When you have leather furniture, you have something in common with primitive man, whose furniture used animal skins. Our ancestors wore fur as a by-product of using meat and other parts of the animal, since fur was readily available and had kept the animal warm and comfortable. But those who buy leather furniture nowadays consider themselves sophisticated men. Leather furniture is expensive and sends this message: “Yes, I have money.” Because of the cost, and because such furniture has a unique look, feel, and character, the people who buy it tend to keep it forever.
If you buy it and keep it, you’ll want to understand it and know how to maintain it. Owning leather furniture and placing it in a room in your home means that everyone who visits your home will lay eyes on it. Wherever you place it, it becomes the centerpiece of the room. Your appearance will haunt the viewer’s opinion of you and how you maintain your home. If someone who knows leather looks at your furniture, they will discern the quality of what they have identified as the showpiece in a room. The finest leather sends a fragrance to the nose, is soft to the touch, and if new, does not sag or crack.
Tanning processes have improved to make modern leather furniture stronger. But, if you own old, good-quality leather furniture, the appearance of cracks on it is to be expected and acceptable, because they are like wrinkles and worn scars on the face of a person who has lived a long and interesting life. Tip: Don’t try to convince someone who knows leather that their new, cracked furniture is like an interesting old person.
Visitors want to sit on your leather furniture. They can ask permission. They may wait until you are out of the room and then do it secretly. They could because it is an available place to sit in the room when people have taken the other seats. The wise owner of leather furniture assesses his visitor as soon as he enters the room. Does the visitor have anything sharp on their clothing that could cut through the leather? Are the visitor’s clothes soiled? Does the visitor have food or drink in hand? If the answer to those questions is “No,” many homeowners will invite their visitors to sit down so they can watch them. It’s best to keep club soda or a recommended cleaning solution on hand to remove any staining material (such as wine) as soon as possible, if necessary.
If you’re new to leather furniture ownership, educate yourself on the three main types of tanned leather used to select the one that’s best suited for your room, and deliver the statement about yourself you want your visitors to receive. #TAG1writer.
