Leather Couches

monokitty · Jun 19th, 2006, 03:57 PM

In the next 3 months or so, I'm going on a minor - and my very first - major furniture shopping spree to somewhat fill my new place in September. I don't currently own a couch, and, well, haven't owned any at all since I moved away from home nearly 2 years ago. I'm considering a black, leather loveseat for around $1k, preferably not more, or at least, not much more. Any suggestions what I should be looking for, from your own experiences, and maybe where? Yeah, cloth couches may be cheaper, but I'd rather stay with leather, so... let's hear 'em.

What do you like/prefer, etc?

ErnstNL · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:15 PM

Check out Costco. Very good value for the money.
Shop around to get a feel of the different styles.
Buy something classic and not trendy.
Cheaper prices may mean some vinyl instead of leather on the places you don't see.

monokitty · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:18 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by ErnstNL
	Check out Costco. Very good value for the money. Shop around to get a feel of the different styles. Buy something classic and not trendy. Cheaper prices may mean some vinyl instead of leather on the places you don't see.

Costco didn't even cross my mind, thanks.

Yeah, if some of them have a tad of vinyl, that's fine. As long as the seating surfaces are leather, that's all I'm concerned about.

audiodan · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:27 PM

Nothing against you or your choices, but I wouldn't buy a leather couch if someone held a gun to my head. Seriously, all the cows that died for you just to sit on them, really makes you think. Wouldn't you rather know that noone died for your sitting? Nothing against you, but think of the living things.

monokitty · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:36 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by audiodan
	Nothing against you or your choices, but I wouldn't buy a leather couch if someone held a gun to my head. Seriously, all the cows that died for you just to sit on them, really makes you think. Wouldn't you rather know that noone died for your sitting? Nothing against you, but think of the living things.

Yes, but I look at it from a different perspective. For example, we can say the same about a vegetarian. They refuse to eat meat, as animals are killed for our eating pleasure. However, if you're a vegetarian, you personally may not support the killing of animals or eat their meat, but that doesn't change the fact that the animals are still being killed for other people not like you. Right?

Same thing in this situation. Whether or not I buy a leather couch doesn't change the fact that animals are being killed and turned into sitting stools, and, my purchase doesn't really encourage the act, either, since it's going to happen regardless of whether or not I purchase leather products. If animals such as cows were killed solely for the leather, it might make me feel a bit worse (but probably wouldn't change my purchase choice regardless), but cows killed for their leather probably also have their meat harvested and sold as well versus it going to waste.

That being said, leather is a popular choice for me - couches, interior of my car, and accessories wrapped in leather all run in my collection of possessions and it probably won't change in the future.

Now, back to the original point of this thread...

ArtistSeries · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:39 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by audiodan
	Seriously, all the cows that died for you just to sit on them, really makes you think. Wouldn't you rather know that noone died for your sitting? Nothing against you, but think of the living things.

I'm glad that the whole cow will be used if this is the case.
I'm a omnivore and proud of it. You can argue about how to "improve" mass farming and abattoirs but this is far from someone asking about leather.

audiodan · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:40 PM

*Chill goes down my spine/Shudders* If less leather is purchased, the demand goes down, which means less cows killed. Same thing with vegetarians (ie. myself), if demand goes down enough, less and less animals will be killed.

ArtistSeries · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:42 PM

Q: How many vegetarians does it take to change a light-bulb?
A: Hundreds, because vegetarians are really stupid....

If you want to impose a vegetarian diet on yourself, go ahead, you are only harming yourself.

When it comes to owning certain goods such as leather, I'm all for it. Seems that Lars knows what he likes and if he does get quality - that couch may last a lot longer than some cheap Ikea model.

audiodan · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:44 PM

Well AS, I love how you put so much Info into that joke!
Q: How many AS does it take to change a light bulb?
A: AS Can't cause he's too busy making bad jokes! (That's a fact)

monokitty · Jun 19th, 2006, 04:45 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by audiodan
	Chill goes down my spine/Shudders If less leather is purchased, the demand goes down, which means less cows killed. Same thing with vegetarians (ie. myself), if demand goes down enough, less and less animals will be killed.

Not quite. If people stop purchasing leather products, cows will still be killed, because you're forgetting that humans eat the meat of cows as well - cows aren't killed solely for their leather. If a cow is killed primarily for the meat, the leather will still be harvested as a side bonus, coverted into a product, and sold. Likewise, if a cow is killed solely for the leather, the meat will be harvested and sold as side benefit as well. Either way, cows, as an example, are rarely, if ever, killed just for a single product (i.e., leather).