Have you noticed that through the years your decor choices follow your personality changes?
9 years ago when I had my first child I vowed to be that perfect wife, mother and woman. Dinner would be on the table at 5pm every night, I would raise children who had their hair in order, a clean face and certainly wouldn’t ever wear cartoon or superhero t-shirts.
Fast forward almost 10 years and that perfect life I thought was so important is completely unrealistic and ridiculous. (BTW, it was chips and salsa for dinner at 9pm). I’ve somewhat grown up (certainly have a long ways to go) but I’m realizing more and more as I strive for that fairy tale of perfection I’m missing out on the beauty of imperfection.
That was a long story to announce after years and years of defending my two white sofa’s honor I’m thinking about replacing them with something else (see here and here). I will go to battle and continue to swear up and down that white slip-covered sofas are totally doable (and gorgeous), even with 4 men in the house, I’m just ready for a change. Something a bit more relaxed and less uppity. A sofa that doesn’t make people gasp then try and hide their shock that a women with 4 children would make such an insane decor choice. Something you can lounge in and not be afraid to put your feet on.
Leather.
I realize leather sofas are on both ends of the spectrum. Many are completely hideous (but oh so comfortable). Leather is just sort of the yoga-istic place I’m at in my life. Sort of a … “Surrender control,” “That which is meant to be will be,” “C’est la vie,” mindset. That sounds more 70’s then Zen. Before you think I’ve totally lost my decor-chic mind (and my sanity) let me give you some visuals…
Source
Source
Are you a fan? Favorites amongst the mix?
Hey there! I’m Michelle; I’m an Passionate DIY’er and in constant pursuit of how to bring beauty to my house full of men (3 boys + 1 hubby). Stick around and see what I’ve got up my hard-working sleaves!
I love our brown leather sofa! I also have 3 boys and a lab dog and will definitely stick with leather, I love the look and yes it is very easy to clean. We have had ours for almost 10 years now and will probably need to be replaced in a few more years. Love these choices!
Completly and utterly in LOVE with lather sofas right now. As a mom of 2 boys the fabric couches just aren’t cutting it anymore!
We also have leather and I love it! Wipe and walk away. (Particularly, when your child throws up on it
Perfect for that reason alone. 🙂
I like 8 the best,but also 2 and 7. I do like chesterfields, but I think any other style with tufting on leather looks weird.
Number 7 is my favorite
Have you ever looked at housetweaking.com ? Your styles are so similar! And she has a leather couch to die for…
I love house tweaking.com! Recommend whole-heartedly. I like couches #1, #2 and #7. And just as an aside to the rest of us–make sure you NEVER buy “bonded” leather. It’s a terrible knockoff and snags like a polyester sweater. I bought a cute chair and ottoman on close-out and within a few years, the cat had “picked” a zillion little holes in it–and each one shows the tacky white lining. It’s ruined!
No bonded leather. Got it, thanks for the tip!
I’m going to third checking out Dana’s sofa at house tweaking, I think she even has a post several years ago about purchasing it, her choices, and what type of leather to look for.
We have a recycled leather sofa that feels like microfiber sorta, it’s soft and not cold, and I love it, I wish it was a little more stylish, but it’s so comfort and perfect for pets. It’s by flexsteel
I LOVE leather furniture! It’s allergy friendly, easy to clean, and very comfortable. It’s also something that I find people aren’t “nervous” to really get comfortable on because it looks so casual and inviting; we nap and prop our feet up on ours regularly. I really like the couch from Hither & Thither (first pic) because it has a very streamlined look. With all of the styles out there, I know you’ll find something that suites your style. Plus, adding pillows help if you want to “soften” up the look. Have fun searching!
Not crazy at all! Leather is stylish and practical – I’ve had various styles over the years and they just make sense. Here’s another nice option: http://www.urbanbarn.com/product/diego+leather+sofa+-+tan.do?sortby=ourPicks
Love it! That’s very similar to the one I’ve been eyeing at West Elm!
I have boys and a dog. I loved my leather sofa so much, I did something I never thought I do; I bought a leather sectional. After 1 day, my hubby asked, “Why did you wait so long to buy this?” When your boys are all over 5′ tall, believe me, you’ll appreciate being able to share the couch with them without being touched by feet. If I were picking furnishing solely on my style preferences, I’d have a house full of linen and white marble, BUT, I’m old enough, and have been a mom long enough, I’d rather have a house that I don’t have to be crazy over. I’m still a bit crazy- ask my kids- but some choices just make my life easier, and at this point, life is stressful enough I don’t want to have to be the overbearing mom asking my sons’ teenage friends to take their feet off my sofa. There are, thankfully, many more stylish choices these days that don’t scream lazy boy. Plus, there is nothing more comfy than the feel of a really soft leather. You’ll love it.
I wasn’t really into the idea of leather when we got our set 7 yrs ago.. But right after we got it i was the first person to spill salsa on it 🙁 boy was i glad it was leather.. I like all the pictures. I do like that ours has seat cushions that have velcro so i can remove and switch them around. Also ours is a deep seat and i’m short so i need a pillow behind my back. Ours is closer to #7. Love this color with gray and taupe/beiges. Can’t wait to see your pick. 🙂
Numbers 2, 3 and 4 are my favorites! We love our leather sectional with our two girls and dog!
Good post. I certainly love this website. Keep writing!
I love leather sofas. They’re so much easier to keep clean, always look good and warm up a space! I even have a club chair that I bought 14 years ago after visiting Paris and seeing vintage club chairs there. They just get better with age.
Love 3, 7, and 8. I’d advise against #4 though. I bought that sofa from JcPenney, owned it for 6 months before admitting I made a mistake and selling it on Craigslist. It was just NOT comfortable, at all. Even my 3 year old complained that it was “just too hard” lol.
