H&M Settlement Sofa and Chair - Leather choice

[dghazer]

Hi all,

I am thinking about ordering the Settlement Sofa and chair and would like to hear your opinions on leather choices. I am thinking that I am down to Capri Tobacco or Heirloom Chestnut. I have heard the praise for the capri leather but the commentary on the heirloom has been a little more difficult to find.

Ideally, I am looking for a comfortable, durable, quality leather that will show character with time. I intend for these pieces to see fairly heavy usage and wonder if the capri leather will not be the best choice.

Also, I am a big guy (6'4'' 260) and that is the main reason why I chose the larger Settlement line. Does anyone have any experience with the comfort of this line? Would you recommend any other large sofa?

Thanks

[drcollie]

There is a major difference in those two hides. Capri is a super-soft 'luxury' leather that is about as fine as leather can be. Its split thinner, drapes very well and is elegant and a joy to own on a piece. Its not what I would consider a 'heavy duty' hide, however. Heirloom Chestnut is a hand-antiqued leather, split thicker and not nearly as plush, and it has a harder 'shell' to it. It's extremely durable and won't show any soiling or dirt in the least. Both are price grade 4's. As in all leather, the better you take care of it keeping it cleaned and conditioned, and out of direct sunlight, the longer the useful life span.

The Settlement is great for a man your size. If you have a 5' 2" wife/girlfriend however, they will feel swallowed up in it. If you want something less deep, take a look at the H&M 9403 Kodiak. Note that the Settlement comes with (4) leather pillows as standard.

[dghazer]

Thanks Duane. After another look at the samples, I think that I might have been swayed back to Tiburon Java.

I "think" that I really like the pull-ups. I say this because I am a big fan of Horween's chromexcel on all bags, shoes, etc. but wonder if I will like that as much on a sofa. I love the potential to develop a patina on the sofa and give it some character. And, in all honesty, when I compare the samples, I like the feel of the Tiburon better than the capri. Obviously, the sample does not completely capture the true effect of the leather, but is that insane? What do you think?

Also, the durability of the capri is sort of scaring me. When talking about leather durability, what sort of typical conclusions can you draw? With the capri, will typical use in a main living room lead the leather to significant wear and potential failure in 20 years? whereas the tiburon or heirloom may last 30? I guess I am just trying to determine what the potential flaws in durability of the capri might have (not including the potential to stain with spills)?

Thanks in advance for the insights.

[drcollie]

Tiburon is a classic Italian Pull-Up leather with a waxy surface and makes a very handsome piece to look at. It's always a good choice.

How long a leather lasts in service all depends on how you use the product, how often you clean/condition the hides and keep out of the direct sunlight. A properly cared for piece in Capri is likely to outlast an ignored piece in Tiburon..... yes the Tiburon will develop Patina over time, the Capri - not so much.