Leather sofa with children & animals?

[PerfectlyChaotic]

Just that really...is it a bad combination, or is leather pretty resilient? We've just finished a long overdue living room redecoration and the battered old sofas are spoiling it somewhat!

I've seen some gorgeous leather sofas but feeling rather nervous about spending a not insignificant amount of money on furniture that is at high risk of drinks spillages and cat claws.

My leather sofas have stood the test of time, dogs, kids and a dyspraxic son far better than any fabric sofa we have had. I do use proper leather wipes and every now and then give them a wipe with some leather cream and never use baby wipes or any other cleaner on them. We also bought the best quality leather we could afford rather than the entry price stuff.

11 years, 2 children, 2 cats and a very mucky tradesman husband later my sofa finally is starting to look worse for wear. Will 've buying leather again, the idea of cleaning fabric horrifies me!

We've just replaced our old leather suite with a new one exactly because it's so easy to keep clean with pets and young children.

My leather sofas are soft and matt and used to look lovely.

This weekend DS1 left crisps on one of the arms overnight (not in a packet) and I now have oil spots all over the arm. It won't shift with leather cleaner and so I suspect we are stuck with the spots now.

How annoying Atticusclaw... Maybe the spots will sort of wear in a bit eventually?

My theory (correctly it seems) is that leather should be more hard wearing. However DH imagines one cat scrabble & they'll be ruined! The ones we're looking at are lovely & soft, sort of aged look (i want to say annine leather?) - more forgiving? Or maybe we stick to the battered ones for the time being? Honestly, feel as though we could make a decision on a house more easily!

That's what we have Perfectly. They were lovely until the crisps (and the hairballs/cat puke, scratches down the back and various other unidentified marks). Mind you mine are ten years old now and so they have stood the test of time in that respect.

I wanted a lovely velvet grey chesterfield sofa when we moved into this house . I discovered I was pregnant just before we moved in so we got burgandy leather instead, which is no where near as nice but a gazillion times more practical.

It's withstood a DS, a dog and two cats so far. Another newborn on the way so a long way to go before I can have the lovely velvet I dream of.

Ooo, yes...grey velvet would be stunning here, but couldn't begin to contemplate!

Do your cats ever scratch at the leather? Ours have destroyed the arms of our current sofa, but haven't touched chairs in different fabrics... And what about when they jump on and off? I realise I soubd slightly obsessed but I can't beat the thought of more destruction!

No they haven't touched the leather at all. In fact they refuse to sit on it and will only curl up on a cushion or blanket on the sofa.

Ohhh, I dream of something like a grey velvet. However, even if I lived a alone, I need to remember I am currently lay on the sofa with a glass of red and a bowl of crisps & hummus on the cushion next to me!

Look how pretty it is. Sigh.

We had a lovely leather sofa delivered and before DH came home from work to see it for the first time, my beloved ginger cat had clawed one of the arms.

I forgave him, not sure DH ever did.

Nooo, nooo...I don't know what I would have done.

GoooRooo that is indeed as beautiful as it is terrifying!! And LMGTFY I'm feeling slightly envious...

No leather here, I hate the feeling, but we have a cat. Previous cat ripped the leather chair to shreds literally. When we changed the chair DP chose an other leather chair (sigh). Let us just say it did not stay new for long.

It's funny. Our cats have never scratched the sofa, but have shredded the end of my lovely new bed!

Fabric is easy to maintain but you need to choose wisely. Darkish colors and strong fabric. Present sofa is over 25Y and besides the place were DP rubbs his feet it looks pristine. We regulaly eat on it and its easy to clean. Every few years I rent a steam cleaner to freshen it up. We went sofa shopping and the sales man showed us that some fabrics endure 20 000 rubs and others 130 000 rubs and it's not a price thing it has to do with the visual effect people want. Material has to be 100% synthetic and with short/no "hair" for easy cleaning.

LMGTFY, the things we endure for our lovely creatures!

Kids fine. Dogs probably fine.

Not cats..

sigh Methe and I so wanted posh new sofas ????! LMGTFY, yikes re bed...what fabric is it? Strangely our cats don't touch one of our chairs, which is more velvety (& staying).

I have the same dilemma at the moment currently have leather sofas and have seen lots of gorgeous fabric ones that I really like. Then I think about spilled drinks, cats and kids and just don't know what is best. I worry that every time the cat jumps up it will catch the fabric and cause pulls.
Also how easy is it to clean a fabric sofa should the worst happen and drinks get spilled.