But we have narrowed our search to a few possiblities:

Caress Burgundy - we love the feel and can live with the warm look of this chocolate-cordially hide.

Caress is a nice hide, but it does carry a more contemporary look to it. That is, it does not have any highlights (special effects), so its mostly a monotone color throughout the cover. I find most folks want some high-low contrast and you won't get that with Caress. Durability is good.

Quintessence Saddle - we love the feel and the look, but we are concerned whether the inevitable patina on this lighter hide will add richness or just look worn. What does daily use look like on this after 15 years?

Quintessence Bark - love the feel and like the lush walnut look alot. I'm guessing the patina here would be much more subtle since we would be starting with a darker leather to begin with.

Neither Quintessence is going to work satisfactorily on high-use motion with kids/dog. Its too fragile for that environment and its also an expensive class IV hide. You should take a pass on these hides, though they are beautiful! If you really do want this category leather, look at Capri, which comes from the same tannery in Germany but has a protective top coat finish (it will be labeled as unprotected, however). Capri is basically Quintessence with some resistance to spills and stains. Still a Class IV hide.

and believe it or not, the Guss Chocolate fabric - it's sort of a poor substitute for Nabuk, but we want to make sure to explore all of the possibilities.

I don't like fabric of any kind on motion furniture because it wears too quickly in comparison to leather. The problem is the cost of re-upholstery! Assume 7 years lifespan on a recliner loveseat and you'll be looking at about 15 yards fabric to recover @ 40 per yard, plus a $ 500 labor charge. $ 1,100 or so to make it work for you. Leather should last 4x longer, so it will be far more cost effective in the long run.

Take a look at Kipling, Equestrian, Auburn and Antelope in the leather. Rich feeling leathers, and they are durable as well. If you need samples, just PM me and give me your mailing address and I'll get some out to you.