We have a microfiber sofa sectional that is a match to the first chair you posted and it's the cushions that make it look like that. I would advise against getting the microfiber. I was really excited when we finally found and got our sectional but have been disappointed with the microfiber as much as the quality of the cushions. The cushions I'm not so worried about, they can be replaced with a better quality.

The microfiber though is not what it's cracked up to be and I have no idea why or how so many people like it. First, it's not a fabric, it is plastic fibers interwoven and backed by a thin fabric. It retains heat like latex and can get warm to sit on. It also retains static; so not only are you more apt to get shocked when sitting on it, but lint and dust stick to it more. It's supposed to be easy to keep clean but I've found that to be a big fat lie especially if you have animals and it also doesn't have the warm cozy feel of a fabric sofa.

Unless we're expecting company, I keep ours covered because I hate the way the microfiber feels. My daughter had a microfiber sectional too and hers was uncomfortable because the fibers were longer and my clothes would stick to it. It's just not what it's cracked up to be.

One thing to remember is that leather and microfiber are available at all price points. Less expensive furniture in general will show wear and tear more quickly than better built and designed furniture.

So some leather and microfiber furniture is going to look like your pictures in a year or two. And some is going to look great 10 or 15 years after purchase.

Also, the stuffing in cushions gets worn down after time. You can usually replace the stuffing if the cushions aren't sewn to the chair/sofa. That's an easy and quick fix if it's just the stuffing that's the problem and not the leather or fabric.

Microfiber does have a nap. That means that you'll get variations in the color of the material depending on which way the nap is brushed. This results in a look that some people don't like, where you can see where someone was sitting on the furniture. (Butt prints, if you will.)

Leather ages. Over time, spots that get a lot of friction might fade. Some places might get scratched. The leather gets worn on the arms where someone always puts their hands. It's just the way leather is. Good quality leather will age gracefully. Poorer quality leather will look older faster and not get the nice, aged patina that good leather will.

Your best bet is to do some careful research, not just into leather and microfiber, but into how furniture is constructed. Then, when you head in to a furniture store, you will know what to look for and what questions to ask.

For the record, I have a microfiber chaise lounge that is 12 years old and still looks pretty good. Maybe not brand new, but it is unstained. The worst damage was a few places where a thread got pulled when my cat clawed it, and I was able to fix those. I have a 10 year old leather chair, which is beginning to show signs of age--the piping on the seat cushion is fading along the front edge. But it still looks nice, and it is very comfortable.

I suggest you not get leather or microfiber. Leather is a a natural material that will give with wear. I don't think the first chair or the loveseat look bad -- especially the chair, which looks like you could slap the back pillow to plump it a bit and it it would be great. Not all leather is the same quality, but like a pair of shoes, it will give -- unless it is bonded -- in which case it may split.

I have a microfiber sofa and two chairs in my living room. They do not get as much wear as the family room, but they are probably 8-10 years old and look nearly new. My smaller dog sleep on the top of the back sofa cushion as well as on the seat. That back pillow sometimes takes a bit of serious plumping after she's slept on it a lot, but the only real problem I have are some pinholes in one chair cause by a cat who got sick. The chair cleaned up beautifully with distilled water (tap water minerals can cause spotting and some cleaners can damage the fibers as well as cause residue spotting). It was stomach acid from unseen splatters near the area we cleaned up, but you really can't see them unless looking for them. I discovered them on a subsequent clean up.

The microfiber chair you show looks like it wasn't a quality piece to begin with and wasn't well maintained. Not all microfiber is the same either, and not all furniture is made the same. Even so, while I may never buy a major piece that isn't leather or microfiber, they may not be for you.

Thank you, lukkiirish. I must not get around enough because I don't know anyone who has furniture that is covered with a microfiber material. I used to really wish I had it when the kids were little because everyone said that it didn't stain and that liquids just beaded up.

Thank you for cluing me in.

I have microfiber upholstery as it's one of the few coverings that my cats don't demolish and it's held up well for 5 years. The only problem is with the attached cushions on the backs - when a 15 pound cat snoozes there they do get compressed and need to be plumped. I've heard of people having an upholsterer replace the filling with wrapped foam that holds it's shape. That's the same problem all the sofas you posted have - it's the style, not necessarily the fabric that is at fault.

