Fabric or leather furniture? Help me decide.

I like leather if it is good quality but DH hates it so we tend to have fabric. You can get a mix of fabric and leather with leather on the arms which are the areas that can get dirty. Suede effect fabric, usually microfibre is good and easy to clean.

Ps just paid a lot extra to have leather seats in new car but worth it.

Leather furniture every time - faux fur or fleece throws make it cosy. In fact I always wear leather when out with one particularly friend because I know her drink or food will somehow end up on me - she’s very messy ? beats the log-flume poncho ?

We have leather. I am dismayed by damage to one sofa (we have 3 leather sofas) by our cats, but then cats love to scratch fabric furniture. We are vegetarians and only chose our leather furniture when we discovered that the lower grade leather is a by product of the meat industry, so would exist without the furniture. The higher grades come from animals that are bred and killed purely for their skin.

Our leather is not cold or slippy. In fact, it’s very comfortable.

Car seat leather is different to sofa leather, in my experience anyway. Buying good quality leather sofas from reputable dealers will never slip or feel cold. Certain furniture stores I would avoid like the plague- especially those which always seem to have a sale on - if you know what I mean!

I always had fabric until 4 years ago when I changed to leather. You do have to be careful on the quality of leather. The one I have has a 5 year guarantee.Good leather does not need any treatment, only a regular dust or a wipe with a damp cloth to remove any mess dropped on it. Yes,initial seat can seem cold but only for a few seconds. In winter if room is warm, so is a leather seat. Wouldn't go back to fabric, all the cleaning and worry about stains just not worth it.

Oh how I wish I hadn’t got rid of my lovely leather sofa.

I got bored with it and decided to go for a fabric recliner one.
Big mistake, as it now looks a dirty shade of brown and it doesn’t clean up nicely at all.
If ever I buy new furniture again, it will be leather.

I have never had leather furniture as I find it uncomfortable and cold. However it is practical but seeing the number of very nice, newish leather sofas offered on Freecycle tells me that for many people buying leather furniture was a mistake.

Always leather for me as I think it lasts much longer especially if like me your apt to spill things.
Many companies offer a care and repair package that covers against stains, rips etc for about £160.
There are different grades of leather so worth discussing this.
I went to a well known store local to me rather than the bigger stores that are scattered around the country, and found the service excellent.
Take your time, and read the reviews.

Fabric! Leather is cold and slippery and I don't enjoy remembering where it comes from originally....but then I am a vegetarian........I hope you can end up with something you will enjoy. We just got a beautiful velvet covered sofa and love it!

I have leather car seats an wear a skirt. When the back of my bare legs touch the seat it's too hot or too cold initially then I have to peel off. Now sit on a towel

I remember buying a yellow sofa because my lads were teenagers thinking now they older I can buy these things. When it came it looked lovely and I could wash the covers etc. Was so excited and I said to my lads no shoes etc, blanket for our dog to sit on so no dirty paws. I sat down after hard day at work with my coffee and yes you guess it. Coffee slipped out my hand all over my new sofa lol. I’ve stuck to leather since then. Yes it’s cold in winter and sticky in summer but I have a blanket down. Grandkids can make as much mess has want it’s easier to wipe.

I have both. A leather sofa which I wipe over every week with a cloth and warm water. A chair and matching footstool which I had scotch guarded before it was delivered . I have a cat who has damaged the chair and stool a bit but not the sofa.

I have had the chair and stool upholstery professionally cleaned once in the last 5 years, brought it up well. Sofa is wearing well and leather is comfortable and not hot/cold . Material also very comfy so personal taste really.

Practically all leather nowadays has a plastic coating. I'd go for fabric, but loose covers which could be cleaned. If you buy IKEA there are several online companies which make covers to exactly fit their sofas; my Stocksunds have teal velvet replacements for the original sludge brown.

"As you say, leather is cold in winter or between seasons & sticky in summer. "
As counsel for the defence of leather furniture I can produce numerous friends witnesses who will affirm that their bottom has been neither cold or sticky when seated on my leather sofa. I use no throws on it - just a couple of cushions and it looks as good as it did over 10 years ago when I bought it.

Definitely leather for us. First had leather sofas when the children were small, we chose the ones DH fell asleep on in the showroom. Easy to clean and always looked good, even though they were cream. Current ones are 3 years old, look like new. We also have 2 Ekornes Stressless chairs in another room, we've had them donkey's years & they're SO comfy. Not tempted to revert to fabric.

Leather for me. We had a leather suite for years that lasted extremely well when DGC were small but decided on a change and went for a fabric one. Worst decision ever our DD had our leather suite and I love to go over to hers and sit on it. It’s comfortable but firm for my back certainly no slipping on it or legs getting stuck against it but as others have said it’s the quality of the leather that’s important. I hate the suite we have now and will revert back to leather as soon as possible.

I like both. I feel leather stays ‘cleaner’ but if you pick fabric pick something hard wearing and in a colour way/pattern which won’t show too much wear. We bought new sofas last year I. A velour type fabric which is very hard wearing and is a cross between grey and beige with a small self pattern and looks great with coloured cushions on. Very pleased with how it’s wearing .

I used to slip off my friend's leather sofa! Then one of her cats decided to use the arms for a scratching post - of course, very difficult to repair, so now it's covered in all kinds of fabrics to hide the damage - everything slides off it! Would get a hard wearing fabric that can be cleaned easily - that's what we have.

Simply cannot understand people saying leather fades and cracks. We've had ours for years. Its just like new. We even kept a chair and stool from our old house because it was too good to chuck. The leather is perfect. Its now 20+ years old. Thats despite our considerable weight being put on it and several generations of cats! As said previously, there's leather and leather. Don't buy the stuff with plasticky varnish on it.

Faux leather is cold, the real thing isn't.
I bought two refurbished chesterfield-type sofas of different sizes, but similar colour and style of an antiques man on ebay, rather than a new three piece suite - best idea I ever had.

Same here- trawling the internet & a few stores for inspiration! We are replacing a 20yr old leather sofa & chairs, mainly because it’s too dark for our north facing room after a move. Like someone else said I plan to lift the look of the room with a light fabric sofa. Should be watmer & lighten up quite a dark room. Leather has served us well, no problems at all, but it just won’t wear out and I want a chamge! Good luck!

Fabric. Tightly woven velvet. We have 6 grandchildren and two fluffy cats. Still fine after 10 years. Light scrub with Vanish occasionally and a regular vacuum.

Up until a few years ago I’d always had leather and loved it, then when I cleared my parents house, the £3,000 sofa was nearly new, showroom condition, but could I sell it?? I couldn’t give it away! So I had it recovered & although I love it for sentiment, I will never never have a fabric sofa agin!! Team leather here!

We bought Lazeeboy leather furniture and within 18 months the colour was fading on the ones we sit on all the time. Now my husband's chair is splitting where he rests his arm. Avoid like the plague.