Always dreamed of owning a vintage leather sofa or armchair but not quite sure how to fit it into your home? As interior trends come and go, there’s always a place for a trusty piece of leather furniture, and the key to keeping it relevant is in what lies around it. This is a real statement piece in a room so will likely require a bit of fussing and faffing (but isn’t that the fun bit?) to make sure that it lives in harmony with neighbouring furniture and accessories.
If this is the first time you’ve considered leather seating for your home, it’s worth us taking a moment to recap why you might opt for leather over other materials such as cotton or velvet.
What are the benefits of a leather sofa?
First off, leather is undoubtedly one of the hardest-wearing fabrics you could choose for your seating. This might be important to you because you have a four-legged friend who enjoys prime position in front of the TV, or because it’ll be placed in a more sociable area where it needs to be easy to wipe down. Hardiness aside, leather is also a fabric that gets better over time. The more lived in a leather sofa is, the more you’re rewarded with a beautifully soft, distressed look that stands the test of time.
So how do you style leather furniture in your home? We’ve pulled together our top tips to get the balance right.
Bringing leather into a modern home
Leather can get a rep as a “traditional” furniture choice – which in many ways it is – but this doesn’t mean it can’t be styled in a totally modern setting. Pair your seating with bold lamps, minimal side tables or on-trend rugs to surround your leather sofa or armchair with accessories that make the overall look feel current and considered. We also find that positioning some contemporary art above, or close to, a leather sofa helps to set the tone for the area – our Sofia Lind prints work particularly well for this.
Working with colour
Muted colour palettes are a failsafe accompaniment to leather, so monochrome and neutrals will always work well with this material. However, if you like to see colour in your home, then green is a great option to work with to keep things fresh and vibrant. Whether you bring this in with prints, accessories or plants, hues of green naturally lift the darker elements of leather and give it a more playful and joyful feel.
Mix and match
A leather sofa or armchair is an ideal choice if you’re looking to mix and match your seating. It works just as well paired with a muted linen as it does with rich, sumptuous velvets, so provides an opportunity to really get creative. A room full of vintage leather will feel overwhelming and dated but try adding one or two leather armchairs to complement modern sofa styles. Alternatively, you can pair our popular Vintage Leather Chesterfield Sofa with a colourful, cosy sofa for a cheerful and snug feel.
Where to place leather furniture
Versatility is one of leather’s strong points, so there aren’t many limits to where you can bring leather seating into your home. Aside from your main living area, leather works well in spacious hallways as a little stopping point to pop your shoes on or flop down and have a minute to yourself at the end of a busy day. We also love leather sofas in open plan kitchens as a sociable seating option where a few dropped crumbs or accidental spillages might be likely. Finally, if you’re looking for a seating option in the bedroom then there’s nothing better than curling up with a book before bedtime in a classic leather armchair.
Which wall colours work with leather seating?
The lovely rich, dark hues of leather look great against crisp white walls in minimal interiors, so don’t be afraid to bring the material into brighter, more contemporary spaces. Or if you love a traditional interior then leather looks right at home against a panelled wall, creating a more classic look but in an on-trend setting. We’d suggest staying away from colours with tones of orange or red in them as this can become too similar to the tones of the sofa and quickly becomes outdated, however rich blues and greens are ideal for creating a cosy atmosphere.
You can choose from a mix of leather seating on our website from lighter tan shades to darker browns. With sofas and armchairs in lots of different sizes, there are options to fit both wider spaces and cosy nooks. Whatever style you choose, we guarantee it won’t be going out of fashion any time soon!
