Choosing a Sofa – Leather Vs Fabric with Young Children
Are you thinking about investing in a new sofa in the near future? If you are you’re probably toying with that age-old question – should you get leather or fabric as your material of choice? The answer to this question can be even harder to reach if you have young children. That’s why we’ve provided some advice here you may find useful.
Choosing a material that will keep its shape and bounce back with young children
Young children tend to have a habit of bouncing around on sofas and furniture throughout the day. Even the act of climbing up on a sofa can be a real task when you’re a toddler. That’s why you have to consider which material would be best in this situation.
For many people, the answer would be leather. It’s more robust and able to take a beating whereas many fabrics can be more fragile than this. However, you should do your homework and ensure you pick good quality leather. Not all leathers are created equal, and if you opt for a cheap finish to your leather sofa you may end up with problems – not to mention some damage.
Will your new sofa stay stain-free?
Everyone with young children knows how difficult it can be to prevent spillages. It could be yoghurt, squash or a banana that is held in the hand too long… there are plenty of disasters just waiting to happen. And that’s before you get started with felt tip pens.
All of which means you have to think about how stain-resistant your new sofa will be too. Leather still comes out on top in many cases. Providing you don’t opt for a nubuck leather finish, which is velvety to the touch, you should be able to wipe clean any stains that may appear.
Of course, you can get both leather and fabric with stain protection. This means the material you choose will repel anything that is split on it. This is good news if you have your heart set on a fabric sofa. If it has stain protection it will last a lot longer than it would otherwise.
And your choice is?
For many people, the top choice would still be leather. It’s easy to understand why this would be the case. Leather ages nicely and can withstand virtually everything your young children can throw at it (sometimes literally). It may cost a little more but it is worth investing in a good quality leather sofa that is able to age and last beautifully, even in a household filled with children.
As you can see it is worth considering what kind of finish your new sofa will have. Leather is the top choice among many parents with young children, but it is possible to have fabric if you want it. Just be sure you don’t skimp on the stain protection if you do go down this route. Whatever sofa you opt for, you’ll want it to look good for years to come.
What are your opinions on choosing a child-friendly sofa?
Feature image source: www.clusterweb.org.uk
