With the number of sofa materials available on the market today, finding the perfect one for your family can be a real head-scratcher. This article aims to break down the differences between the most popular choices – leather and fabric – to help you choose what will essentially be the centrepiece of your living room. Let’s dive right in!

Aesthetics

To most people, leather represents a more narrow look than fabric sofas. However, when you really stop to think about it, leather sofas can actually fit a wide variety of styles. For instance, if your décor leans more towards the minimalist bachelor pad vibe, a sleek leather sofa will really bring everything together nicely. On the other hand, leather sofas with chunkier frames can fit in quite nicely with mid-century furnishings, as they can exude an earthy, warm and familiar look and feel. Almost like slipping into your favourite leather jacket that you’ve had for ages.

Fabric (think: linen, velvet, printed cotton) is very much the same thing. Given the broad meaning of the term, you can see how fabric sofas are so flexible when it comes to matching your décor. You could go for a neutral linen fabric to match a monochromatic living room, or a gaily patterned slipcover sofa for more traditional appeal.

When choosing between the two on aesthetic merits, the most important caveat is this – if you are set on incorporating a pattern of some kind, or even just a colour that falls outside the traditional leather offerings – fabric is definitely your best bet. Otherwise, you really could choose either material.

Comfort

Given the climate of Australia, there is one really good reason to choose leather sofas – they tend to stay cooler in the hotter months! However, given its smooth and sleek texture, a leather sofa isn’t necessarily going to feel as cosy as a fabric sofa. If this is important to you, you can always layer on other textiles like a faux fur or chunky knit throw blanket and plush throw pillows for the desired effect.

When it comes to fabric sofas, the possibilities are endless. Personally, I love the feeling of velvet against my skin, but if that’s not to your tastes, then simply choose the crispier feeling of linen or printed cotton. The great thing about fabric sofas is that there truly is something for everyone when it comes to comfort preference.

Durability (Kids/Pets/Stains)

This is probably the most important consideration for most people, for good reason. After all, you don’t want to spend a whole heap of money on something that isn’t best suited to how you plan on using it.

Leather is usually the top choice when it comes to durability concerns. Firstly, the material doesn’t collect potential allergens in the same way that fabric sofas do. So if you have pets, you won’t spend ages trying to get fur and dander off your seats. Also, leather is fairly stain resistant and easy to wipe clean, making general cleaning a breeze.

Does that mean that fabric is the clear loser? Not quite. While fabric is more likely to trap pet dander and dust mites within the pile, they are actually more kidproof. What we mean by this is that leather sofas aren’t very resistant to a child wielding a pen or pencil! Since fabric sofas usually have intricate designs, your budding Picasso’s scribbles are less likely to show up on the furniture. Also, a neutral mid-toned solid is great at hiding wear-and-tear. Take it from someone who has a hyperactive 6-year old with a keen interest in parkour!

Maintenance

Leather couches are a bit easier to maintain on a regular basis, assuming they don’t come into accidental contact with any sharp objects (for instance, artistic children or cat claws). Typically, you just need to give your sofa a wipedown with a damp cloth, or with an approved leather cleaner. If you want to take it one step further, you could consider a good leather conditioning. Just be sure to make sure you get an expert to do it, since different leathers have different requirements.

If you opt for fabric, you should consider making the sofa a part of your regular vacuuming schedule – something a lot of people overlook! However, fabric sofas are relatively easy to clean as well. You can treat minor stains with a mild detergent, or take the covers off and drop them at the dry cleaners for the more stubborn stains.

These are probably the most important factors you need to consider when choosing the type of sofa you want to get. Now that we’ve broken down these differences, why not check out the myriad options that we at The Furniture People have for you! I’m pretty sure the perfect sofa is just one click away!