Modern Living Room: Fabric or Leather Upholstery for Sofas and Armchairs

We’ve all been there: when it comes to furnishing a home, the first question is what style to choose for different spaces. On one hand, there are homes with ample spaces, abundant natural light, and clean lines, which are well-suited for modern decor. On the other hand, there are smaller, more intimate spaces with reduced lighting that call for a more classic style tied to tradition. In both cases, as well as the intermediate nuances, the living room plays a leading role. It is often the “business card” we present to our guests when they come to visit.

The decor of a modern living room involves adopting some unwritten but widely recognized codes that can be indicated as “guidelines”:

• Choose furniture with simple lines
• Prefer emptiness over clutter, leaving as much space as possible
• Use soft and uniform colors for walls and floors, but opt for vibrant colors in a rug or coffee table to add “character”
• Prioritize light (natural or artificial)
• Favor glass in decorative objects
• Focus on cutting-edge technology (large-format TVs, soundbars, voice assistants, LED lighting, etc.)

As the space for gathering and conversation, or relaxation and intimacy, a living room—whether modern or traditional—cannot do without the presence of sofas and armchairs.

The contemporary furniture market offers a variety of solutions for sofas and armchairs in a modern living room. There are 2 or 3-seater sofas, corner sofas, sofas with chaise longues or ottomans, with or without a mechanism to lift the legs for a reclining position, and many other configurations.

The variety in upholstery is also considerable, ranging from more economical models, typically overlapping with fabric options, to leather sofas and armchairs, which offer a completely different look and feel.

Statistics and market trends also confirm a steadily growing preference for leather furniture: +4.4% annually from 2022 to 2029 (source: data bridge).

Fabric upholstery is still among the most appreciated choices as it is versatile, comfortable, removable, and has simpler maintenance levels. Not to mention the level of customization you can achieve for your sofa in terms of colors and patterns.

Furniture with leather upholstery is often considered “luxurious” or at least of better construction quality across various price ranges, even among more affordable models.

Naturally, not all leathers are equal in terms of characteristics, quality, and cost. Synthetic materials such as faux leather, regenerated leather fibers, and polyurethane leather are also part of this universe, bearing little resemblance to genuine leather.

Moving up the scale, we find armchairs and sofas in split-grain leather, nubuck, or full-grain leather, where the pores of the animal hide are still visible.

However, the most commonly used quality for furniture is the so-called “first-grain leather,” which is highly suitable due to its soft and natural feel.

While sharing some common features, such as a significant water content (usually between 12% and 14%), promoting thermoregulation (and therefore preventing sweating), first-grain leather also comes in aniline and semi-aniline varieties, resulting in different resistance to stains, water repellency, and, last but not least, costs.

Given all this variety, we suggest that those who want to choose leather for the armchairs and sofas in a modern living room should seek guidance from professionals with considerable experience. This allows for a better understanding of the characteristics of all types of leather and a more informed choice for furnishing their homes.