There are many grades of microfiber and ours seems to be good quality and looks the same as it did when it was new. It does have subtle variations in the color, supposedly to look like nubuck (sanded leather). We did pay more than what one can get a cheap microfiber sofa for but IMO it's worth it.

My next sofa will have a tight back and it won't be a problem. By then I may no longer have cats and can get whatever upholstery I like but there is no downside to a good quality microfiber IMO.

Again IMO a really good quality leather will continue to look good as it acquires patina thru wear. I'd love to have leather but am afraid of what my cats will do to it.

You're welcome, I think that Camlan and Lascatx have some valid points though our sectional wasn't cheap, it's not the best quality either. And I much prefer cottons and natural materials so I may be biased but so far I've just never seen a microfiber anything that I like.

Thank you, camlan. I had wondered if the price of the furniture makes a difference with microfiber, as it does with leather.

I don't think the first chair looks bad either. After I posted it, I thought, gee, it actually looks pretty darned good.

I don't like the butt prints in microfiber, so I am not going to get furniture that is upholstered with it.

I have been researching the attributes and manufacturers of good quality furniture. I want what I buy to still look good after a decade of use.

Those 2 pictures of leather furniture just served a good purpose. I showed them to my husband, and explained that in the long run, higher quality furniture costs the same as the low-priced spread because it does not have to be replaced as often.

On the flip side to that though is a lot of people tire of their well made furniture and are stuck with it when they're ready for a change so really be sure that what ever you get you'll still like in 12-15 years.

We bought with the goal of it lasting 10 years or so because I do tire of things fairly easy. It's not unreasonable to assume that we'll be ready for an update by then and buying a new sofa will be part of that.

Lascatz, I have a leather sofa now. It is one of the cheaper ones -- with shipping from NC, it cost $1000. We've had it for 5 years, and we are going to replace it.

I'm not sure if I'll get another leather sofa -- it depends on what the really good ones cost.

When I had cats, the only upholstered furniture they didn't scratch was a couch my husband had when we got married. I hated it and thought it would never die. Actually, it didn't -- it still looked good (albeit ugly) when we gave it away. It was covered in some sort of thick velour-type fabric.

Thank you for your help.

Thank you, Luckygal. I don't have cats any more, but I do have a year old terrier who likes to dig, even on the sofa once in awhile. He hasn't hurt the leather yet.

I plan to test fabric samples for how easy stains can be cleaned off, and for what happens to it if the dog scratches it.

I have a couple of samples of Crypton fabric that performed beautifully. Unfortunately, I hate the way it feels.

Thank you for your help.

Lukkiirish, I am lucky in a way. I don't get tired of furniture I like. Once I get a room to look the way I want to, it stays that way. As long as the furniture looks good, ie., not worn out or ugly, I'm happy.

My tastes have changed over the years, but even those changes are at least a decade apart. It's the same with colors I like -- except that I usually like them for years before they become a popular color, and then I tire of them.

I'll be perfectly happy to live with this living room for a very long time, as long as I get furniture I like and use colors I like. I do have a yearning to get a chair upholstered in bright orange, but I am talking myself out of it. I never liked orange until this year, and I think it is just a phase bought on by seeing orange furniture in beautiful rooms in magazines.

I don't have any decorating talent at all. I should have because I feel unsettled if a room does not look well put together. The room I have to work with is ugly all by itself, to me, but I am going to do my best to make it look its best. Thank goodness for helpful people like you -- I'd be lost in a quagmire of questions otherwise.

This is the first time I've been able to start with a clean slate and buy furniture I actually like a lot. Luckily, my living room is small, so I won't have to spend a fortune.

You know, I have wondered about the leather and microfiber questions for years, which is why I finally decided to just ask here.

I appreciate your help!

I'm glad you asked, because I've been looking, also. The backs of all the CL chairs seem to sag, even though they look good otherwise. I've decided that the backs of my new furniture need to be straight and not "cushiony", no matter what the material.

My mom has a microfiber sofa that looks like leather, and it's not at all uncomfortable but I've only sat on it wearing jeans. I didn't have any problem with static either and it was really dry while I was there. The only complaint I have with it is that the seat got shiny in the spot I usually sat.

I have a leather sofa, loveseat & chair, bonded I think, and they still look as good as the day we bought them. I guess we just got lucky as the only thing I was concerned about at the time was comfort.