apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

no leather. ever. :(

I am sitting on my microfiber couch right now. Sweating like crazy. Not a fan.

I'm sweating on my microfiber couch right now. Not a fan.

You are blessed with the "luxury of choosing what you like", which means (probably) that you don't have kids or pets. Go for leather, in years to come, you'll be glad you did. Sure the microsuede is awesome and feels great, but a soft, buttery, leather couch is second to none. The microsuede can be provided by throws or pillows.

I've had a microsuede couch for years and i love it... but darling, loyalty will end the minute i can get my hands on a leather one. Leather is a bit harder and more labor intensive to keep due to humidity and heat where i live, PANAMA (of course, with no air conditioning, which is my case). But i know people who have them and they just absolutely love them.

I too recently looked at a sofa that only came in microfiber when I wanted leather. I thought leather would be a smart choice because I have cats and they are death to my regular sofa. I've seen cats also be drawn to leather but I thought anything was better than fraying a sofa. I put the microfiber swatches on the couch and my cats wouldn't touch it. I then started to spill things on it and it's so easy to clean! I'm really impressed with microfiber and a microfiber couch will be my next purchase!

we have chocolate brown microfiber sofas, and while they are easy to clean, it changes the texture slightly. i havent noticed it on the cushions- but the armrests aren't quite as soft anymore (not noticeable though). we have discovered baby wipes work wonders for spot cleaning (we have a messy toddler), and once in a while i will throw the cushion covers in the wash on delicate with very little detergent and hang dry and they come out looking brand new, feeling soft, and retain their shape.

we are actually in need of another sofa because we moved into a larger house and have a living room and family room so eventually we will be looking for either leather or something with a tailored slip-cover so i can clean it all in one shot.

the microfiber does clean up nicely and is comfortable though.

depends on your lifestyle and tolerances. "fine" leather won't hold up as well under normal wear and tear (and still look showroom perfect) while pre-distressed leather (rugged browns, reds, etc) will age more gracefully. kind of like a pickup truck -- a ding doesn't matter, but get one on your roadster -- another story. looks like the turquoise leather you're after is more of roadster... so, in this comparison (imho), microsuede will take a beating and look better longer (again, depends on use, tolerances, environs/living-situation). true, leather will wipe off easier, but think about sitting down on that turquoise smoothness with rivets on your jeans or keys on your belt...

I have microfiber only (oh, i should have put that in caps) ONLY because I have a dog, two kids, their friends, lots of traffic, etc. It really is easy to clean, very easy. You just swipe it with a damp rag and VOILA, gone! But I never thought I see the day, when I saw that stuff first hit the market, dream of me buying it. But I did overlook the leather because of my noted situation (tears, scratches, pen marks, whatever would make my blood boil) and caved. Everyone in the house seems to love it and it is stone colored and looks clean and beautiful!

When my PB barn couch gives out... I'm so back to Leather! I love it!

I actually just traded in a leather sofa in favor of microsuede one. I actually find the microsuede more comfortable. I find that my skin sticks to leather more when I sweat (despite what the first commenter said...I'm confused about that because I have completely the opposite experience). Also, the microsuede is standing up very well to my beer-drinking boyfriend and my butt-licking pit bull. =)

Not a fan of unnatural fibers, especially the ones that are trying to mimic natural ones. Natural things seem to age with dignity.

Maybe ask a few cows jammed in trains on their way to the slaughterhouse where they will be stunned (if they're lucky and it works), hung by their legs and sliced open. And the ones waiting in line get to listen to all the screams of their fellow cows. If that works for you then go ahead and get leather. My vote is for microsuede.

cruelty-free microsuede!!

I vote for leather. I have a fabric sofa, that I hate because I am always afraid of spilling red wine on it....life would be so much easier if I had a leather sofa.....just my opinion.

latinwaterpolo, Folex takes out red wine. I saw someone spill a glass of red wine on white carpet and (of course) was horrified, but the hostess was very calm, squirted on Folex, and voila, it was gone. I've seen it at my local grocery store. I'm not the least big afraid of red wine anymore.

