Every Cowboy Wants a Leather Sofa

Why do you think a leather sofa has such appeal to so many people? Is it the inner cowboy in people? Is it the classic good looks and inherent durability of leather? Could it be the amazing way that leather feels to the touch? I suppose it could be all of these reasons, and more. What intrigues me most about a leather sofa is the fact that it does have such a strong pull on many people. It's almost an emotional reaction that people get when they experience a leather sofa.

Go into a furniture store sometime and watch people sit on the leather furniture. You'll see what I mean. They ooh and ahh all over themselves, and with good reason. Leather appeals to us for many different reasons. Having said all this, lets take a look at some things to consider when shopping for a leather sofa.

First of all, leather is not absolutely indestructible, but it is extremely durable and long-lasting if given even a modicum of care. There are many high quality leather care products available to make this task simple and easy. If your furniture is going to be used a lot, especially by children, then leather is a great option for you. It may cost more, but it will last a lot longer than other materials.

True story: I have a cousin who's young boys took a knife to his leather sofa and just absolutely destroyed it. They poked probably 50 holes in it. Don't tell him I said this, but what in the world was he thinking letting those guys even have access to the knives?! I think he deserved what his couch got. When these sorts of oddities occur, there really isn't much that anyone can do. But generally, leather is the most durable material you can get a sofa in.

The second thing to think about when shopping for a leather sofa is the type of leather. If you are aware at all during your search, you will note that there are quite a few different textures and types of leather to choose from. The ostrich leather has that (in my opinion) irritating speckled or dappled look to it. I prefer something more smooth and even. Alligator and snake may make a great pair of boots, but when it comes to a leather sofa, these just aren't practical, or even available, for most. I suppose you could probably find one in this type of leather, but you would more likely have to commission a custom job to really get one made out of either one of these. And, for most people, this is entirely impractical and would be ridiculously expensive.

Regular ol' cow leather has enough variety of textures and dyed colors for most to find something they love. I like brown, my spouse likes black. I like smooth, my spouse likes a texture. The point is, with leather you have lots of options. What do you like?

Finally, consider my cowboy question above (wink-wink). Cowboys like leather. I don't care where in the country you live, you probably have a little cowboy inside you somewhere. Look at all the fancy businessmen walking down the streets of our big cities with their stylin' cowboy boots on. I guess I just think having a little cowboy inside is part of what it means to be American. And doesn't every American cowboy want a leather sofa? Of course they do!