We moved! Not Walls of Wonderland, but me..and my family. We sold our house last month and packed up and moved. The real estate market has been on fire lately–sadly due, in part, to the horrible California wildfires next door to us. And also because of the pandemic, I would imagine. People living in the cities want out so they’re moving to the suburbs and countryside–which happened to be good news for us because like I explained in my Victorian-inspired dining room post, our home was not our dream home and we, in fact, bought it because it was such a good deal and we were confident we could make a profit on it later, which is what happened.

So where are we living now? We’re renting a new-build home until we figure out our next move (literally) which unquestionably involves a new city and an old house. But for now, I’m totally loving the luxuries of renting something someone else has to fix and take care of. I didn’t know you could actually enjoy not owning your own home. But it’s been pretty great.

Our big move is one of the many reasons I haven’t published much besides Tuesday’s TJ Maxx Finds. But I’ve had a post on a distressed leather sofa–specifically, our distressed leather sofa–planned for a long time.

This couch sat opposite my rustic entertainment center in our old house and, in fact, still does here in our rental. They make a great match.

We got this sofa shortly after we moved into our first home. My husband and I had been throwing around the idea of getting a leather couch but with two little boys, we just couldn’t see it being an option.

“Don’t kids destroy leather?”

“Yes. Yes, they do.”

“How could we ever make that work?”

…Was how our conversation went. Nonetheless, I did what I love to do and started browsing online at some of my favorite furniture stores and then came across something unexpected: a distressed leather sofa.

What is a distressed leather sofa?

A distressed leather sofa is just like a regular leather sofa except the exterior (leather) has been distressed. This means the leather has been beat-up a little to look worn, used, and lived-in.

Why would anyone want this kind of couch?

This is the question you may be asking yourself. Here’s the answer: distressed leather goes with a certain design style. Actually, it can go with many. One might see distressed leather in a modern, farmhouse-chic bungalow designed by Joanna Gaines (love her!). Alternatively, distressed leather fits in nicely with the modern-industrial design look in both commercial spaces (think restaurants) as well as private homes. A distressed leather sofa is clearly not for everyone and requires love for a certain design aesthetic, but if you’re into “rustic” or “farmhouse,” you may just love distressed leather.

After finding multiple distressed leather sofas online that I could see in our home, I had an “aha” moment in which I realized this was the way to enjoy a leather couch in our new house without having to get rid of our kids 😉 What could kids do to leather that was already “distressed”? How could they ruin leather that was already ruined?

They couldn’t. They can’t. They haven’t. And they won’t. We ended up purchasing a La-Z-boy leather sectional and after nearly three years, it still looks pretty much the same. Of course there have been drinks spilled, scratches from toys, and lots of wear, but nothing has been able to hurt this already-hurt couch and I am still loving the look after all this time. That’s why I think a distressed leather sofa is the sofa you want if you have kids and you’re looking for the leather look & feel to go with your modern industrial or rustic farmhouse home.

Leather gives your space a feeling of prestige with a high-end look, the distressed part makes it kid friendly, and it’s ultra-comfortable while lasting forever.

Here are a few of my favorite distressed leather sofa options:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How To Care For Distressed Leather

*check out my comprehensive guide on how to clean a leather couch*

If you do end up getting a distressed leather sofa, you may be wondering how to take care of it. Does it require the same amount of upkeep as a regular non-distressed leather couch? Less? more?

I’ve found that while I still have to care for my couch, it actually takes a lot less work than a regular leather sofa probably would. Since I’m just as busy as everyone else, I tend to let more time go by than I probably should between cleanings and conditionings–sometimes months at a time! But lack of upkeep has never hurt this couch. My distressed leather sofa looks pretty much the same all the time, even if I go a long periods of time without cleaning and conditioning it. Distressed leather is very forgiving and therefore I think is a lot easier to take care of than a regular leather couch would be. If you’re not sure of the proper way to clean a leather couch, check out my guide HERE.

FIY: My couch is nubuck leather and to clean it I use Bickmore Suede & Nubuck Cleaner.

To condition it I like Care & Cool Suede & Nubuck Conditioner.