Distressed Leather Sofas

Distressed leather is leather that has been treated in a manner to give it a weathered, older look. This can mean minor scratches, variations in color. There are articles out on the internet about how to take a regularly finished piece of leather, whether it is a coach or a leather jacket and turn it into a distressed leather piece by roughing it up with sandpaper, drying it with a hard-dryer until you see hairline cracks. Here is a picture of some distressed leather.

I would NEVER try to create a distressed leather sofa from a regularly finished leather sofa. You are too likely to end up with an effect you don't like and now the thousands you just spent on new furniture is a giant boo-boo in your living room.

Some people feel that distressed leather, because it looks aged, works best in a room of older furniture, even antiques. But others view a distressed leather sofa as more of a country, rustic look. And still others feel that the unique quality of distressed leather means it is ideal as a centerpiece furniture among more contemporary pieces. I think a lot depends on both the nature of how the leather is distressed -- for example is it simply that the color is blotchy -- and also the other aspects of the couch -- does it have curly, older style feet? wood trim? a dark mahogony base? Each piece is going to have it's own style and so you can't say as a rule that a distressed leather sofa is only right for just one decorating style.