LEATHER CHAIRS

Is a real leather chair worth it? How do I choose the right chair leather?

We always frame this question in two parts: 1) what do you want your leather to look like the day it’s delivered, and 2) how do you want it to wear over time?

For delivery day, think about—

• Color. The most popular leather chairs are brown and black, but those aren’t the only ones available! Choose a variation on a neutral with a gray, a cognac, or a cream color, or be bold and switch to teal or wine—we have options from all over the spectrum!
• Character: Some leathers come with natural variations all over the hide: subtle areas of shading, even markings like scars and wrinkles. For some leather aficionados, this is really desirable. Others like their chair leather to look even and consistent from edge-to-edge, like the interior of a car.

For how it wears over time—

• Some chair leather evolves in a highly visible way. For a leather like this, time-loved color variations and even scratches are part of the charm. Think of how a bomber jacket looks after years of love.
• Other leathers are buffed, dyed multiple times for opaqueness, and given a protective top coat to help their appearance stay more consistent. Look for terms like “protected” or “pigmented” leather.

The right chair leather is the leather that performs the way you want it to. It’s often a good idea to see a leather before you commit to it. You can visit our leather library to order some free swatches, but if the swatch you want isn’t available, drop by a Design Center, where you can see a bigger selection up close.

Where should I buy a leather accent chair? Who has the best leather chairs?

We do, of course—at least, in our humble opinions! Our genuine leather chairs are covered with entire hides that our artisans cut and color-blend by hand. We don’t use castoffs (or bicast) or bonded leather, and we don’t cut corners by vinyl matching.

All of our leathers are tailored by hand over a durable engineered or kiln-dried hardwood frame (as a bonus, we source much of our wood from responsibly managed forests). We only use CertiPUR-US® certified foams that meet the industry’s highest standards for contents, durability, and emissions.

If you ask for nailhead trim, welt, or other tailored option, it’s applied by hand. If your leather chair has a wood or metal frame, it’s finished by hand. Something custom-made my master artisans takes time to create, but in our opinions, the results are worth it.

Why does part of my leather have a basketball look?

Hides can be smooth like a baseball or pebbled like a basketball, and you’ll often see both textures on the same hide. Dye can enhance the pebbled look, and some people prefer it. If you don’t like textural variations, make sure to tell your designer, so they can help you choose a leather that’s been buffed for minimal variation.

In the Design Center, I saw that your leather back cushions had hook-and-loop tape on them. Why is this?

Hook-and-loop tape keeps the cushion from falling forward when you aren’t using it. It’s just a little detail that keeps your leather chair looking shipshape.

Why are there denim panels on the bottoms of the cushions?

When you sit down on a fabric chair, the air can escape through the openings in the fabric’s weave. Leather isn’t porous in that way, so air needs a way to escape—so you don’t feel like you’re going to bounce off after you sit down!

Need one-on-one help choosing leather furniture? Click the Designer Chat icon, or contact your local Design Center—we’re happy to help!