Leather furniture

[metallicat]

Can someone run down some basics about leather furniture for me? I am looking at buying a couch and a chair, but really have no idea what to look for and how much I need to spend to get quality stuff. Or better yet, what should I try to avoid when buying leather?

[CaptainCrunch]

Make sure that they rip the skin from cows with simple names like Bessie and Dutch.

No one wants a couch made from Hermaphrakliees.

[Locke]

Make sure your furniture is treated so that the hair grease from your Mulleted friends doesnt stain.

[Buzzard]

Lots of leather actually has the color painted on it! Make sure it is dyed leather. Go for thick leather. And good cushioning. I have 2 different leather sets. One is crap, and the other one is really good, by Natuzzi. Very good quality, super comfortable but a little pricey. Worth every penny. 3,000 is the start price for a high quality couch. Check out the Sears Outlet store on Deerfoot, you can get good deals on fine furniture there, you just have to keep going back till you find what you want.

[vanisleflamesfan]

The two big things IIRC are the quality of the grain of the leather on the 'seating surfaces' and whether or not the other surfaces of the chair are of the same grain. For example, some of the less expensive chairs will use a poorer quality leather on the sides and back. This won't make much difference if the leather is dyed a dark colour, but often if the chair is light or a natural grain colour, the differences in leather quality will be visually evident.

Obviously, the most important thing is the quality of the grain on the seating surfaces, as this is the leather that is going to get the most wear. If you want to save money, get the best quality on these surfaces and less quality on the sides and back.

I hope that makes sense.

[GrrlGoalie33]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

Check out the Sears Outlet store on Deerfoot, you can get good deals on fine furniture there, you just have to keep going back till you find what you want.

The Sears outlet is gone. I believe they closed the doors today. The one from downtown is moving up to Deerfoot and the outlet mall is moving to greasertown.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by vanisleflamesfan

The two big things IIRC are the quality of the grain of the leather on the 'seating surfaces' and whether or not the other surfaces of the chair are of the same grain. For example, some of the less expensive chairs will use a poorer quality leather on the sides and back. This won't make much difference if the leather is dyed a dark colour, but often if the chair is light or a natural grain colour, the differences in leather quality will be visually evident.

Obviously, the most important thing is the quality of the grain on the seating surfaces, as this is the leather that is going to get the most wear. If you want to save money, get the best quality on these surfaces and less quality on the sides and back.

I hope that makes sense.

Cheaper leather couches will often not even have leather sides and backs.

We got a sweet deal on some stuff at United Furniture Warehouse - Clearance section almost a year ago. Regular Price for large couch, two chairs and an ottoman would have been over 5000, due to a few "worn" spots, (probobly a floor model), we got the whole set for 1900. Thick Leather sides and backs. If we had bought "new" furniture, we would have paid aroudn the same amount, had much less furniture, and it would have been quite a bit lower quality, and less comfortable, and probobly wouldn't last as long.

[Buzzard]

[quote=Frankster;1213338]The Sears outlet is gone. I believe they closed the doors today. The one from downtown is moving up to Deerfoot and the outlet mall is moving to greasertown.

Where is greasertown?

[redforever]

Thick leather is not always the best leather. Some of the nicest leather is the buttersoft leather and you will pay top premium for that too. The quality of the leather will depend more on its processing and on its uniformity.

You also want to make sure that the frames are of good quality, kiln dried hardwood, springs tied and knotted. Check under the furniture, sometimes you can see the frame there. You would be surprised how much stuff is out there where the frame is made from particle board, or where the supports are merely strips of material, the same that lawn chairs are made from.

Do not buy leather chairs or sofas where the seats are sewn to the frame or where the back cushions are sewn to the frame. Those are of inferior quality - just ask yourself, if you need a repair to just a cushion, how will that be done? It won't unless you have the whole sofa or whole chair taken in.

Good leather furniture should also have good cushions. Ask the particulars about them too because you can get good cushions to suit those that like a firmer feel or a softer feel. Both the seat cushions and the back cushions should have velco strips on the back, to keep them anchored to the frame, so they don't slip around. Leather will do that compared to fabric furniture. Very good leather furniture will even have zippers on the back cushions to keep them anchored to the frame.

[Caged Great]

As CP's soon to be resident interior designer, there are some questions that need to be asked.

What type of budget are you looking at?
What type of look are you wanting (a really natural look with scarring from the actual hide, or more of a clean uniform look. They even have embossed leathers (with prints on them)

If you are wanting quality, the best quality is called top grain. It's the really natural looking one with all the scaring from the skin. It's the most durable.
Then you have full grain which is the cut of skin directly below the surface layer of the cow which is more uniform and even.

Anything that is labeled Genuine leather is actually 51% leather 49% PVC (Vinyl)

Make sure that it is dyed straight through otherwise it shows that the leather is cheap crap.

If you need any more info just let me know. I have a list of all the details in one of my binders.

[4X4]

[quote=Buzzard;1214014]

Originally Posted by Frankster

The Sears outlet is gone. I believe they closed the doors today. The one from downtown is moving up to Deerfoot and the outlet mall is moving to greasertown.

Where is greasertown?

300km due north. Aka Siberia. Aka Mulletville. Aka Perogyville. Aka Stabmonton.

[Buzzard]

[quote=4X4;1214153]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

300km due north. Aka Siberia. Aka Mulletville. Aka Perogyville. Aka Stabmonton.

Ahhhh...my wife..my lovely wife. You'll have to excuse her! She has discovered CP off topic forum !

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

Ahhhh...my wife..my lovely wife. You'll have to excuse her! She has discovered CP off topic forum !

This is a dangerous land friendo.....it would be unwise to let the inexperienced travel here without a guide.