There is something about leather furniture that engages the emotions of consumers more than most other materials. Leather seems to heighten perceptions of elegance, style and substance and engages more of the senses. Just thinking about sitting in a leather chair stirs memories of creaking sounds, distinctive smells, a cool touch on warm skin and the pleasure to the eye of a beautiful piece of furniture. Leather has been used to make fine furniture for centuries, and while its popularity waxes and wanes with fashion trends, it always appears wherever there is a statement to be made.
Perhaps more than most other raw materials, leather seems to have a wide variation in price for what initially seems to be similar items used to make bedroom furniture Brisbane. These large variations in price are a result of the different grades and types of leather that are created using different processes.
These processes also affect the look, feel and quality of the leather, and even though the raw material comes from sources such as cattle, sheep and pigs, the different processing methods place it into three main categories – aniline, semi-aniline and protected or pigmented leather.
Aniline leather is the most natural of the three, and is prized by people who value originality. As it is not coated with pigments or polymers, all surface marks are visible. Only the best hides are used, resulting in original pieces which are highly sought after. It is soft and comfortable, but because it isn’t coated, it is very susceptible to staining and is not suitable for high traffic.
A slightly more robust product is semi-aniline leather which has a surface coating that makes it more stain resistant than aniline. It still has a uniqueness about it, but its colour is more consistent due to the coating, and it loses some originality because the surface markings aren’t as visible.
For durability, protected or pigmented leather is the best choice and is used most frequently in furniture and car upholstery. The polymer surface coating contains pigments which the manufacturer uses to change the final look of the leather. It also increases resistance to fading and scuffing. Easy to maintain and able to absorb more punishment than the others, it looks less natural and has a “sameness” about it due to the surface coating. It is less likely to be chosen for custom furniture Brisbane, as clients at this end of the market prefer unique pieces.
Leather is a wonderful material to have in the home, and provided it is kept clean and dressed with the correct products to suit the type and grade, it will last for many years. While protected leather won’t have the same durability, it will still give good service and deliver the delicious experience of leather to a wider range of people.