How to select an armchair for your living room with Klooftique.

A considerable investment, choosing the perfect leather armchair for your home is no easy feat.

There are so many styles and sizes available, so many different price points and finishes.

To help clients select just the right chair, Cape Town-based furniture store Klooftique offers some important advice.

Consider the grain

“When it comes to upholstery leather, there are many variations available,” explains the team.

“For clients who prefer a cleaner, polished leather look, we’d possibly recommend a corrected grain. For clients who like a more textured leather, where the beautiful natural characteristics are visible, we’d advise them to go for a full grain such as the handcrafted Somerset chair with its worn and aged full grain leather upholstery.”

“Then, of course, there are the leathers that are so remarkably scarred and etched with markings of a life lived, that only the most special of designs will do. This is the case with the Spencer chair from our Klooftique Vintage range.”

Available in three leather options, the Oryx game hide is most certainly the option to go for if you are looking for a statement piece with timeless appeal.

Choose a type of leather

Armchairs can be upholstered in a variety of leathers, the most popular being bovine or game hides.

Your choice will impact both the cost and the final look and feel of the chair.

As Klooftique explains: “Game hide is not as easily sourced as bovine hide. Additionally, the usable leather surface is much smaller than what one would find with standard bovine leather hides.”

“Our Oryx game hide, for instance, has significantly more markings and the skins are fairly smaller than standard Bovine leather, so more hides are used in the production process.”

On the other hand, smoother leather will give you a sleeker, more contemporary look.

Decide on a style

Leather armchairs are available in a wide range of styles and it is important to choose one that will fit in with your overall decor scheme.

Popular options include the soft-lined Roxy chair with its 70s-inspired charm, the masculine Havana chair or the vintage-inspired Oliver chair.

Consider the finishes

Apart from selecting a leather grain and colour, when it comes to leather armchair finishes such as deep buttoning and brass studs can lend a distinct look and feel to a piece.

Compare, for instance, the Elizabeth chair and the Oliver chair – both are vintage-inspired, yet the Oliver chair features brass studs which gives it a decidedly more masculine look.

Similarly, the hand-buttoned detailing on the sloped backrests and seat of the Sammi chair elevates it and imbues it with a contemporary retro twist that allows it to fit perfectly into a modern scheme. Without it, it may have looked quite bland.