Not all leather sofas are created equal. Let’s face it, there are some serious crimes against furniture out there. You know the ones I’m thinking about! But a leather sofa done well is a gorgeous investment piece and a showstopper for your living room. There’s just something about tan leather, be it handbags or lounges, that I’ve always loved. Read on for my top reasons tan leather lounges are a must-buy.
(Disclaimer: I do not currently have a tan leather lounge because I fell in love with a big squishy grey fabric modular with removable, washable covers. Yup, parent life!).
Leather lasts
Leather lounges cost you more in the first place but there’s no doubt they will last and, if cared for properly, could look just as good in a few years’ time as they did the day you bought them.
Tan leather is a classic
While other leather colours, like navy, might come and go, people have been making things from tan leather forever! According to the history books, tanning (which is actually the process of turning animal hides into durable leather) was being carried out by the inhabitants of Mehrgarh in India between 7000 and 3300 BC! It was only later that we started dyeing leather other colours. So, it’s basically been around forever and has not gone out of fashion!
Leather is wipe clean!
While you should always read your leather care instructions carefully and consider getting your lounge treated so it withstands spills etc better, the wipe-clean factor of leather is a godsend. I found this out when I had a newborn and spent way too much time expressing and then feeding milk to Sebby on my old leather lounge. I also spill a lot of coffee when I’m sleep-deprived. Say no more. Had that sofa been fabric we would have been in so much trouble! Every spill just magicked away with the ever-useful baby wipes! (Again, read your care instructions properly!).
Tan goes with (almost) everything
It really does though. Think of the multitude of colours which work well with tan: navy, cream, turquoise, orange, burgundy, green, blue! This gives you so many cushion options and means your lounge can last through a room redecoration and still work. And you can’t beat a sheepskin thrown nonchalantly over your tan lounge. Perfection! Tan is a neutral and while it’s worth remembering it’s a warm colour when working out what to pair it with, this means it is pretty easy to work into your home. There’s a tan hue for everyone, from the lighter, more orangey tan, to the cooler, browner version.
Tan leather gets better with age
There’s something about tan leather in particular that gets better with age as the colours change and it gets softer and more worn in. For whatever reason, tan lends itself to this ‘getting better with age’ thing more than other colours. And to come back to that handbag analogy, they can withstand a few imperfections, knocks and spills and somehow look better for them! I still have very fond memories of my tan Mulberry Roxy bag (I wish they still made it!); a seriously big purchase for me in my early twenties. I carried that baby to death, and it just kept getting better! While other lounges might start looking tatty, it’s quite likely your leather one will look better. Can’t say better value than that!
–All the sofas pictured are from LoungeLovers’ new range, available online and in store. They use top grain Italian leathers.
Photography: Kristina Soljo | Stylist: Corina Koch
