A Brief History Of Leather Couches

Leather couches are a trend of the late-twentieth and early-twenty-first centuries, and serves both comfort and style.

The leather couch in general is an article of furniture providing the space for two or three people and has armrests and sometimes accompanying pillows. Commonly flanked by two end tables and fronted by a coffee table, the couch is the central part of the room in which it is placed, usually the living room or den. Leather couches are typically made from cushions sewn over with sheets of leather or suede, a tougher, courser form of leather.

Many different types of couches exist: divan, chaise lounge, canape', sofa-bed, and the two-person loveseat. These are distinguished by style as well as purpose, but all are for comfort and style, just like the leather couch.

History of the Leather Couch

Originally the throne of an Arabian ruler during the Age of Antiquity, the couch was essentially found in only the homes of elitists. Leather couches, per se, didn't exist at that time, but the style and comfort that leather couches would serve as a status symbol was considered at that time as well. The wealthier men in Ancient Roman society used to lounge back on the couches while the women rested in regular chairs.

It wasn't until the Age of Industrialization in the late nineteenth century that couches were introduced into lower- and middle-class homes. The comfort with which the couch had so long been associated was no longer exclusive to the upper-class. As a matter of fact, a leather couch would be expected in every household; without it, the home would seem empty, incomplete, bland, and even lacking in comfort.

In modern times, the couch is central in family life, such as at TV time and social gatherings or parties. The leather couch itself actually turned into a trend during the 1960s through a preference to leather and leather products, such as clothes, and became the "in" thing. It was as if one wasn't "with it" unless a leather couch was in that person's house. With the "funky" furniture styles of the 1970s, such as beanbags and lava lamps, leather couches were almost a necessity. Nowadays, leather couches are common and even popular, both because of style and comfort, not to mention the image one gains by having one.

Leather couches have become an ongoing trend that every home or office naturally acquires. Most doctors' offices have leather couches now. Society and the fashion world have become obsessed with the look and feel of leather, and almost to the point of neuroticism. They look cool, they feel great, they make one seem sharp and chic, and they're easy to clean. Leather couches, like all things leather, are here to stay!