The Fascinating History Behind Leather Couches

This blog post originally appeared on BuildDirect.com and was written by Anabelle Bernard Fournier

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Leather Couches: A Tour Through History

Imagine entering a living room with dark, naturally-colored leather couches. The effect is immediate: you have a sudden desire to run your hand along its cool, smooth surface. The leather gives in under your touch and makes that squeaky, satisfying sound. Yes, it’s real. And you want to stay in this luxurious, inviting room forever.

Leather has been used for thousands of years for clothing, armor and even as material for building tents in nomadic tribes. The techniques for transforming raw animal skin into supple material that was easily dyed, sewn and worn or upholstered have existed for just as long. It’s an ancient art, full of history and traditions.

The leather seat, whether chair or couch, also has a long and fascinating history. Did you know it has been present in homes for thousands of years?

There is proof that the throne of Arabian rulers was made of leather. Sitting on leather was his privilege and a sign of power and wealth.

In Roman society, you could find in the wealthiest and most powerful patrician homes leather lounge chairs. The men would lie back in them while they ate, drank and conducted business, while the women would sit on regular plain wood chairs.

Because of the amount of work involved in making leather, the material was reserved only for the elite. It was very expensive, and possessing a piece of leather furniture was considered a status symbol.

Leather Couches - Medieval times to the industrial revolution

This rather long period of time sees leather used in an increasing amount of household objects, including chairs and couches. The increase in trade between Europe and Asia and the discovery of America brought new kinds of furs and hides to Europe, increasing the interest in leather.

However, the leather-making process remained tedious and expensive, and leather furniture remained a luxury reserved for the rich. You would find leather-covered couches in the households of royal families, kings, and noblemen. Ordinary people would still have access to leather in the form of clothing and small accessories, but the furniture was out of their reach.

The industrial revolution and leather furniture

We all know what happened during that time: new machines increased production, and new techniques made the fabrication of everyday objects easier and cheaper. People started to give up making their own household items, as they used to do before and started buying them from manufacturers instead.

Leather didn’t escape industrialization. Although some steps still need to be done by hand, the discovery of new dyes and tanning techniques contributed to an explosion of leather goods, including furniture.

During the 19th century, the leather sofa began making its appearance in common, middle-class households. The leather seat was no more reserved for the rich and influential.

The leather couch became a symbol of comfort and “homey-ness”; a home without at least a small leather chair or sofa was considered unsuitable for receiving people. The addition of new colors and new hides made it easier to use leather furniture in a variety of décors. And the Victorians were avid home decorators!

The 20th century

As the 20th century progressed on, technology advanced and trade increased even more between countries. The leather couch remained an essential manly piece of furniture, usually in the form of the man’s easy chair, where he would sit after a long day of work. Leather couches served as the center of the living room, where the family would gather to listen to the radio, and later, to watch television.

In the 1960s, leather couches became a trend. Clothing and furniture designers began to use leather more widely, and leather appeared in colors such as white and bright green and red. The famous pod chair often had a leather lining inside. A home was not trendy unless it had a leather couch.

Leather couches and furniture today

Since then, the leather couch has retained its reputation of a premier, luxury piece of furniture. Leather furniture gives an instant boost of luxury and comfort to any living room and is still perceived as a status symbol, despite its democratization and cheaper prices.

Today, leather couches come in a variety of colors not previously imaginable: pinks and purples and turquoises and oranges. They are now as versatile as fabric couches and will fit any style and any décor. However, too much leather can look severe; you can soften it by using throw blankets and pillows in complementary or accent colors. Or you can hire an Interior Designer. 

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Do you have old leather couches, chairs or leather furniture that needs to be repaired? Contact the leather and fabric restoration specialists. 

How To Care For Your Leather Furniture

Purchasing furniture can be frustrating as well as exciting for many people. If you're like most of us, when the time comes to make decisions, you begin to have doubts about your choices. This is pretty common with leather furniture. We've gathered up the best leather care tips to help aid you in your leather furniture buying decisions. Have no fear! Make leather furniture purchases with complete confidence. 

The piece of leather furniture can really make a statement. 

Leather Furniture Myths Debunked

Leather furniture gets easily damaged by children and pets. No. Your leather furniture is as safe as any other furniture in the house. For an added layer of "piece of mind", you can choose a protected leather for your furniture, which has an extra finish applied to it to make it extra-resilient to potential hazards. There are some dogs that think the couch is their chew toy and some cats that assume it is their scratching post. That is a different issue altogether. The later issue can be resolved by making your own cat repellant spray. 

