In a world of spills, stains, and fast furniture, leather is the superhero we've been waiting for. This hardworking upholstery is not only durable, but it grows softer and smoother over time, evolving into something better than you thought possible.
When deciding which is the best sofa for your lifestyle, don't overlook leather. It's timeless, with the ability to fit into any design scheme; it's durable, especially with the proper care; and it's elegant, calling to mind legacy manufacturers from both Italy and the United States.
I was lucky enough to visit one of those stateside brands in mid-September — American Leather, based out of Dallas, Texas — and was blown away by the quality, care, and thought that goes into each of the brand's pieces (including their non-leather furniture). My two-day, one-night stay included a tour of the factory, where I learned about and witnessed firsthand the process of upholstering in quality textiles, as well as frame building and order fulfillment.
The visit was a part of my journey to become Livingetc's sofa expert, a process that, in addition to the factory tour, has involved 30+ hours of reading, writing, and interviewing experts about good sofas vs. bad. I'm loving what I've learned so far, and used all that knowledge to inform the edit below. To curate these selections, I combed through brands I know and trust, either through my own first-hand experience or a friend's; read blog and competitor reviews online, and even went out and sat on a few products myself. The result? An edit of the best leather sofas you can trust, even when buying online.
Full grain vs. top grain
Before we dive into my selections, I want to spend some time clarifying two of the most important terms you'll encounter during your leather sofa search: "full-grain" and "top-grain."
Full-grain leather is the highest quality leather you can find, known for its natural grain and imperfections. It patinas with time and use, and has a rougher texture than its counterpart.
Top-grain leather, on the other hand, has been sanded or buffed to "remove imperfections, making it smoother and more uniform in texture," according to Castlery. This process also "removes the natural grain and patina of the leather, making it less distinct than full-grain leather."
Both are great options — but you need to decide which is best for your lifestyle. Top grain is less durable than full grain, which is therefore better for high-traffic areas but typically more expensive. Full grain will also darken and soften with use, while top grain will not change much at all.
As you shop you might also see the terms "genuine leather," "split leather," and "bonded leather," which are the lower quality options, respectively, following top-grain.
Aniline vs. Semi-aniline
The distinction between aniline and semi-aniline leather might not matter much in your search, but let's clarify the difference here just in case.
Aniline leather is not a leather type; rather it is a leather finish used on either full-grain or top-grain leathers. It is considered one of the highest-quality leathers you can buy. A full aniline leather is one that has been dyed with aniline dye, which contains no pigment or coloring and therefore preserves the leather's natural grain. It looks luxurious and elegant, patina-ing and softening over time, but it also requires lots of maintenance, as it lacks a protective coating and can therefore stain and mark easily.
Semi-aniline leather is what it sounds like — a leather made with a semi-aniline and slightly pigmented dye. The leather's natural look and grain are less visible, but the slight protective coating adds a layer of durability. It's not as soft as aniline leather, but it's a great option for homes and businesses that need something chic but sturdy.
Lastly, you may also see something called pigmented leather, which is leather that has been sprayed all over with a color/pigment. This hides the leather's natural grain, but it greatly enhances the leather's durability and resistance to stains and scratches (so it's great for homes with kids and pets!).
12 of the best leather sofas
Price: $4499.95
Size: 76" L x 41" W x 34" H
Leather Grade: Top grain
As I mentioned earlier, I witnessed each piece of the American Leather manufacturing process and can confirm it's as tightly run as you'd imagine. If you want a quality sleeper that will last years, you can't go wrong with one of theirs. My colleague, Dabee Kaye, had nothing but nice things to say about her American Leather sofa bed, although she purchased the Harris by way of Raymour and Flanigan. "This couch is super durable and comfortable," she told me. "We were able to upgrade the mattress to a Tempurpedic which has been great for guests."
