Contemporary leather furniture is wildly popular today because formal living rooms have gone the way of film cameras and landlines. We actually live in our living rooms and as such, it is important to achieve a high level of comfort while creating a snappy style.
For most families, a critical quality about new furniture purchases is the knowledge that the investment will last and stand up to use by toddlers, teenagers, pets, and Monday night football! Whatever is purchased, most people expect that they shouldn't have to worry about the visible results of normal wear and tear. At the top of the list must be contemporary leather furnishings for both design and functionality, because nothing is as disappointing as getting that first stain on a new piece of upholstered furniture. After searching high and low for the exact item that will work in your home, noticing a stain is like putting a dent in a brand new car. It hurts to see and it causes huge frustration.
What makes leather such a winning choice?
Remember, that leather is an organic material. Leather is normally graded in terms of durability, fineness and softness. Top-grain leather is made from the outermost layer of the hide, which is valued for its strength and supple texture. It is buffed and sanded to remove most of the natural markings and to enhance color consistency. You will note that leather is typically dyed all the way through the hide with a soluble dye that doesn't coat the surface like paint and therefore allows visible pores or scars to show through. It is then treated with pigment for added protection and color consistency. Run your hands over the leather and you experience warmth and smoothness. Fortunately, as leather is used it becomes even softer and more pliable. A well-loved leather chair is like a pair of old slippers and a welcome addition to the modern family. We use 100% top-grain leather on our product line.
If you start with a basic rolled arm, tapered wood leg and tight base, the major pieces will work with accent items. For instance, you might pair a Mission Style cocktail table and bookcase with a basic leather arrangement. Shaker Style or antique American oak accent tables could also be incorporated. A more exotic reach might be to introduce an Indonesian carved wood cocktail table or a Japanese tansu. The same guidelines go for area rugs that you can use with a leather ensemble. Consider the range from Chinese to Scandinavian to Afghan. Everything will blend.
Another way to coax your family room into functioning on a higher level is to introduce a leather couch with a built-in recliner section. Not only will you save space, you will create dual function that can be so important in smaller rooms.
One key attribute about the simplicity of contemporary leather furniture is that you can use it with a colossal variety of art and accessory items that will serve as counterpoint to the smoothness of the leather itself. Everything and anything from realistic and representational art to ethnic art or folk art can work. This is a boon if you have a collection of batiks or carved masks. Maybe you have an array of framed New Yorker Magazine covers. You can blend Impressionistic art, photographic art or framed objects with trouble-free leather furnishings.
If you are starting from scratch, just know that just about anything will work with your leather furniture. When you keep the color choice of your leather in a subdued natural range of tones, all sorts of color options for pillows are available. You can add texture and print fabrics too. In fact, it is advisable to introduce a little bit of pattern and variety to the solidity of the leather coverings. Don't be afraid to drape a wonderful, textural blanket over the back of your loveseat or sofa. Use a woven pillow with great detail on the front for spice. Seek out pillows with fringe details or a ruffle or flange edging in order to break up the smoothness of the leather. Play a little with the accents with the leather as the backdrop.
Not only is there an advantage when you choose leather contemporary furniture regarding flexible style, but the fact that you can actually live in your furniture delivers a level of customer confidence and satisfaction. Even a single person with no children and a dog must cope with accidents and spills that could ruin a fabric covered piece of furniture. The wise designer knows upfront that the fiber content of a textile must be appropriate for the ultimate end use. Fortunately, there are thousands of durable textile choices on the market, but leather stands in a category all its own. Never having to worry about spills? Priceless!