Leather furniture is too cold or too hot. No. You're basing your leather discrimination on your automobile's leather seats in a midwestern environment. Outside is typically either "too cold" or "too hot". Leather furniture indoors will remain pleasantly cool in the summer and warm to your body heat in the winter, with no harsh beginnings as your home usually comfortable inside. Our only tip may be to keep it out of the direct sun. The sun can both heat the leather up and make it uncomfortably hot as well as fade its character.

Leather furniture doesn't last. Negative ghost rider. Leather furniture (if bought at a high quality) is something you purchase for a lifetime. Since leather is a natural product, the process of aging brings out its natural patina. To some, leather furniture may age like a fine wine, bringing out deeper layers of beauty over time. Generally speaking, leather furniture is a sound home investment. 

Leather furniture is only for rich people. No. Though leather furniture may look luxurious in many cases, you don't have to be a rock star to outfit your home with it. Even if buying at the top-end of leather furniture, you'll find that it lasts much longer than fabric and be a much better value for your home. 

Leather furniture is too hard to care for. No. It's all in routine, just like your other household responsibilities. Leather is very easy to care for. You'll want to use a conditioner every 6-12 months and wipe up spills as they are occurring with a clean cloth. Avoid using abrasive cleaning supplies like soaps, detergents, solvents, etc. These will only leave stains and dry up or damage your leather. Saddle soap? Only for catcher's mitts. 

This brings us to the next section. 

Tips & Tricks to Care For Your Leather Furniture

Here are some tips and tricks for keeping your leather furniture beautiful and easily cared for,  for many years to come. ** Some leather comes with very specific cleaning and maintenance. Always be sure to consult the manufacturer's recommendations before following this guide. 

1. In normal living conditions or what the manufacturer may consider normal usage, all that should be necessary to keep your leather furniture in tip-top condition is a regular vacuuming in the crevices and a dry cloth dusting to remove direct and dust build up. 

2. Purchase a good leather conditioner (your furniture retailer can recommend one). Make good use of it every 6-12 months. 

3. Like any upholstery material, leather can fade if over-exposed to the sun. Protect your leather furniture from sun, as well as outdoor elements. 

Use a clean terry cloth to wipe spills and clean up messes.

Methods of Cleaning Leather Furniture

Just like bleaching your hair using self-tanning spray... always try any cleaning method in a hidden area first. You would hate to turn your plush burgundy office furniture blonde in one vigorous cleaning extravaganza. 

For minor spots and spills, wipe up any excess liquid immediately with a blotting sponge or clean absorbent cloth. If necessary, use a lightly moistened soft cloth with clean lukewarm water, and let it air dry naturally. If you're using water, clean the entire area where the spot occurred.

• Do not use soap or soak the stain heavily with water. This may cause more damage than the stain itself.

• Do not use cleaning solvents, furniture polish, oils, varnish, abrasive cleaners, detergent soaps, or ammonia water.

• For butter, oil, or grease stains, wipe off excess with a clean dry cloth, and then leave alone as the spot should dissipate into the leather after a short period of time.

• If the stain persists, it is recommended that a professional leather specialist clean the leather to avoid any potential damage to the leather itself.

• For minor or slight scratches on the surface, use a chamois or clean fingers to gently buff the scratch. If needed, moisten lightly with distilled water to work scratches out.

• Remember that leather is a natural product and requires some care to maintain the natural beauty of the hide.

• For cracks, tears, or punctures seek your local leather furniture restoration service to quickly fix the affected area and keep it from spreading to further damage.

Source: American Leather Furniture

Terry of Color Glo KC says "treat it like your own skin" 

Interior Design & Leather Furniture

Many people can't wrap their head around how to design their space with leather. They begin to feel like their home may be too "woodsy" or too sterile. Understandably, you've probably been to homes or cabins where this is exactly the case. Those are byproducts of home themes, not good spatial advice. 

If you feel like your loving that perfect leather furniture and you're now convinced that it's easy to take care of, but you just can't get your interior design thumb flexing, then hire a professional to help in your mission. We defer to a professional Interior Designer in Minneapolis. 

Leather Interior Design in Minneapolis. CW Lofts by Tiffany Hanken Design.