Sofa beds aren't exactly known for style or comfort; really, they're just known for convenience. But the Revere Queen Sleeper is here to change that. This is a blue sleeper sofa that delivers on all fronts: looks, support, and ease. During my tour, I sat (and laid) on a sofa almost exactly like the Revere. The bed was plush and smartly designed, and easily folded and unfolded in seconds. The best part is the unconventional sleeper mechanism, which splits the bed into two cot-sized pieces that extend from underneath each cushion. Two cots together form (in this case) a Queen, but you can leave just one extended at a time should you choose. And of course, the top-grain leather upholstery is as comfortable and supple as you'd imagine with a company named after the textile.
Price: $4799
Size: 82" W x 41"D x 35" H
Leather Grade: Top grain aniline
West Elm has plenty of leather sofas to offer, but in my opinion, the Harmony's unique look steals the show; it marries your expectations of something tightly upholstered with a completely unexpected retro spin. (One of the best conversation starters, in my opinion.) According to my research, reviewers love its modern-but-still-mid-century silhouette, comfort level, and durability around children — a huge plus if you've got little ones at home. West Elm gives the Harmony a 1 on the seat firmness scale, with 5 being firmest. The nut-colored saddle leather shown above is also top-grain.
Now for the cons. For one thing, it's expensive. To help with this, you could always try purchasing during a West Elm sale. But sometimes it's worth it to splurge —as numerous experts pointed out to me, including Mads Holm Rabjerg, head of product development at Carl Hansen & Søn, and Amanda Beare, founder of eco-conscious sofa brand Retroloop, the most sustainable sofa is the one you will keep for a long time.
Price: $2098
Size: 85" L x 35" D x 33" H / 26" L x 26" W x 17" H
Leather Grade: Top grain
You don't always think of leather sofas as being good for or even conducive to modularity, but the Burrow Nomad, one of the internet sofa brand's most talked about collections, could be the one to change that. Each entrant in the Nomad oeuvre is meant to grow with you, so you can upgrade from a loveseat to a three-seater to a sectional as needed. As such, it's great for small spaces and those of us who move a lot, and I thought the customization options were quite unique for a product like this (you can choose from three leather colors, six leg finishes, and three arm styles). For added convenience, there's even a built-in USB charging port. It's the leather sofa for a new generation.
Burrow came up a few times in my research, and in my personal life, as I crafted this piece. You've probably been the target of an Instagram ad or five (so have I), so I thought I'd check out what all the hype is about. And people really seem to love it — I mean, this particular collection has 4.5 stars across 3,000+ reviews. Even at retailers like IKEA and Crate and Barrel, which are knowingly popular, you don't see that kind of customer feedback.
Price: $1699
Size: 34"H x 88"W x 38"D
Leather Grade: Full aniline
As the proud former owner of an Article couch, I will never shy away from recommending this well-priced, well-made Canadian furniture brand to friends and family. TLDR; If you're in the market for a quality and affordable sofa, this retailer, and the Sven in particular, is a great place to start.
"Sven is our best-selling sofa," Rebecca Andrews, vice president of category management at Article, tells me. "It is known for its comfort, style, and quality and has been part of our catalog since article.com launched in 2013." One reason for its enduring popularity? The "Sven has hallmark design characteristics of the mid-century modern style," Rebecca says. "This has given the Sven collection longevity as mid-century modern style is not a trend, it’s a design aesthetic that will never go out of style."
Price: $4099
Size: 76"w 35"d 31"h
Leather Grade: Top grain aniline
If you are willing to invest in your sofa with the understanding it will last you years, Room & Board is another excellent option. I have not purchased a couch from here, nor have I tried one, but the R&B name is always mentioned in the same breath as the best sofa brands, so I think you'd be right to trust it.
The Andre is available in four different size options, two in-stock leather options (palermo camel shown above) 53 made-to-order options with different textures and sheens, and two different leg finishes. It boasts a "firmer feel with [a] supportive seat," and a "medium seat depth for universal comfort."
