After carefully inspecting this couch, Im very happy to report it is 100 top grain leather ALL Around. It is NOT bonded leather nor does it use cheap synthetic leather on the sides and back. The finish is minimal, with no synthetic coating on the leather, which is what you want on real leather furniture. Note that spills WILL stain this real leather sofa, so I strongly recommend applying a water repelling leather conditioner to help with that.
The sofa looks fantastic and is very comfy (on the stiffer side, which is what you want with chesterfield sofas).
The photos I attached are before and after applying chamberlains leather milk no. 3 (conditioner and water repellent). The left side is untouched and right side has the conditioner applied so you can compare the contrast in appearance and color.
I also attached photos of the underside which shows the guts and elastic bands that form the suspension for the seats and back (as opposed to springs/wire mesh).
PLEASE NOTE: If youve never owned a real leather sofa before, or if you dont know much about leather, you MUST understand that real leather (such as this sofa) WILL easily scratch and have scuffs and wrinkles over time. No matter the quality of real leather, this will happen be because leather is animal skin. Thats just the way it is.
In fact, your sofa will likely have some scuffs straight from the factory as ours did. This is NORMAL. Just apply some goodeather conditioner and it will minimize the appearance of scuffs and make it harder (but not impossible) to scratch. If you want a leather sofa that always looks prestine, then youll have to buy one with a bunch of synthetic crap coating the leather, which defeats the purpose and lasts only a few years before it starts to peel and look horrible.
You also need to maintain leather by regularly applying leather conditioner. I use Chamberlains leather milk no. 3 but even basic automotive leather conditioner like Lexol will work fine and its inexpensive. Just dont over do it.
Pros:
+Real 100 top grain leather all around
+Leather scuffs and develops patina over time, which is exactly what we wanted
+No synthetic coating on the leather
+Dirt cheap price (usually a sofa like this costs over 3000)
+Looks and feels great.
+Free returns if youre not happy
+Fast shipping: We received ours in 2 weeks when the Hooker leather furniture we ordered has an estimated wait time of 3+ months
Cons:
/The suspension for the seating is comprised of a mesh of thick elastic bands as opposed to a long/lasting system of springs or cables. (see photos). However, this is definitely to be expected at this price point and the density of the cushions is good enough to hopefully prevent premature wear on them.
/the leather has a number of minor blemishes and has sections that are significantly different in terms of texture than the adjacent leather, which is not a big deal unless youre a snob about it, in which case you shouldnt be looking at a leather sofa for less than 3,500. Youll need to move up to Hooker or Bradington Young to get more consistent texture in leather.
Hope this helps and feel free to ask questions. Its a fantastic price.
FULL review and important tips
After carefully inspecting this couch, Im very happy to report it is 100 top grain leather ALL Around. It is NOT bonded leather nor does it use cheap synthetic leather on the sides and back. The finish is minimal, with no synthetic coating on the leather, which is what you want on real leather furniture. Note that spills WILL stain this real leather sofa, so I strongly recommend applying a water repelling leather conditioner to help with that. The sofa looks fantastic and is very comfy (on the stiffer side, which is what you want with chesterfield sofas). The photos I attached are before and after applying chamberlains leather milk no. 3 (conditioner and water repellent). The left side is untouched and right side has the conditioner applied so you can compare the contrast in appearance and color. I also attached photos of the underside which shows the guts and elastic bands that form the suspension for the seats and back (as opposed to springs/wire mesh). PLEASE NOTE: If youve never owned a real leather sofa before, or if you dont know much about leather, you MUST understand that real leather (such as this sofa) WILL easily scratch and have scuffs and wrinkles over time. No matter the quality of real leather, this will happen be because leather is animal skin. Thats just the way it is. In fact, your sofa will likely have some scuffs straight from the factory as ours did. This is NORMAL. Just apply some goodeather conditioner and it will minimize the appearance of scuffs and make it harder (but not impossible) to scratch. If you want a leather sofa that always looks prestine, then youll have to buy one with a bunch of synthetic crap coating the leather, which defeats the purpose and lasts only a few years before it starts to peel and look horrible. You also need to maintain leather by regularly applying leather conditioner. I use Chamberlains leather milk no. 3 but even basic automotive leather conditioner like Lexol will work fine and its inexpensive. Just dont over do it. Pros: +Real 100 top grain leather all around +Leather scuffs and develops patina over time, which is exactly what we wanted +No synthetic coating on the leather +Dirt cheap price (usually a sofa like this costs over 3000) +Looks and feels great. +Free returns if youre not happy +Fast shipping: We received ours in 2 weeks when the Hooker leather furniture we ordered has an estimated wait time of 3+ months Cons: /The suspension for the seating is comprised of a mesh of thick elastic bands as opposed to a long/lasting system of springs or cables. (see photos). However, this is definitely to be expected at this price point and the density of the cushions is good enough to hopefully prevent premature wear on them. /the leather has a number of minor blemishes and has sections that are significantly different in terms of texture than the adjacent leather, which is not a big deal unless youre a snob about it, in which case you shouldnt be looking at a leather sofa for less than 3,500. Youll need to move up to Hooker or Bradington Young to get more consistent texture in leather. Hope this helps and feel free to ask questions. Its a fantastic price.