I'm buying a new couch...should I go with leather or something else?

When home talkers ask that question it boils down to personal taste.

Pros and cons for each type. I suggest going to a furniture retailer and pricing out each as that may help make your decision. If you really like leather, you might be happy with a side piece such as a storage ottoman or chair as an accent to a fabric sofa. That way you'll have some of each in the room and it would create a nice mix of textures.

I have a fabric couch, a leather one (very expensive), and a large fake leather sectional in my family room. I love the leather - but it is delicate and needs care, the fabric stains, and the fake leather is the best - I clean it will Lysol wipes or Windex spray - so easy and comfortable. But, it is a personal choice like Janet said. Go to the furniture store, sit on them, get pricing and see what works for you.

I agree with Cindy, leather is really beautiful but much harder to maintain and fabric can be easily cleaned and covered. So if that is your driving factor, I'd go fabric

I would not call leather hard to maintain...but it is not care free. It requires special care just as your skin does.

It boils down to do you have rough and tumble kids, pets who sit on the furniture? Lots of traffic? If you do...pass on the leather.

I just purchased a leather couch. Make sure of where you want it to be then check for vents,and windows. It can't be by either one, remember that it's like skin and won't last as long as for cleaning our sales person and the tag both said not aNY of the products in markets but warm damp cloth then dry. I wouldn't recommend one because of so many restrictions.

Don't purchase bonded leather because it peals off in just a few years!

Leather is cold against skin-not warm & cosy

I have both fabric and leather furniture. I also have a dog, and two cats. The leather is much easier to keep up than the fabric. Very easy to care for, and pet hair doesn't stick to it. If keeping it up isn't an issue for you, I would consider a fabric sofa, and a couple of leather accent chairs.

Microfiber! I love it. Great for kids and pets. Not a fan of leather--It's slippery. You have to peel yourself off of it, it's hot when it's hot; cold when it's cold. It cracks. Microfiber is very easy to clean and it's soft. Comes in tons of colors. The only item of leather in my house is an ottoman where I put my feet :)

Microfiber, I found is the best, and easiest to clean