We have rules - but no one pays attention - and I have given up. I live in a house of men and I have learned to adapt. I bought a cheap Dacor hard leather set from BJ's Wholesale for $1000 in 2005 for my beach house. We had just purchased the house and I couldn't afford more at the time. Considering I got a sofa, loveseat, and chair I figured it would not last too long but would give me time to save some money. It in no way matches the comfort or style of my 2 bradington young soft leather sofas at home (which 3 friends also bought after sitting on). BUT - IT HAS ENDURED BEAUTIFULLY. Hard use? You bet. I never fussed over the stuff, my kids and friends sit sandy, wet and lotioned. I have 3 boys who are HARD on furniture and who love to bring their friends to the beach house (last weekend we had 19 boys there so both the sofa and love seat were slept on). Any way - it works. My sister's newer white slip covered sofa is trashed. When this set goes (and I think the frames will go before the leather) I will get BY but I don't know about the soft leather. I would suggest you find the leather sofa you love - get some swatchs from the manufacturer, and rub them with water, sand and lotion to see how they hold up. Bradington Young sent me samples when I was shopping. Good Luck!

I just finished up recoloring the cushions last weekend so I cannot attest to the durability, but my gut feeling is that should hold up. My sofa is 17 years old and the leather was aniline dyed, so it had really faded. I had it in our library, pretty much unused for the past 7 years. We finally decided that the tthis sofa was way more comfortable so switched them out. While trying to find a sofa brand similar to our faded one I somehow ended up with the idea of trying to re-dye it. I sent the company a scrap of leather from under the cushions and ordered aniline recoloring dye (2 kits) along with a description of the sofa's condition. They ended up sending me the normal recoloring kit, but I figured they knew more about re-dying than I did (nothing) and that is what I used. My sofa's leather really soaked up the dye. The kit came with a sprayer thingie, but I just used a foam brush and spread and rubbed the dye around with a paper towel so it wouldn't look streaky. Most of the sofa took two to three thin coats. The dye is water based. According to the instructions, after about 48 hours, the dye is pretty much set. I did clean up a couple of small spots with rubbing alcohol about 24 hours later, and the coloring did come off that way. I rubbed and buffed with the conditioner after about 4 days and did not have any coloring come off. I have not spilled anything on it yet :) although water does bead up on it now rather than soaking in. The leather is still quite soft and while it feels different, it does not feel like it is stiff or coated, if that makes any sense. This photo is an in progress picture...the arm has been colored, the cushions have not

I have too many leather pieces..because it's too functional..so the plan is to start switching it for something at some point...:) Dislike when stuff is the same. Also, mad about velvet. But. I'm looking right now at two leather chairs my ex husband just gave me back, several years after they stayed at his place (his wife hates them, and I don't lol- they're also smallish and great footprint for our new living)-they're by Natuzzi, real Natuzzi and not their cheaper Italsofa line they sell in Macy's..and they are 17 years old..and now I'd say they at last really need reupholstering..but probably just the handles and the pillows..we'll see. and the color is off-white(yeah I bought them in off white when having a toddler and a baby..so they saw a lot, these poor chairs))..clean them professionally from time to time if they get abused too much, and they'll look like new again. Natuzzi gives you special leather care kit, but in several years, after markers and dysentery, in no particular order, you want to invite somebody who does professional cleaning. Silly me learned about this option too late..we had a sofa as well, and I cleaned it so hard I made a hole in it, after 5 years or so..)) This Natuzzi brand, they know their stuff(or knew, back in those days)..they have several levels of sturdiness, and great explanations about them, and it's custom made to your specs and colors, and it takes 3 months from order to delivery-but exactly three. A lot-but they're true to what they promise.

We have stayed in many vacation rentals and never choose places with dated, trashed looking furniture. That couch would cause me to scroll on by if I were looking online. We are willing to pay a premium for nicely furnished places and treat them respectfully. If you invested a bit in new furnishings, you could charge more and I’ll bet the place wouldn’t be as likely to get trashed. Don’t forget about the great leverage that a security deposit provides as well.