We've had microsuede couches for several years. Even with a dog and a kid, they look great. I'd get them again.

I think leather is beautiful but microfiber is definitely more cruelty-free, but I've arrived at a compromise:

Buy vintage leather furniture.

1) It's beautiful (by vintage I mean it's well-made, not junky).

2) It's a reuse-reduce-recycle thing. No new cows getting slaughtered, no filling of landfills, etc.

3) Its beauty is in its distressed, vintage look. So if it gets more distressed, no problem! If it doesn't get more distressed, no problem!

Although I would not choose either one, I voted for leather due to it's timelessness.

In a few years, Microfiber upholstery is going to say "Late 2000's" as badly as pastel abstract print sofas say "80's" and Denim and Khaki sofas say "1990's"

Is microfiber the same as ultrasuede? If so...

I got ultrasuede 4 years ago because I loved the feel, but now I'm over it. I don't like how the color changes when I rub it and whenever I get up there is an imprint of my jeans left behind. I think my next couch is going to be regular fabric. I'm relatively clean so it's not a problem. Between the two options in the question, I'd get leather.

suede is more comfy - not so cold!

"I find that my skin sticks to leather more when I sweat"

Not all "leather" is equal.

Aniline leathers are breathable, warm and soft to the touch and they don't stick to you.

Bycast leather (the cheap stuff - including IKEA and cheap Chinese imports) is ground up leather scraps mixed with synthetic polymers - It's just barely not vinyl, but it acts like and feels like vinyl.

I'd go with the leather, as long as it's good quality leather, as said above. A good sofa is expensive, there's no hiding that.

Why didn't you put the "fabric" option ? A lot of sofas come in either leather or fabric. Fabric is not a bad option if you can take it off and wash it.

If it is a nice leather, then go with that. If it is a cheap leather, I would say the microsuede. Cheap leather is so uncomfortable, and it seems like it rips easily.

I really do not like that color leather. I prefer leathers in natural colors like black, brown, tan or white and sometimes red. Aside from the color, I prefer to sit on a fabric sofa vs a leather one. It's just more comfortable.

I would go with leather. I think it's practical (I have both a dog and a cat) but as others have mentioned, it also has a timeless quality. In a few years when the next miracle fabric comes along, microsuede is going to seem so 2009!

i always prefer natural material, like a natural cognac or tan leather ... it is timeless ... and will age beautifully. actually one of my childhood dreams that when i get older and be a billionaire, i'd get a chinchilla fur upholstered sofa. lol. just a dream thou.

i tend to not follow the trend of "new" men made material.
imagine formica counter ... linoleum floor ... vinyl chair ... and men made things are not biodegradable.

imagine looking at ur family picture 20 years later and see that microsuede couch ... u'd be like ... *rolleyes ... ew ... that's like so 2000s ...

opps ... i just realize i repeated many of the same things others already mentioned.

I would choose microfiber - that's mostly because I'm not a fan of leather. I so just imagine the animal sitting there.

My own skin tends to stick to the skin of the dead animals leather is made of. Leather isn't even an option.

I think that it's to do with the style of the sofa. The ones shown in the pictures say it all. The second one will be better off with a leather surface, while the first one will perhaps look nicer with a canvas kind of finish.

personally, it really depends what grade of leather it is. if its a high grade and really soft and you DONT have pets or kids or a worry you will scratch it, thats great. but if you compare that to microfibre, the microfibre is more durable.

if its a low grade leather, it will look like a low grade leather. so id probably do fabric.

jK, as a former chinchilla owner, your childhood dreams break my heart lol

chinchillas are the softest, sweetest beings ever.

oh yeah, my vote is with Ivan Chan, for vintage leather. its a win-win situation.

i have a microfiber sofa now, we got it as a hand me down, and i'm kind of so-so about it. i don't like the imprints it leaves. i don't like how after vacuuming it, you have to swipe your hands across it to make sure the fibers are all going the same way, or it looks like some kind of weird shadowy stripes.

