Leather Furniture 101: Your Guide to Leather Grades

Whether it’s traditional, contemporary, or button-tufted and vintage-inspired, leather furniture has long been an investment worth making. Leather is elegant, comfortable, and durable, and only gets softer and more luxuriously supple with age. “Leather furniture has always been a classic,” says Homedit founder Stefan Lucian Gheorghe. “Although the designs vary the same as styles, there’s no doubt that leather furniture can look timeless without much effort. But there’s more to worry about [than] style and design when buying leather furniture. First of all, you should make sure it’s genuine.”

The Stowers showroom is home to thousands of leather furnishing options, from 100% genuine leather sofas to great-looking faux headboards and storage ottomans. Read below for tips on identifying the various types of leather, and to see how the sought-after material can be rendered into a number of different design styles.

“Once you decide to go with leather, you’ll quickly discover that there are different types of leather and dyeing processes that affect its quality,” explains interior designer Laura Oglethorpe. “Top-grain and full-grain leathers are the highest quality; they’re made from the outermost layer of the hide, which is the strongest part.” Corrected grain leather and nubuck are the other two classes of unfinished leather. Corrected grain is the most common leather type, and its surface is sanded to reduce the look of natural imperfections. It can also be dyed and embossed with a fabricated texture, like this striking Bernhardt nightstand that’s wrapped in hornback crocodile-embossed leather or this fashionable Caracole armchair featuring a sharkskin-style shagreen panel.

Nubuck leather has a buffed and sanded grain to create a plush suede appearance that’s soft to the touch. The velvety material is favored for its rustic sophistication, and delivers an air of polish in any form, from top-stitched accent pillows and cushioned chairs to compact benches upholstered in denim suede.

Treated with a protective (and waterproof) top coating, finished leathers are equipped to stave off the harmful effects of daily wear and tear, and are also easier to clean compared to unfinished. The editors at Better Homes & Gardens note: “Keep in mind that added finishes and surface pigments aren’t necessarily bad. In addition to lowering the cost, they also increase the uniformity of the color and provide superior resistance to fading, scratches, and stains. In other words, perfect for rough-and-tumble family use.”

Family-run after three generations — and one of our best-loved brands — Hooker Furniture handcrafts classic leather furnishings marked by eye-catching treatments. Take your pick of Chesterfield sofas made from distressed Malawi Tonga leather, carved leather swivel chairs finished with rich black paint, and roomy recliner sofas with hand-wiped finishes.

There’s a perfect piece for every interior design aesthetic here at Stowers. And if you’re looking for something more custom, ask us about the endless possibilities available at our Design Center. With complimentary assistance from our in-house design team, you can browse a multitude of materials and colors to build furniture that’s as unique as you are. Visit us in San Antonio today and we’ll be happy to help you transform your house into a beautiful home.