noticed them sweating.

I spent a fair amount of $$ on them (they're the first pieces of new furniture I ever bought), but they will last a long time.

[bonito]

15. Easer to keep clean

sofas don't sweat we do, a fabric sofa is a sponge.

[seabeyond]

16. we have had in past and really like them, even with kids. now a suede type leather

and we like....

but i always go with leather.

[NYC_SKP]

17. I'm on one now....Perfect for watching the STEELERS win the game!!! nt

[MajorChode]

19. I have a leather sofa and a microfiber sofa

Of the two, I like the microfiber sofa better.

I've had the microfiber one about 5 years and it resides in the kid's media room. They haven't been able to destroy it and it still looks brand new.

[Dappleganger]

20. Only leather for us...

we have four kids and pets and have pretty much trashed anything over the years which wasn't leather. If you have kitties you can keep them trimmed (we do), make sure the dogs nails are trimmed as well.

We have allergies so its the best way to go.

[MorningGlow]

21. One of the best furniture purchases I ever made

And we have three cats--with claws. Must be the type of leather or something, because I haven't had any negative experiences like the "not with cats" posters in this thread. One of our cats shredded our old (fabric) couch (all down the arms at the corners). When we got the leather couch, she headed straight for the same spot, tried to get her claws in, and couldn't. Gave up. PHEW. (So she now shreds our ultrasuede chair--that's due for a recovering soon.)

Plus, our current house has the old-fashioned windows that reach almost to the floor, giving our alpha male cat a view of "enemy kittehs" in HIS yard, so in his fury he sprays the side of the couch (which is in between/in front of the two front windows). No worries--all I have to do is use a cleaning spray--no stains, no odors.

This couch has survived not only the three clawed cats, but also a messy kid (now 5 and still making messes--just different kinds) and it still looks brand new. :thumbsup: for leather couches!

[Jamastiene]

22. As much as I love leather,

I'd still prefer a cloth couch. Leather is meant for jackets, not sofas.

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. I love my leather sofa - and no, it doesn't sweat. It's warm in winter, cool in summer.

And it's soft as hell and wonderful!

[buzzycrumbhunger]

24. I've got a whole set

of lovely, chunky chestnut leather and love it. Yes, you have to keep your cats trimmed and spritz bitter apple on the corners if you're training a puppy, but they look pretty much like new after almost 10 years. I can't say I've done much maintenance on them, either, aside from having them sealed at the beginning.

Only regret is they don't smell like baseball gloves forever--or I just grew immune to the smell.

[Zuiderelle]

25. Wouldn't it be freaky if leather couches really did sweat? It would be like they were alive ...

or something. They definitely don't sweat. In fact, they are much more comfortable, in both summer and winter, than fabric. If anything, I would be more concerned with human sweat getting absorbed into fabric than by leather sweating.

[harmonicon]

26. I don't like them - that's my opinion

[many a good man]

27. I don't like the flart sounds it makes when you're wearing shorts

Leads to much undeserved embarrassment. Other than that, they're really cool.

[mnhtnbb]

28. Lots of different grades of leather. Hubby has a soft leather sofa

in his office and it's very comfortable. My son has two very soft leather sofas (one love seat)
and loves them. They are terrific for napping and can be comfortable for overnight guests.

If you do have cats, I'd advise against the harder leathers because they scratch very easily.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

29. They are the best if you have pets

My cats don't claw furniture, so we don't have to worry about that. However, we do have Border Collies that often throw their muddy selves on the couch. It's nice having something you can wipe down and have look like new.

[flvegan]

31. Vegan here...sitting calmly, biting his tongue.

[A-Long-Little-Doggie]

32. We have had our leather sectional since 1989.

2 rowdy boys and 4 dogs later and people still think it looks new. I have definitely gotten my money's worth.

I know where the chewed off corner is (Stash! Bad dog!), but people can't really see that.

Cool in the summer, can be chilly in the winter until your butt warms it up.