Corner sofas can be a great design solution; there is no doubt about that. But today, we will take a look at one particular category of this type of furniture – leather corner sofas, and see why they are so popularly chosen by people for their living rooms and lounges.
Leather corner sofas combine the benefits of sectional sofas and leather furniture. On one hand, corner sofas offer a range of benefits. They come in different designs and can have a varying number of modules which can be combined and rearranged as per your taste and requirement.
For smaller rooms, sectional sofas placed in the corner can maximize the use of the available space and provide adequate seating options. For more spacious rooms and living areas with an open plan, sectionals can be used as freestanding furniture to distinguish the kitchen from the lounge area, while at the same time keeping the space airy and open. And for more compact areas with an open plan, a corner sofa with a chaise section can work out really well, as it will have no backrest or armrests that could be a visual obstruction, and that opens the space up.
On the other hand, leather as a material for sofas has quite a few benefits, too. Perhaps the greatest of them all is the durability that it renders to the furniture made out of it. Leather is easy to clean and maintain, too. Surely, a leather sofa may be quite a costly purchase, but you should consider it rather as an investment, as it will spare you the need to go out on a sofa hunt after just a few years. Furniture made out of leather can last long years and still look great.
However, there are a few considerations to make when deciding what exactly you should purchase. Firstly, there are multiple designs when it comes to corner sofas, and secondly, there are different types of leather you could choose. Let’s see what you should give priority to.
A Few Questions You Should Ask Yourself
When selecting your corner sofa, make sure you think of the following things pertaining to its design.
Would you like your sofa to be the centerpiece of the room?
Corner sofas can usually sit 4-8 people, which means they are quite big and can easily dominate the entire room. This gives you a chance to make a statement through your sofa – a leather one can help you make an even bigger design impact.
Could you put it in the center of the room?
As discussed earlier, it is not obligatory that a corner sofa goes into the corner. Depending on the available space, you can put it in a central position, too.
L-shaped, C-shaped or curved?
You are not limited to designs with a right angle between the sections only. There are also C-shaped and curved options, which can create a much cozier atmosphere and are ideal for socializing.
One-piece or modular?
There are both fixed and modular designs available. The latter can offer you a lot of flexibility in terms of different arrangement options and are also easier to move around the room and even bring into the room initially – you’ll have to maneuver a lot less if you have two or three modules rather than a single big piece.
Could you use an extra bed?
That’s another great thing about corner sofas – there are sofa-bed designs which can come in very handy if you have to accommodate guests overnight and you don’t have enough beds. Even if you don’t need such an option at this point in time, think a few years ahead – it may be very useful then.
What about the Type of Leather?
Apart from the design features, the type of material used is the next big consideration when selecting leather corner sofas. You can choose from the following leather types which have different qualities and costs.
Bonded Leather
Bonded leather is created through mixing fibers and leather scraps together and bonding them with different adhesives. This type of material contains a varying percentage of leather fibers, thus some experts do not categorize it as real leather. However, it has its advantages as a material used for making furniture: it is very durable, hypo allergenic and quite a lot cheaper than genuine leather.
Full Grain
This is a type of leather which is made by just removing the hair from the animal hide. The leather is then soaked in a natural dye, like aniline, and usually not treated, finished or polished any further. Thus it retains its original texture. This leather variety tends to feel and look better with time, but that also makes it the most expensive type of all.
Top Grain
Also known as corrected grain or pigmented full grain, this type is the toughest as it is taken from the outer hide layers. It is usually treated or buffed in order to remove imperfections, unlike the full grain. This type of material is soft and long lasting, and it falls in the higher price segment.
Split Grain
After the top grain is removed, the rest of the hide that remains is what is called split grain. It is cheaper and harder than full grain, but it is more fragile and prone to damaging in case it is not properly handled.
Nubuck
Nubuck is basically top grain rawhide leather from cattle, which has been buffed or sanded on the side of the grain. It has a look similar to that of suede or velvet. A finishing agent is sprayed on the exterior, thus this leather type has a more uniform look. Nubuck is cheaper than full grain, but when used for furniture, it is not as durable and requires more maintenance. For nubuck to keep looking good, it requires treatment with waterproofing agents.
Bi-Cast Leather
Bi-cast leather is a split grain with a color polyurethane sheet glued to it. It looks like top grain, but it is much cheaper. However, it doesn’t age well – it can crack and peel over time, which makes it quite a bad choice for furniture.
Faux Leather
This is not really leather. Faux leather is made from plastic or rubber-coated fabric or other synthetic materials. Recently, there has been a great improvement in the technologies used to make faux leather. It is quite durable and looks almost the same way as genuine leather does, and it is the cheapest of all leather types.
As you can see, there are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing leather corner sofas. They combine the advantages of sectional sofas with the durability and style of leather, so if you choose one for your living room or lounge, you will certainly not regret it.
