Leather couch or couch-less living room?

[laurabfig]

Am I crazy to consider leather?  We just got rid of our old sectional b/c we need a smaller couch in our current living room in the house we rent.  I feel like leather might be easier to clean with kids...or am I completely wrong?

We'd get one on craigslist, so its not like we are going to spend thousands of dollars on it...

I'm also debating the idea of a couch-less living room.  The living room space in this house is just weird... does anyone have a living room without a couch in it?  What do you use for seating/lounging?  Tell me your set up.

[clutterwarrior]

We have leather couches with kids...I think they are very hardy and endure lots of beating!  Ours are actually light brown coloured but don't seem to show dirt badly...they can be cleaned with a rag and some leather stuff occasionally.

[skreader]

We've had a leather couch for the past 10 years or so w/ 2 kids. But, we do use couch-covers, which has helped to extend its life-time. It's also very good for changing the look of the room. We have a nice bright red one for X-mas and Chinese New Year. Then we have a couple of others, we change them every couple of weeks.

We  also were couch-less for a year or so when we first moved to our present flat. We had a wooden bench and 2 wooden chairs with cushions on them. It was OK, but we all missed having a comfy couch to sit on together, especially when we watched a movie.

Our couch is a 3-seater and we also have 2 stools and also sit on our carpets.

[elisheva]

We have a leather couch covered in thick saddle leather. The kids scratch it all the time and I can rub it out (or it just gets rubbed out over time). We also have a leather reclining chair - the chair isn't standing up so well, but the leather on it is fine!! We have 3 kids and a dog...

[artemis33]

Leather is very durable as long as you get good quality - the nice thick kind.  Our first sofa was cheapo department store leather and it scratched up very easily and couldn't be buffed out like the nice kind.

[accountclosed3]

we are probably not the ones to talk to, because we do not have any furniture in the lounge.

how much seating do you need? do you entertain in there as well? 

we are looking to make our lounge a bit more comfortable, and are looking for chairs like these: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Lounge-dining-hall/Chairs/Armchairs/auction-347464908.htm. we would just replace the cushions, then, with something that suits us. they have a great shape to them, and are really sturdy (in general). we like that era, too, but it's still quite modern, as well. well, it's mid-century modern, so of course. :D

anyway, that's us in all of our strangeness.

[laurabfig]

Originally Posted by zoebird 

we are probably not the ones to talk to, because we do not have any furniture in the lounge.

how much seating do you need? do you entertain in there as well? 

we are looking to make our lounge a bit more comfortable, and are looking for chairs like these: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Lounge-dining-hall/Chairs/Armchairs/auction-347464908.htm. we would just replace the cushions, then, with something that suits us. they have a great shape to them, and are really sturdy (in general). we like that era, too, but it's still quite modern, as well. well, it's mid-century modern, so of course. :D

anyway, that's us in all of our strangeness.

ooohh...I LOVE those chairs.  That could work for us.  The kids tend to like to lounge on the comfy couch though when watching a movie or even just reading.

So far I haven't found anything (chairs OR a couch) that I like on craigslist, so we're making due with the rocking chair and a chair that we are "storing" for a friend (which has been here for over 2 years!).  The living room just looks....weird, right now.  

Thanks for all the good advice about leather with kids too!

Keep the ideas coming!

[laurabfig]

forgot to add- yes we entertain/have people over fairly frequently b/c my husband works for our church and we use our home for meals, visiting, etc. a lot.  but i think entertaining could work without the couch...chairs are good for that.  but the couch is best for lounging at night to watch TV...which I don't do a lot but man it sure is nice to have a comfy spot when I do. :)

[artemis33]

Oh, I meant to mention before RE:  alternatives to sofas....I saw in a magazine a while back a living room where instead of a sofa they had a round coffee table and 4 wingback chairs around it.  I loved the look!  There is also the possibility of benches under windows or along walls for more seating as needed.

[Drummer's Wife]

We have leather couches (a 3-piece sectional in one room and a couch and loveseat set in another); with four kids, I am very glad we chose leather. They are really easy to clean, and no chance of anything seeping into the fabric. I think leather is best in cars for the same reason.

[Graceie]

I got rid of my couch well I was pregnant and love the space in my living room , we have a papansan (sp ? ) chair and a small simple chair that folds into a cot it works well although at times I think about getting rid of everything and just seting up pillows on the floor lol

[MamitaM]

I wouldn't buy new leather couches for myself, I'm a vegetarian and just don't think I could do it. I may consider second hand leather couches though instead of sending them to the landfill. I have a small 2 seater love seat and it works just fine for me.

I'm not sure the lay out of your room, but I kinda like the idea of 2 single bed pushed together in an L shape with lots of throw pillows on the back as couches.

[Brees_Mama]

I think leather couches would be really helpful since you have kids (easy to clean). You could always put some throw pillows on them, for variety.

Or a lounger.

[elsie]

We have had leather couches from Ikea for over 10 years and they have held up wonderfully with kids and cats. (The cats won't scratch them like every other piece of furniture)

Without the couch, I'd have no place to sit

[catscharm74]

We had 2 larger size comfy chair and then a small loveseat. It worked because everything easily moveable and interchangeable with other rooms. So much easier to deal with. If you like the leather look, think about 2 leather chairs. : )

[Lakeeffectsnow]

We left most of our furniture behind when we moved cross country with the four kids and the dogs.  When we moved into our new house, we didn't have much.  So we set up a twin bed in the living room with a huge pile of pillows, some bean bag chairs for the younger kiddos and a platform rocker.  We made do with that for several months.  It was a little odd at first, but I just changed the sheet on the couch every few days and the pillows were living room pillows, so it didn't look to bedroomy (is that a word?).

It's a big old house.  The living room is actually the old parlor and dinning room with the old pocket doors left open.  In the parlor part, we have a big coffee table with three large wing chairs around.  They are angled so they are near the fire place and that is flanked by two smaller arm chairs.  In the dining room part, we have the tv with a small leather couch (sits three) and two large leather ottomans.  If we are all watching tv together, we either drag the two smaller chairs over or the younger kiddos use their bean bag chairs.  I have to agree that I love the leather couch.  We've never had leather before and it's holding up very well.  We purchased our couch and one of the ottomans from Ikea.  The chairs we got  from a friend who was renovating her bed and breakfast.  I have slip covers on them, they are sturdy but worn. 

[rere]

How about a chaise instead of a couch?

[lucky_mia]

Leather holds up well with kids. I got a leather love seat and chair at the same time I got a fabric covered chair and a microfiber coach. About 7 years later, the chair and couch look trashed compared to the leather items that look as good as new even after a big dog, twin toddlers, food spills, pee accidents etc. They just wipe clean.

[lucyem]

I am the odd person here.  I personally prefer a good quality couch with a washable slipcover.  It fits my style of home and furnishings, easy to wash or repair, no animals involved, if I ever want a different look I just get a new slipcover made.  

We inherited a leather couch once and my dog ate a cushion.  The cost to repair it was not exactly cheap.  The cushion was attached and so the whole couch had to go to be repaired and then there was the issue of matching the leather.  The couch went to someone else who did not mind a missing cushion.  They used that spot as their book, stuff, bills, remote control spot.

[GearGirl]

I love our leather Ikea couch!