I sold my leather sofa last year and I had a couple people come out to look at it. I remember one woman lifed the cushion to verify that it was the manufacturer I said it was. Now your first thought might be, why not believe what the seller tells you? Well, you'd be surprised how clueless some are, if not downright deceptive. And not till it happened to me did I take that seriously. I asked one woman who I was considering buying a piece of furniture from who it was made by and she gave me a name...but she was wrong, she only remembered the first letter and then made the rest up according to whatever famous name she had heard of! I thought it was a big name brand and then came to find out it was a no-name. Ok, getting back to my sofa...the woman checks the tag (make sure it hasn't been cut off). I thought she was only interested in the label but she was also looking for a leather swatch they sew into the sofa seat. She compared that swatch with the cushion to make sure it was the original color (no one had tried to dye it) and to see how much it had faded. Then she asked if she could have a tiny piece cut from the swatch so she could take it home and see if the color worked with her decor. So you might try that IF you find a sofa you like but you're unsure of the color. Had she asked for a cushion to take home of course I would say no, I may never see that cushion again! Once you buy it you can't return it so you have to be certain the color will look good in the light of your house. Lighting plays tricks on color, it could appear different in your house. Companies like Ethan Allen don't use 8-way hand tied anymore so don't think you're getting an inferior product if that's not how it's constructed. I remember when I was shopping for the leather sofa one of the marks of quality was how many pieces were sewn together to make the sofa. Cheaper leather sofas have what looks like a patchwork of strips sewn together. This probably goes without saying but people who looked at my sofa didn't do it....sit on all the cushions, not just one, because owners tend to sit in the same spot most of the time (especially in my house where one cushion offers best TV viewing!). It's the only way to know if one of the cushions has been "broken down". This is why I periodically swap the cushions around so they get uniform use.

Lukkiirish, I am lucky in a way. I don't get tired of furniture I like. Once I get a room to look the way I want to, it stays that way. As long as the furniture looks good, ie., not worn out or ugly, I'm happy. My tastes have changed over the years, but even those changes are at least a decade apart. It's the same with colors I like -- except that I usually like them for years before they become a popular color, and then I tire of them. I'll be perfectly happy to live with this living room for a very long time, as long as I get furniture I like and use colors I like. I do have a yearning to get a chair upholstered in bright orange, but I am talking myself out of it. I never liked orange until this year, and I think it is just a phase bought on by seeing orange furniture in beautiful rooms in magazines. I don't have any decorating talent at all. I should have because I feel unsettled if a room does not look well put together. The room I have to work with is ugly all by itself, to me, but I am going to do my best to make it look its best. Thank goodness for helpful people like you -- I'd be lost in a quagmire of questions otherwise. This is the first time I've been able to start with a clean slate and buy furniture I actually like a lot. Luckily, my living room is small, so I won't have to spend a fortune. You know, I have wondered about the leather and microfiber questions for years, which is why I finally decided to just ask here. I appreciate your help!

2-1 sounds good. Thanks! I typically try to work in odd numbers but was having a problem seeing the overall picture since I had so many pieces about. DH said he didn't care if I painted the bookcase. Thanks Franksmom! I'm hoping that the wall color won't be too dark for her tree mural. I don't want to go too dark on the leaves. That bureau looks totally different from when I bought it for $10 or $15 7yrs ago. It was burnt orange w/ big wooden knobs. I bought new glass knobs and glued on the 2 wooden decals. DH found small wheels at his shop and put those on for me to raise the height to a more comfortable changing table height for us. Jerseygirl - well you know the adult rocker needs to have the seat reupholstered and I've been going back and forth between cream or blue. Maybe a print w/ both colors? Her curtains are a natural muslin color w/ pom pom trim and her bedding is almost he same color as the wall w/ a brown toile print and a cream matelasse quilt. Soft pink sheets. Bumblebeez - that is an excellent point about focal points and I didn't want to take away from the bureau by adding too many painted pieces.

(I recondition old pocketbooks as a hobby - so take all advice below in that context ) don't use show polish, it will transfer where you don't want it to go. If not soon, then eventually. I would first try conditioning this yourself - if you're near a Tuesday morning, they sell leather CPR - a product I like a lot - no silicone, so it won't cause issues with the non-leather stitching. There are thicker products as well for the more worn areas - they are more expensive, and will require a lot of work to massage them in (it's hard enough on a purse, I can't imagine on a sofa) I think just trying the conditioner yourself (especially if you can re-stuff yourself), will be an easy DIY. It might be that the leather is just dry, and conditioning it regularly will help that. ETA - what dye did you choose? I have heard good things about Wood-N-Stuff, Fiebings is definitely a mixed bag.