2 times a week vacuuming my microfiber loveseat(apparently I shed as much as a pet), but the leather sofa only gets a quick wipe-down and yearly moisturizing.
If company is coming I have to set aside time to vacuum that thing and then give it a quick brush so it doesn't look like vacuum lines all over. It is comfortable though.
In the winter leather can be cold at first to sit directly on, but I will suffer a few seconds vs hours any time.

bepsf's comments about leather are right on the money. Choose top grain aniline dyed if you're going for leather. Some places use the bottom part of the hide which is not the same level of quality. You also want leather that is dyed through, not just painted on. Give the leather a fingernail test and see if the scratch shows. Based on the dye process, you may wind up with scratch marks.

As for microfibers, not all are created equal. It's ideal to have something with a mix of synthetic and natural fibers. Yes, polyester is strong and resists water based stains beautifully. It also pills and is a nightmare with oil based stains (polyester is made of oil so it holds oil--like moisturizer, hair product, grease from food). If you get something that's a blend of fibers it will give you the best of both worlds.

girlfriend, leather shows scratches and gets punctured -- and then you're screwed. It can't be repaired, it will just bug you until you get it recovered or buy a new couch.

Does anyone have experience with Restoration Hardware leather? Where does that fall on the quality scale? How do you know if leather is analine?

I'd never choose leather, I consciously buy cruelty-free products, and I don't buy the argument that leather is fashionable or will remain fashionable and microfiber will be outdated. I used microfiber on the furniture where my pets naturally congregate most, and I've been very happy with how it wears and cleans, the bonus is they can't get their claws through it! If you're choosing microfiber, find the heaviest you can and nothing with a stretchy fabric backer, I don't have any problem with it in warm weather. I then use natural linen for the other furniture and prefer fitted slipcovers (I make them myself) that I can wash regularly.

I recommend reading Cradle to Cradle by McDonough, we've come to the end where Fashion dictates what we buy and we buy without thought for the lifecycle of the product, the thoughtful consumer is the one who's beginning to drive the marketplace (thoughtful meaning examining all aspects of the product's production - and - its end of life disposal/recycle before buying). There's a lot of McDonough YouTube clips if you want to get a flavor for the Cradle to Cradle concept. One clip was featured on AT on Earth Day - but - don't watch the short version of that because the longer is so much more effective.

Microfiber is amazingly stain-proof. So much so that I didn't think twice about flinging chocolate pudding at my husband (funny!) and getting it all over our sectional. It cleaned up in just a matter of minutes! Red wine was fine too, although that might be affected by the color fabric you choose.

And cat puke. No problems with cleaning up cat puke.

I just spent 2 months waffleing on this same question. I finally opted for leather.

My rationale was 1. leather much easier to clean, 2. good leather is practically indestructable, 3. leather is classic and microfiber will be dated.

Since you're looking into leather to start with, chances are that cruelty-free doesn't really matter with regards to your purchase. But it sounds like you found a sofa whose design and form you like even though it's microsuede. So what's more important to you, the shape or the textile? In an ideal world we'd find a sofa that meets both criteria so you can probably keep shopping until you find one that fits both your preferences. But if you really love this sofa and it's just a concern about how to clean microsuede, I'd say go with it. You may not be able to give it the quick wipe that you'd give leather but based on comments from micro owners here, it's manageable.

Does anyone have the Westwood Couch from Room & Board (the brown couch featured)? Is this a good quality couch?

PS I have dumped an entire glass of red wine on my medium-brown microsuede from C&B and it came right off....awesome!

PPS I'm pretty interested in the talk about different grades of leather, that would be an interesting post on its own. My first leather couch didn't seem like that great quality leather which maybe is why I hated sitting on it so much. The experience turned me off from leather in general, maybe I will try again someday when I can afford a nicer leather couch...

Leather, definitely. Get the highest quality leather you can afford and that is available. It cleans easily, smells great (TMI?) and always looks great.

I agree on the "timeless" look of leather. It has a presence and weight that you just can't find in other materials.