A sofa or couch is always the focal point of any living room and finding the right piece for your home can be a daunting task. Whether buying a leather or fabric sofa is the better choice depends on factors such as your lifestyle and your budget. Often how you envision the use of a couch now may change in the future. Therefore, you need to learn as much as you can about the pros and cons of each choice to find the best fit now, and for the years to come.
General clean-up and maintenance
The rule of thumb is that the higher the quality of the material, the more durable it is. Leather living room furniture will outlast fabric furniture by at least four times. Nevertheless, fabric furniture made of high-quality materials can last a long time with proper care. Cotton, wool, and linen are excellent options if you are thinking about getting a fabric sofa. Natural fabrics are more breathable and easier to maintain with frequent vacuuming.
With leather furniture, authentic is always best. If you buy a sofa made with low-quality or synthetic leather, it will fade and crack even with proper use and care. Top-grain cowhide is the best material used in making furniture so make sure that you find out the quality of the product and the manufacturer’s reputation before you buy.
Handing spills and stains
There is no doubt that fabric is more susceptible to stains and spills. Leather is a bit more forgiving but you should not let spills soak too long on leather as it may eventually stain. If you have pets or young children, perhaps fabric is not a good choice. Caring for leather is easy, but you do need to buff it once in a while to seal the surface and make it less prone to staining.
Comfort
Comfort is by far the most essential quality you need to look for in a sofa. In this case, it does not matter if you are buying one that is made of leather or fabric. Determining the comfort of a piece of furniture is an individual choice. Some people like softer cushions, while others prefer a firmer seat. Perhaps you want a shallower sofa rather than one that sinks? Ultimately, comfort is a highly subjective factor and the best way to find one that suits your preference is to test the furniture before buying.
Lifestyle
Factors that affect your lifestyle will also help guide in choosing between leather and fabric furniture. Some of the questions you can ask yourself are:
- Do you or any member of your family suffer from allergies? Leather is hypoallergenic and will not accumulate dust and other allergens.
- Do you have young children or pets? Leather is low-maintenance and eventually develops a lived-in appearance after some time. Nevertheless, fabric is still a viable option depending on your diligence in training your pets.
A sofa is a long-term investment. Choosing between fabric or leather is not only about aesthetics, but also the comfort and value it provides for your home.
To read more on topics like this, check out the home & garden category.
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