Price: $3798
Size: 33" H × 69" W × 43" D
Leather Grade: Full grain
If you've tried any Anthropologie sofa, it is probably the Willoughby, and most likely the yellow deck-striped version, with a cream and daffodil-colored upholstery. This refreshing teal leather version is quite different from that, but it's equally as surprising and funky. Like many of Anthropologie's products, this is a whimsical piece that straddles both the past and the present. Therein lies its design appeal.
Construction-wise, we're working with removable maple legs (great for moving); removable cushions (helpful for cleaning); high-resiliency foam, which Ameer Radwan of upholstery brand SOOT assures me is top-of-the-line; and an added down/feather + fiber padding, which gives some extra comfort and support. Not to mention the leather is full-grain. (I'm a big fan of Anthro's upholstery; it always satisfies.)
Price: $3847
Size: 123.2" W x 39.4" D x 27.6" H
Leather Grade: Top grain
The Jonathan is upholstered in top-grain leather and built from a laminated veneer lumber (LVL), a widely used engineered wood, and plywood frame. The seat suspension is sinuous spring, one of the most common, and the legs are black plastic (which I personally don't love, but should be fine). The TLDR? This sofa has everything it needs — a solid construction, a nice low profile, and quality leather upholstery — to really stand out among a sea of options.
If you've never tried or purchased something from Castlery, all it takes to feel confident is a quick look at the reviews. "We recently purchased the Jonathan Leather Extended Sofa in the caramel color," said one buyer. "It has absolutely contributed to making our new house a home! The color is really beautiful." Moreover, both The Spruce and Architectural Digest included the Jonathan on their lists of the best leather sofas.
Price: From $2799
Size: 73.5" W x 43.5" D x 35" H
Customer Rating: Aniline top-grain
I recently spent an afternoon sitting on as many Pottery Barn sofas as my local store would allow (9, as it turns out), and the Turner was definitely one of my faves. Practical, rich in color (the top-grain chocolate leather upholstery was so sumptuous), and quite plush, the Turner could work as a perfect everday sofa, especially given leather's durability (plus the general practicality of darker upholstery covers; pet owners and parents, could this be one for you?). I loved the option with the 43.5" seat depth, but there is a shallower option available if you have knee or back issues or just prefer something more upright.
Construction-wise, this beauty also boasts removable bitch legs, which often prove helpful during move-in, an engineered wood frame, and no-sag spring seat construction, three wonderful quality benchmarks per many of the experts I spoke with, Mads Holm Rabjerg, head of product development at Carl Hansen & Søn; Meagan Endres, category manager of upholstery at Raymour & Flanigan; and Dan Campbell, the president of Benchmade Modern.
Price: $1899
Size: 83.9" w x 38.2" D x 34.3" H
Leather Grade: Top grain
The Madison leather sofa is another best-seller, perhaps because that MCM shape and look it shares with the Sven is truly oh-so-popular. All the usuals here: LVL/plywood frame, sinuous spring seat construction, top-grain leather upholstery, and removable back cushion covers (the seat covers are not removable if I am understanding correctly). Another nice bit about Castlery? The frame and fabric/fill are covered by limited three-year and one-year warranties, respectively. These warranties do not apply if you damaged the piece yourself, but they will protect you should there be any defects in manufacturing.
Again, this is a brand with some of the best customer reviews I have seen in all my days. I mean, how often do you find a marketplace where the lowest rating you'll see is maybe, MAYBE 4.2 stars? Spoiler alert; almost never. And not for nothing, the Madison boasts perfect marks all around.
Price: From $4895
Size: 5 - 10' W x 40 - 46" D x 34" H
Leather Grade: Top-Grain aniline
I was turned on to RH's Maxwell Leather Sofa during a deep dive into the subreddit, r/BuyItForLife — "for practical, durable and quality made products that are made to last" — where one user had penned a relatively long review regarding a sofa they think could "outlive me with the right care." Obviously, I was intrigued. A quick look online showed an extremely stylish sofa bench-made (i.e. handmade) in Hickory, North Carolina, with kiln-dried wood, eight-way hand-tied springs, and mortise and tenon joinery (which Raymour & Flanigan's Meagan Endres assures me is expensive, but top of the line).
