The best leather sofas for classically chic interiors
It's hard to go wrong with a leather sofa. Shop our pick of the best, from John Lewis to Heals.
A leather sofa has the ability to bring immediate style, texture and warmth to our living spaces, not to mention that invitingly rich, smoky smell you only get with the real thing. Whether you’re furnishing an open-plan kitchen, lounge, or dedicated media room, this is a versatile, characterful, and ultimately homely piece of furniture that you won’t regret.
While a perennially popular choice amongst style-savvy homemakers, a leather sofa was a staple of the ’60s and ’70s in particular. It’s little wonder then, that today’s pieces often pay homage to the best in mid-century design with angular, upright frames and tall, tapered legs. That said, many contemporary leather sofas have evolved to incorporate the best of 20th-century shaping with luxurious down and feather seat cushions and high-tech memory foams for added comfort – we all love a low-sitting ’70s-inspired slouchy leather couch but it needs to be supportive, too.
Cool in more ways than one, a leather sofa offers breathability, thanks to its all-natural makeup with air and moisture able to permeate through the skin. Next to our skin, it is both cool and kind. The fabric does require some maintenance to keep it in tip-top condition, and that means investing both the time and money in special protective products, too. But this is a long-living and hardworking furniture piece that will thank you for it. If treated well it promises to age beautifully over time.
What is the best leather sofa to buy in 2024?
A classic mid-century silhouette, it's hard to go wrong with the Darlings of Chelsea Shoreditch, especially given the range of different leather options available.
There's nothing wrong with a good faux leather sofa, and this one from Wayfair's Furniture Box brand comes in a warm shade that's great for bringing some extra light into your space.
Black leather sofas are a classic, but we're particularly keen on this John Lewis design. Available in a range of configurations, it's easy to adapt to your space as well.
What kind of leather sofa is best?
While you can’t go wrong with a classic Chesterfield, there are numerous styles to suit every taste, space, and budget. If you’re after something low-maintenance, a clean-lined and fuss-free design will suit better than a traditional diamond-tufted style. If you’re short on space, a compact but no less impactful two-seater will more than do the job, while modular, or sectional, leather settees can be a great workaround if you’re after that sprawling slouchy look but would struggle to get a modern boxy number through the door.
What leather is the most durable for sofas?
As an upholstery fabric, genuine leather upholstery fares better than many woven materials, thanks to its durable, wipe-clean and stain-resistant properties – a no-brainer for households with mucky kids and dogs. Pigmented types of leather, which have a polymer surface coating, are generally considered the most durable and are known to prevent staining, scuffing and fading.
What is the highest quality leather?
It may seem counterintuitive but some of the softest leathers are in fact highly durable. Look for sofas upholstered in an aniline or semi-aniline leather. This is the most natural-looking leather, made from high-quality skins and coloured using soluble dyes, which gives you that wonderful supple feel.
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Shop GQ's edit of the best leather sofas to buy now
1/7John Lewis Bailey Leather Sofa
If there’s a particular grain of leather you’re after, John Lewis has so many colour options for its Bailey Leather sofa that you’ll be bound to find something up your street, from darker charcoals to warm tans, greys, blues and of course, a classic black. The sofa design itself is quite simple and easy to incorporate into any living space, especially if you have a contemporary vibe going on, with slim legs and multiple different size and configuration options that make it quite adaptable to your home. Delivery takes around ten weeks, which is worth keeping in mind, but if you’re not in a major rush it can be a great longer term investment. £1,449. At johnlewis.com
2/7Furniture Box Abiy 3 Seater Faux Leather Sofa
There's nothing wrong with opting for faux leather if you prefer to avoid using animal products or just don't fancy spending multiple thousands of pounds. Going for a lighter-coloured look can bring plenty of warmth to your space, lifting it up if you want it to feel lighter, rather than making everything feel more earthy and old-fashioned. This one from Furniture Box on Wayfair is a great choice if you want to add a leather sofa to a more minimalist space for which a darker sofa might make too much of a contrast. It also has plenty of functional benefits too, from the removable seat cushions that make it easy to keep the sofa clean and crumb-free to the scatter cushions that add extra comfort to the sofa. £989. At wayfair.co.uk
3/7Darlings of Chelsea Shoreditch 2.5 Seater Sofa
The Shoreditch sofa from Darlings of Chelsea is a classic silhouette with round arm cushions, a mid-height back and a mid-century design, made even more exciting by the fact that you can get it in a few different leather looks. Available in a variety of hard-wearing heritage leathers, soft touch leather, Italian leather, Nubuck and rustic Hennessey leather, in brown, black, neutral greys and greens and even tan shades, it’s one of the more customisable leather sofas out there. And in terms of comfort, the combination of feather and foam fillings in the cushions means you’ll be happily sat all day long with no desire to move. We wouldn’t necessarily recommend that, but we’d say it is a sign of a good sofa, and we’d consider that a win. £1,667. At darlingsofchelsea.co.uk
4/7Heal’s Altamura Leather Sofa
Leather sofas don’t need to just come in brown and black shades, in fact, we’d say you might as well have a bit of fun with leather and opt for a coloured shade like Heal’s Altamura. Available in a charcoal, cognac or a blue (our personal favourite), the design is focused around ‘heritage colours’, with Italian leather that keeps things looking elevated and sleek, while the memory foam cushioning makes it exceptionally comfortable with added lumbar support. If you’re fancying a leather sofa but don’t quite want to commit to the darker, more overbearing leathers, this is a great middle ground. £2,549. At heals.com
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5/7John Lewis Halo Earle Chesterfield Sofa
A classic leather Chesterfield offers instant homeliness. This is an entirely versatile number that will complement a contemporary living space as much as one filled with Persian rugs and antique floor lamps. But these deep-buttoned settees are not all created equally. John Lewis’s offering boasts top-quality aniline leather with a rustic finish that looks the part when new but also promises to age beautifully. Staying sympathetic to the original Chesterfield design the Halo Earle features wide, scrolled arms, a rolled back, turned wooden feet, and a satisfyingly deep sit. Load it up with colourful scatter cushions to up the cosy factor even further. £2,349. At johnlewis.com
6/7Heals Hepburn 3-Seater Sofa
Marrying the deep buttoning of a classic Chesterfield with mid-century revival shaping, this stylish leather sofa looks like it’s come straight out of a doctor’s office in the late 1960s. The Hepburn comes in a choice of 15 types of leather, with textural and tonal differences, including black and navy finishes for those who fancy a move away from the typical tan. This one finds the perfect balance between comfort and support, thanks to its solid wood frame, webbed seat structure, and its foam core seat and back cushions. The sofa is elegantly elevated off the floor with tapered wooden feet in a choice of three finishes: walnut, wenge black, or natural. From £3,575. At heals.com
7/7Perch & Parrow Citadel Sofa
While a battered vintage leather sofa has its charms, it’s worth investing in a new piece that’ll keep you sitting comfortably for years – even decades – to come. The Citadel boasts fuss-free contemporary shaping with a knowing nod to mid-century modern in its tall and tapered wooden feet. It’s upholstered in a rich and naturally mottled mid-toned tan leather, which gives it that beautifully aged look so it also won’t look out of place next to your best junk shop finds and family heirlooms. This one’s as comfy as it looks with deep padding, high armrests, and tilted back cushions that make it impossible not to relax in. £1,795. At perchandparrow.com
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