Fabric - unless it's on an accent chair. Leather is hot (and sticky) in the summer and cold in the winter. Ever sit on a leather chair on a humid August day while wearing shorts? Ewwwww. Just my 2 c's.

I have sat on good leather and I stand by my opinion. UNLESS the leather is in a completely climate-controlled environment the "experience" of sitting on leather will change as temperature and moisture levels fluctuate.

Yes, leather will last longer than fabric. Never said it wouldn't.

The Harverty furniture seems expensive though its quality maybe (not sure) better than the other furniture store. Do you know any good furniture store (or recommend a good sofa) where I may see the better sofa and king size bed? I am looking for the sofa, bed, dresser and nightstand.

Before we bought leather furniture, I thought the same as bumble and didn't want to get it. But I was talked into it because all we could find when we looked was chenille stuff and it all looked like it wouldn't hold up over time.

We are in Central Texas with hot, sticky summers and our den is an add-on with no a/c, just a ceiling fan. The furniture is a bit cool in the winter until your body warms it up, just like crawling into bed on a cold winter night, and it is actually cooler in summer. I haven't had any problem sticking to it or it causing sweatiness. I don't know if it breathes because it is a natural product or why.

An aniline leather will breath the best and provide the best comfort, hot or cold. Semi-aniline provides better protection from stains and still breaths but not as well, usually by recommended choice if your budget allow. Next will be the pigmented grain leather, the most poplar for durability, but doesnt breath as well so depending on each individual, may or maynot be so comfortable. As always the bi-cast leather is just an expensive vinyl and not my recommendation at all. But on the fabric side a micro-fiber of a tight structure with some nap is tough to beat for price vs performance.

Leather by all means!luxury & comfort...

Fabric for me. The combination of fabric choice, a vast amount of styles, many colors to choose from, and the comfort of fabric is what attracts me. To me, leather is a tad boring.

If you have children or pets, I would be afraid of holes getting poked into leather. Just a thought.

It depends upon your style. If you have a traditional room--other than a den or library--you will probably want fabric. Leather sofas seem to be popular in big, open space houses with a casual feel to them. You'll rarely, if ever, see them in rooms that have a color scheme--and they are, by their nature, frequently bulky.

Leather last 4 times as long. It doesn't collect dust mites, assuming you get a good leather it is very resistant to holes and all in all is a much better investment.

Hi
Personally I prefer leather for the look of it. However, the leather eventually going to start cracking up and you will have holes about after a year or so..
It's just like leather car seats. In the summer it's too hot, it gets sticky because of the body sweats on it. In the winter it's cold!!
Cats love scratching leather. BUT..it's super easy to clean ;)

Coody, you will get a lot of answers one way or the other. Ultimately, it comes out to your style, budget, and what you're comfortable with.

Personally, I hate leather couches. I don't like the feeling of the surface on my bare skin and never get as comfortable on them as on fabric couches. A chair is ok because I don't want to settle into a chair as much. But a couch? That's for getting cozy and comfortable, and taking a nice nap in.

I also generally hate the look of leather couches, especially the giant, dark, bachelor pad monoliths that just take over a room so you notice nothing else. A slightly paler, clean-lined one with a warm, soft throw on the back would be slightly more visually appealing to me, but I stand by my dislike of them in terms of comfort.

I would say go look at both fabric and leather couches and consider things like...
Style-- What works best with your particular style? More importantly, what will work best if your style changes a bit or you bring in additional pieces? What size of the room are you putting it in (large, dark couches will make a small room feel smaller, regardless of whether they are leather or fabric).

Comfort-- Sit in them in the store. What feels most comfortable for you?

Longevity-- This will vary. Some folks have said leather couches last longer, but a good microfiber couch will last.
Also, consider what types of wear and tear it would be exposed to, like pets and kids, and compare costs of reupholstering each type.

You can always visit a store, try out different ones, write down names of ones you like, and take the list home to think about it/do some online research on the particular pieces.

I think a leather sofa is an excellent choice because of its durablity, easy to care and comfort. Fabric sofas are cheap in comparison to leather but you will not get such comfort in fabric sofas.

If you are going for fabric slipcovered is a good option as they are generally washable.

I got a leather sofa some years ago. Got cat scratched and then looked ugly. It was comfortable but I could not look at it any more, plus it was big and heavy and hard to move.
After several tries in fabric covered furniture, I have a slipcovered fabric sofa and loveseat, always looks nice, sits comfortable.

We have white leather...Italian...we have 3 kids... it has pen, marker on it, and i have to wipe it daily... It still is fine for kids because i can wipe it with a wet rag/spray it with cleaner and nothing ..i do hate cleaning between the cushions (its nasty over time). I'll stay with leather...but go brown next time around.