RH is a fantastic, luxurious, renowned place to shop for any furniture you might need, but definitely leather furniture in particular. All of its leathers are top- and full-grain, and you can order swatches free of charge. And reputation-wise, the brand does practically no marketing, operating on word-of-mouth and its existing customer base alone — an M.O. that's typical of the highest-brow retailers. What I love most about this piece is the combination of the extra deep seat with the plush back cushions, the latter of which are filled with RH's proprietary mix of memory and latex foam.
Price: From $2100
Size: 114" W x 63" D x 35" H
Leather Grade: Vegan
Because it's easy to clean, leather can be a great option for homes with kids, and better yet, pets. Of course, you want to choose the right kind (genuine leather would require lots of buffing and might scratch easily), and internet brand Albany Park makes things easier with their clearly labeled, pet-friendly vegan leather.
Outside of that, the price point here is quite solid for a three-seater sectional, and even better once you factor in the pain points of delivery. Specifically, this Albany Park sofa is delivered in four boxes sized and designed to fit through small and difficult to navigate spaces, but the dimensions of each are included online if you're still worried.
Price: $4099
Size: 96" W x 40.5" D x 31" H
Leather Grade: Top-grain aniline
The Chesterfield is a timeless couch, calling to mind sitting rooms in the English countryside and long conversations over tea and wine. It's a very timeless choice — but it's also not modern or contemporary. So if you're looking for something amorphous or edgy, this might not be it. But if you want striking elegance, the Chesterfield could be your girl.
Pottery Barn makes a great leather couch (as I mentioned in my review of the Turner), so you can't go wrong with a Chesterfield from their stores, one that's also customizable in the most important ways, i.e. size and color. And of course, as we're dealing with leather here, Pottery Barn boasts a bevy of colors and textures, from the worn vintage to a subtle, tactile pebble. I'm partial to the Moss Green Keystone, but can appreciate that's not the most versatile choice; vintage cocoa, shown above, is probably better.
FAQs
What should I consider when buying leather furniture?
First and foremost, think of your lifestyle, says Taylar Hoffman, product director at American Leather, whose factory I visited in mid-September. If you have a quiet home or want something for an off-limits space, perhaps light protection leather, which is the "softest and most supple and will "develop a soft patina over time," could be great. "Medium protection, or semi-aniline leather, is just right for comfortable living, with a surface coat that offers enough protection for most of the little things life throws your way," while heavy protection leathers are "great for someone who is looking for a durable, color-consistent option to protect from spills and stains."
A quick way to test whether a leather is high quality is "to press your fingers on its surface," Taylar says. "If small wrinkles appear and then quickly disappear, it is a sign that the leather is high-quality." Genuine leather will also have a soft, flexible, and smooth feel ,while "synthetic materials are rigid and stiff, resulting in a plastic-type look."
How should I care for my leather sofa?
As was the case with the Reddit user, a leather sofa is only as good as the care you give it. While leather is generally a low-maintenance material, it does require some TLC. "Caring for your leather sofa is essential to maintaining its beauty and longevity," Taylar tells me. "Start by dusting it regularly with a soft, dry cloth to prevent dirt buildup. For deeper cleaning, use a leather cleaner designed specifically for your type of leather, avoiding harsh chemicals that can cause damage."
In the event of spills, blot the mark immediately "with a clean, dry cloth— never rub, as it can spread the stain. Keep your sofa away from direct sunlight and heat sources to prevent drying or fading," and "every six months, apply a leather conditioner to keep the material supple and hydrated. With proper care, your leather sofa will age gracefully and continue to look stunning for years."
