Leather Buying Guide

Leather has been a popular modern furniture material since the flowering of modern furniture design in the 1920s. As with wine, wood, or similar natural products, consumers shopping for leather furniture will be rewarded for taking the time to educate themselves about leather's idiosyncrasies.

Types of leather
One of the most confusing terms you'll discover when shopping for modern leather furniture is 'top grain.' A natural connection might go as follows: top grain = Top Gun = the best. But the term is decorative, sort of like when used car salesmen refer to their products as 'pre-owned.'

Top grain leather is also known as corrected grain leather. This is a mid-grade leather that has had the hair and associated skin removed. Top grain leather is given a false or corrected grain to cover this treatment. If you want the best contemporary leather furniture possible for your living room, you want full grain leather. Full grain leather retains the original grain surface and the animal's natural markings, offering greater durability and comfort. Another leather term you'll hear is 'aniline.' Aniline grades correspond to the use of finishing dyes or pigments. The very best hides are pure aniline, followed by full aniline, and then semi aniline, also known as aniline plus. Semi aniline hides are a step up from top grain leather.

If all those terms leave you confused, here's a simple visual rule: inferior leather will look stiff and heavily coated. Quality modern leather furniture will appear soft and natural.

Leather Care and Maintenance
Once it's in your living room, contemporary leather furniture will require care and maintenance if you wish to protect your investment. If your living room features a large window that permits a lot of sun, we recommend placing your modern leather furniture pieces out of the sun's path to minimize discoloration and fading.

Basic care of your contemporary leather pieces should consist of a quarterly application of leather conditioner and protectant as well as regular dusting and vacuuming.

As for leather maintenance, treat spills by blotting with a clean cloth. If a spill has set, apply a minimal amount of club soda and mild soap and rub it gently in one direction only. Permit leather to dry naturally. For persistent stains, use a quality leather cleaner.