If you do have leaather you should make should you clean it with a conditioner. Once it is conditioned it is much safer to use an ink remover to remove ink. Otherwise everytime you use the ink remover it does remove a bit of the finish. You can purchase ink remover from Guardsmen or Guardian.

I wanted fabric, DH wanted leather. We bought a tufted back leather sofa. It is a very masculine look but I added softness with upholstered chairs that I pulled from another room. I find the leather very nice to sit on regardless of it being summer or winter and it holds up beautifully with two dogs. I still love an upholstered sofa but leather is so much more durable so I think it's an excellent choice for a home with pets or children.

I hate the slippiness of leather. Throws won't stay on it. I have a new Stickley Mission chair with semi aniline leather. Looks great. Would be very comfortable if I didn't keep sliding off of it. So glad my Stickley sofa is upholstered. Leather does stand up well but even painted leather discolors. My old headrest did, probably because of the med's I'm on. I have a great deep pile velvet sure fit loose fit cover on the sofa for everyday use. Take it off and it's a new sofa for company. The sure fit throw has silicon dog paws on the back for better gripping. No one has mentioned this undesirable trait of leather.

I've had both leather sofas and fabric ones over the years. As an intererior decorator, my personal preference is ALWAYS fabric. It just looks more inviting, stylish and I have found generally more comfortable. Leather is cold in the winter and can be sticky in the summer, even with the highest qualities of leather. I never really like the look of leather, it somehow seems like a style compromise in exchange for practicality. (with the exception of a nice wing back or club chair in gentlemans den). If your main consideration is for it to last a long time and be easy wearing, then leather is for you., but then who wants a sofa to last forever, it will be outdated and a leather one will look even more outdated. If you prefer comfort and style, go with fabric. Slip covers are an excellent option too. I'm also very conscientious about what chemicals are used in fabric and leather. Leather couches are generally more toxic and give off harmful chemicals that can take a long time to wear off. Choose natural fabrics like cottons and linens, they are more environmentally friendly and less toxic to sit on.

They are both fine. It's just a matter of taste. Leather does last longer and its upkeep is minimal. You can polish it easily and it retains its look. As it ages it starts to have more character. Fabric will eventually wear down and start looking dingy. Leathers can be soft or hard, depending on how it is treated. After those factors are considered, in the end it's whatever you like the look and feel of best. :)

Naturally I would suggest leather being a better choice not only for comfort but longevity. You will find with use, leather takes on a slight patina adding to its beauty. Leather will remain room temperature until you sit down and then the natural pores adjust to your body temperature. Leather is a natural product and stays soft & supple from constantly taking moisture out of the air like a sponge.

Top grain genuine premium cowhide will be your best bet to last decades and stand up to children and pets. Leather is best for people that suffer from allergies because leather does not hold odor or pet hair and spills are just wiped up. We already know the durability of leather because we use it on our best shoes, coats, bags and saddles.

Leather furniture comes in hundreds of colors and in a wide variety of styles that range from the traditional classics to today’s more modern designer looks. There are now leathers on the market with lots of character that resemble a piece of granite. These types of leathers need no accessorizing while a solid color may call for throw pillows to be added for additional interest.

Someone in this thread mentioned leather being slippery. Yes, if you buy leather that has a high gloss or heavy patina to the finish it will be slippery and slick. Most leathers however, are softer and almost feel like they are embracing you.

Leather is a great investment. Will last for decades with very little care and makes a statement in any room it is added. Naturally there will be differences of opinions about this topic so this is my two sense to the conversation. I feel leather and fabric can complement each other if done right.

We have leather and fabric. I like both. Our leather is made by Bernhardt and is 4 years old it isn't hot and sticky imo. It is in our family room which is air-conditioned. Our fabric sofa is 2 years old, it is comfortable and has held up well. Both look brand new as I vacuum them monthly with the attachment, and no one eats on them. I think our leather sofa will hold up to heavy use and our animals the best after a few more years. I really like leather the best, but fabric is so pretty.

Leather is a natural material & like cotton is breathable. It adapts to the temperature of the environment. So if the room it is in is cool the leather will be cool; if the room is warm the leather will be warm. I agree with Wellington's that the person who complained the leather is hot & sticky in the summer is having the leather adapt to the body temperature. What they call bi-cast or bonded leather will not be breathable like top grain leather as this is a thin layer of leather applied to a backing. The backing will not be breathable; these types of leathers also often crack, peel & flake

Both leather and fabric sofas have their own strong points but ultimately it does come down to your own comfort level. Before you go for one, I would suggest you go through the product details of both. I think the best place to view product details online would be the IKEA website. They have a wide variety of fabric sofas and leather sofas to choose from. Plus, they are all available in different styles, like U-shaped, 3-seat, corner, modular, and others. You can get a pretty good deal and product from there, so do check them out.