Leather Lowdown

What was once an exclusively high end product, leather has now become an affordable option for everyone. Kornmeyer's offers the largest selection of quality leather furnishings from famous names such as Natuzzi, Hancock & Moore, Bradington Young and Leather Trend. Leather offers variety and compatibility for any room in the house. Because of leather¹s versatility and durability, it can be used in your living room or den now; and later, you can move it to an office, library or to a master bedroom.

One important fact is that leather wears better than fabric. On average, leather will out wear any fabric 4 times. In addition, as leather is used, it improves in feel and appearance, developing a softness and "Patina." Leather has a far denser fiber make-up than woven fabric and with leather you no longer have to worry about cracking and splitting. With the use of natural and synthetic oils in the processing, today's leathers will not dry out or breakdown as in years past.

There are a wide-variety of choices in leather upholstery. The three basic leather finishes from which you can choose today are:
- Aniline dyed - a semi opaque coloring that allows the natural markings of the leather to be seen.
- Nubuck - creates a soft, suede-like texture.
- Aniline-plus - (sometimes called painted) treated with a pigmented coating, yielding a nearly opaque surface.

Determining which leather type is right for you will depend on your lifestyle and the use for which the furnishings are intended.

Some common and important questions asked about leather include:

Isn't leather hot in the summer and cold in the winter?
Not really, Since leather is porous, air circulates through it and assumes the temperature surrounding it. Sometimes, people confuse this symptom of vinyl with leather.

What is a split hide?
"Splits" are the layers of skin below the surface. (The surface layer is the top grain.) These are used in some cases on the non-seating areas of leather furniture. They are "corrected" to look like top grain and offer a cost savings to the consumer. Only the top and second layers are used in quality leather furniture. the rest of the "splits" are used to make shoe soles, belts, and other inexpensive leather products.

Should I be concerned if my new leather furniture has markings such as small lines or blemishes on the surface?
No. These marks are "signatures of nature", your assurance that you own genuine leather. Common markings include natural variations in a hide, scars or insect bites.

Why is one leather grade more expensive than another?
Since raw hides come from animals from all over the world, the climactic and range conditions vary greatly. Animals from arid, semi-harsh environments have tougher, more exposed hides than those from cooler, more temperate climates.

Since the process of correcting a hide to remove the effects of a harsh environment is less costly than the cost of a "clean" hide, the pricing generally reflects the animal's origin. However, other factors such as special surface treatments and the age of the animal affect the final cost.

Why can the price of leather furniture vary so much?
The single most important reason for this is size. Since as much as 40% of the cost of the finished product is in the leather itself, a couple of inches in it's dimensions can add dramatically to the price. Also, the grade of leather, split hides and additional style details will contribute to the price equation.

Our highly trained sales staff and decorators are always available to offer additional advice and information about leather furniture or any other product at your convenience. With their professional knowledge and our tremendous leather selection, you¹ll find the perfect leather furnishings to fit your lifestyle and your budget.