Like every other big life investment, buying a leather couch for your home will require careful planning and consideration. What room does the couch go in, and who will use it? Do you have kids and pets, or do you need a living room centerpiece? And what’s your home’s style?
All these are important questions that you should ask yourself to help you have a rough idea of what kind of couch you need before starting the shopping process. Beyond the basics, you should also arm yourself with knowledge of what describes and defines leather furniture. For instance, what is full-grain versus top grain leather? How can you tell how the leather on a couch will wear over time?
Don’t feel overwhelmed by these questions. We have prepared a guide that will help you choose the best leather sofas for your house which will prove convenient especially if you want to buy online.
Graining On Leather Sofas
Graining refers to patterns or markings on the surface of a hide, just below its hair. Full-grain leather is sourced from this top layer of a hide – this is where the graining is tight, durable, and moisture resistant. The price of full-grain leather is based on its natural characteristics, durability, and how it develops its beautiful patina over time.
Top grain leather is a lot like full-grain, except its top layer has been carefully buffered and sanded to diminish its markings and imperfections. Top-grain leather also offers you a more uniform color.
Bonded Leather Couches
Bonded leather couches are made of pieces of hiding that have been blended, forming a seamless piece of leather material. Bonded leather is sleek and durable. It works well on couches placed in high-traffic areas like the dining room and living area.
Aniline On Couches
Aniline dyeing is a process where leather is colored with transparent dyes. When choosing leather sofas, full-aniline, and semi-aniline, you’ll find two options. Full-aniline-dyed sofas have pleasantly soft leather and haven’t been treated with a protective coating since it would alter the leather’s natural feel. The dye adds a thin and protective topcoat to the hide for semi-aniline sofas. Semi-aniline dying provides the leather with a uniform color and protects it from staining and wear.
Natural Markings On Leather
Leather, unlike many other sofa fabrics, is a natural material. Therefore, no two hides will ever be identical in markings and color. You may receive a leather swatch at the furniture store to use for color reference. Pull and stretch that leather swatch. It will give you a sense of what the leather will look like when it’s upholstered onto a leather sofa furniture frame.
Buy Your Leather Sofas Today
Like your best leather jacket, leather chairs and sofas will only get better with age. Once you land on a piece, you will love it even more as it ages, months, and years down the road. Simply do diligent research, consider your options, and you’ll have your dream leather couch in your living space within no time.
