Leather sofas are durable, classic, and beautiful. Of course, you know that — that’s why you’re thinking about getting one! To help you in your search, we’ve put together a few things that will help you choose the very best leather sofa for your space.

General maintenance
First things first: the higher the quality of your materials, the longer they will last. It is so tempting to dive in after something cheap and trendy, but without the foundation of great materials, you’re looking at a sunk cost (editor’s note: I’ve bought $40 sunglasses off Instagram… they did not live up to the photos). While it’s tempting to feel that leather is a fail-safe solution, many options on the market are made from thin, low quality leathers that won’t stand the test of time. The type of leather determines the long-term look of your couch. Article deals in a number of different types of leather. Each treatment lends a particular “finish” and wear to the leather, and that treatment dictates how the leather needs to be treated once in couch-form. While leather doesn’t pill like a fabric sofa does, the quality dictates how a leather will wear long term. Cheaper or imitation leathers are likely to crack or fade — even with excellent care. To mitigate the risk of this happening, look for leathers that are marked full-grain, aniline, or semi-aniline. Avoid “genuine leather,” which is typically just layers of cheap leather bonded together with glue.

Treating spills
Spills are the inevitable nemeses of couches. You’re enjoying a nice pasta Bolognese when all the sudden your sofa is too. Regardless of your spill-type, blotting your leather sofa with a soft cloth is the first step towards rehabbing your couch. A leather is slightly more forgiving of spills than say, a fabric sofa. Because leather is considerably less porous than open-weave fabrics, gently mopping the spill goes a long way towards treating it. Taking good pre-emptive care of your leather will also go a long way towards ease of treating spills. When your leather is buffed, spills are less likely to get soaked into the pores. Additionally, different kinds of leather will take on different patinas over time.

Life factors
When it comes to getting a leather sofa, you need to consider your long-term lifestyle. Here are a few helpful questions:
Do you have pets? Secondary question: are your pets your babies? Being easier to clean, harder to stain, and more adaptive to a “lived in” look, we generally recommend leather for pet-owners.
Young children. This one doesn’t offer a clear Y/N, but asks you to consider your particular child: do they have a penchant for Sharpies? Choose a couch with flippable cushions. Are they prone to accidents of all stripes? Leather sofas will serve you longer. Do they oft-inhabit the room the piece you’re considering is destined for? If yes, please see questions one and two. While there’s no foolproof way to protect your furniture from the tyranny of toddlers, a damage-control plan is useful.
Please keep in mind that while leather sofas are a good option, they are still prone to staining and marking. The idea is that any stains or marks suffered by your sofa will add to its lived-in and loved appearance.

Leather sofas are an option both stylish and functional. Major bonus: here at Article, we have a lot to choose from.