I LOVE our leather sofas and they are so easy to maintain. My hot tip is to make sure the leather doesn’t scratch easily. Everywhere I went, I tried scratching the leather with my fingernail to see if it would make a mark. Even at some of the high end stores, some of the leather was just too delicate.
Great tip…I’ll start making an inconspicuous scratch next time I test-drive a leather sofa. 🙂
Ohhhhh, I dream of leather sofas!! So soft. So comfy. They look great, even when “broken in”. And muuuuch easier to clean up that my current microfiber. If I had a million dollars, I’d easily pick up my favorite – the one in the first photo!
Preference in order: Number 3 picture from the top, 8 and 4. I have 2 leather sofas and LOVE THEM. They are VERY soft and when you lounge on them, they literally suck the life out of you! Best choice of furniture I ever made. The softer the better!
Word of caution. . . . buy the 3 cushion seat over the two cushion ones. Reasons: When there’s two cushions, people naturally think it can only seat two people. Gives the look of a long sofa. And last, tall men can stretch and not feel squished(sp).
Luv your blog.. And all your projects. You are one talented lady.. I currently have a couch very similar to #4. I love the styling and the color .. What i don’t love is the button tufts at the seat.. I have 4 children, who don’t always eat at the table.. gasp.. i know. Anyways you would not believe the stuff that gets in and around those buttons and i have to vacuum it at least once a week.. Thats the only thing i don’t luv.. I’d do the couch again if the cushions on the bottom were just flat.. Just my 2 cents:)
I highly warn you if you’re going the leather route DO NOT buy a bonded leather sofa. Stick with genuine leather. We bought a leather sectional from Ikea several years ago. It was the most expensive couch from them at the time and was supposedly made to handle kids wear and tear. Less than two years into having the sofa we noticed the cushions peeling and getting sticky. Some parts of the couch even began developing these scabby looking holes it was a mess! Turns out the sofas were bonded leather! They advertised them as leather but omitted the bonded part such shady advertising on their part. We tried to return them but lost our receipt and there was nothing the store could do because discontinued the sofas. seriously the worst customer service ever. We know have a microfiber sectional that’s holding up well and I’m more content knowing that it’d be easier to repair should it be damaged compared to our last sofa. So please whatever you do get the REAL DEAL!!!!
We adore our leather furniture after making the switch about a year ago. So easy to clean and maintain, super stylish too. We have a few pieces from Restoration Hardware and can’t say enough great things about them, even when the leather appears scratched from our pets or kids it can be rubbed out and it adds to the character.
We have decided to go leather with a jute rug for durability in a house full of boys. I have narrowed it down to two options that looks extremely similar to RH at a fraction of the cost!
JC Penny Signature 108″ L/41″ deep sofa $2,800 (sale plus 25% off)
http://t.jcpenney.com/tablet/best-prices/signature-leather-108-sofa/prod.jump?ppId=pp5002650605
Value City Furniture Burnham- Mia Bella 96″ L/45″ deep sofa $1,500 (Reg Price) + has great chairs to match!
http://www.valuecityfurniture.com/living-room-furniture/leather/sofas/burnham-sofa/1610520.aspx
I was at a similar place a few months ago in our new home and I did a write up about leather sofas back then on my prior blog blondeandtall.blogspot.com. With a 4 year old boy, baby girl and yellow lab my obsessive compulsive self needed something I wouldn’t fret over. We live in the mountains so leather is a popular go-to anyways. My fall project list includes adding loads of layers to the sofas with pillows/throws, and rounding out the look with mixed side tables, lamps, etc. I went with Birch Lane’s brown leather option because I thought the price was great for the clean lined modern look.
Good luck! I’m happy with our choice-the only issue a few months in is some paw marks…but that’s life! And leather will look better with age…right?
I love the slightly masculine look of a leather sofa and the fact that it is wipeable is a huge plus!!
I love #4. I own one wingback leather recliner and one roll arm leather sofa. Both in different places in my home but I love them both. I wish I would have gotten a more modern looking leather but they are very durable. My sofa hasn’t held up as what I would have expected (seats are worn from over use) but for everyday purposes it has been fine. I would make sure that the cushions are removable. Mine are not and it makes it so very difficult to clean and probably the reason the seat cushions have worn faster.
We decided to go with a restorations leather sofa when we moved to California. However, the small beach house we have decided not to allow the sofa to fit in the door. I found a fun 70’s leather sofa on CL and decided to dye it myself. Leather Solutions in SF helped me out with my DIY project and the sofa turned out gorgeous!
Holy cow! You dyed a sofa yourself??!! I must see it! Do you have pictures?
I do. Where can I send them?
smhinckley at yahoo do com.
Sent. :0)
That’s hilarious because I’ve been shopping for exactly the same thing the last couple weeks! We just sold our home in Colorado and the buyers bought most of our furniture with the house, so we’re essentially starting over in the furniture department. When I told my husband I wanted a leather sofa, he looked at me like I was nuts! (He was picturing the large overstuffed leather furniture that is temptingly comfortable, but IMO, hideous) and seriously thought someone had kidnapped me and replaced me with someone else. (I’m a designer and he thinks I value form more than function most of the time…) But, I started showing him pictures similar to the ones you have here and he’s very much on board with this idea. I love the cognac-colored ones that look like they will just get better looking with time. Thanks for the round-up!
Too funny. My husband would have loved the large overstuffed (ooglee) sofas but no way! Your husband sounds awesome!
We did the Harding sofa from Room and Board in a dark brown and love it! It is so family & dog friendly!
I’ll have to check it out!