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Aged or smooth, natural or dyed, leather promises a long-lasting relationship. As household materials go, it’s one of the most durable, versatile, and of course, beautiful.
Better yet, it improves with age so you know you’re buying something from an investment. In a rich tan, leather accents add vintage vibrancy and a luxurious touch to any room.
Alternatively, you can create a fresh contemporary look by choosing pieces in smoky blue, ash gray or pastel green, with a matte finish rather than a glazed, glossy look.
Relax: Heal’s Altamura sofa in old England blue soft Italian leather will be a chic eye-catcher in your living room
“Leather is the essential ingredient in defining a style,” says Martin Waller, founder of Andrew Martin.
“From battered vintage to sleek Italian modernism, from mansion to Manhattan penthouse, leather is the ultimate signifier.”
Sit down
You can go big and invest in a leather sofa. Today’s designs go beyond the polished Chesterfield you might see in the lobby of a country hotel or dirty gentlemen’s club.
Think of contemporary shapes and compelling colours. In addition to natural caramels, shades of brown, dark brown and black, there are plenty of brighter shades.
The Altamura sofa in Old England Blue soft Italian leather will be a chic focal point in your sitting room (from £2,849, Heals).
Or if you stick to natural tones, the Barbican Demetra light brown sofa is a bestseller at John Lewis (£2,249). Using leather accent chairs in the dining room is also popular.
Oka reports an increase in sales of leather dining chairs – almost 50 percent more than last year.
You’ll have to make the painful choice between the matte shades, including aged truffle, Chinese clay, ash gray and smoky blue leather. Mixing and matching colors is of course always possible. (Stafford seats from £475, Oka).
The Narwana lounger, £595, combines distressed black iron with soft, subtle leather
If you’re looking for casual seating, the Narwana lounger combines distressed black iron with soft, subtle leather, handcrafted from goatskin, a by-product.
The leather is dyed with vegetable extract and tree bark (£595, Nkuku).
Don’t limit your leather seating furniture to sitting and dining rooms. High leather bar stools add character to a kitchen island. Try the tempting Brooks bar chair (£159, John Lewis).
Placing a leather sofa in your hallway creates a sophisticated welcome, or placing it at the foot of your bed gives you extra seating and makes a design statement. Look at the Mina sofa (£470, Perch and Parrow).
Striking headboards
Contemporary bed designs can be finished with a leather headboard. An assortment of the Swiss bed manufacturer Hasena is fully covered with premium leather.
The Tondo Cena solid rustic wood industrial bed has a vintage acacia wood frame and a deeply padded headboard upholstered in leather – there are 11 color options to choose from, including a striking sage green, muted pebble gray and traditional brown. Prices from £1,720 (Head2Bed).
A quick-fix alternative is to buy a separate leather headboard, which attaches like a wall hanging. You can order one on Etsy for around £200.
Eye-catcher: contemporary bed designs can be finished with a leather headboard
Floor show
Because leather is extremely durable, it is perfect for heavy footsteps from children and pets. Specialists can paint floors in any color.
Slate gray is popular with specialist Element 7 where full-grain leather is mainly used in dressing rooms, study rooms and living rooms.
Mark Edwards, managing director at Element 7, says leather floors are a real investment for a forever home.
‘We install leather floors for a wide range of clients, from flats to footballer’s mansions.
It will last and last. Our tanner supplied the leather for a floor in a farmhouse that was laid 50 years ago. It is still in good condition. In fact, it gets better with age.’
Prices start from € 400 per square meter.
On the wall
Studioart specializes in leather wall tiles and coverings. They are treated to produce mock sandstone, marble and mosaic finishes and to be suitable in bathrooms and kitchens. You can choose from a rainbow of colors of the characteristic leather wall panels.
Metallic options add more drama should you feel the need. Metal inserts can be placed between the leather tiles to create contrast between different materials. Prices start from around £300 per square meter plus VAT.
Catchy accessories
“You don’t have to fill an entire room with leather,” says Chloe Beharrell, a London-based designer. “Instead, incorporate the fabric with some smaller, timeless pieces.”
Perfect for giving your fireplace a luxurious look, leather fire screens have the bonus of providing more seating when you’re having a good time.
Try Oka’s Berenson fire resistant fenders with ash gray leather trim on the bronze finished frame.
For a touch of leather without going all out on a leather sofa, you could use leather cushions.
Try the leather and double Harris tweed split designer cushion for £48 (not in the High Street) or the Luxe cream leather striped chevron quilted cushion for £61 (Amara).