I think the lighter colored goes with your paint and curtains. Having a pup and small child, I'd be worried too. I have a light colored couch and a chocolate brown dog that sheds a lot. A Surefit throw slipcover works perfectly. Company comes over, I just pull it off.

Thank you for your help. Here are a few current pictures I just took. I had to laugh since my pup was on the coach like she owns the place. We sold our other furniture and moved the sunroom couch in temporarily until I make a decision so everything is in disarray right now but it should give you a better idea. The wall color looks green in the pics but I would say it's a true greige in real life. Thanks again for the help!

I have dark gray furniture and it shows dust! Yes, I have to dust the horizontal surfaces twice a month. I also have a stain from where I lay my head back...probably from wet hair after showering. So dark doesn't necessarily solve all problems.

I'm still voting for the lighter color in your room, 101%! :-)

Can't answer your question, but that is the nicest sectional that I have ever seen.

I love your drapes! Why did you take them down?

Ohhh...bulldog in a sweater! I love her.

If you have swatches in hand and the linen works well with your other elements in the room, I vote for the lighter color although I understand why you'd be a little nervous about it!

Side note: your pup reminds me of our Phoebe, center below, who's now in Doggy Heaven.

such a pretty room

Can you find a sofa you like in the light linen, with a removable, washable slipcover?

That is what I do.

BTW we have 3 kids and a dog, and the dog was the problem not the kids. The sofa would be dirty at the skirt, where she laid against it. I got her a bed for that room, and taught her to lay there instead; that has worked very well. The custom beds are really cute, I need to plug them again: : )

http://www.lillyandabbiedogbeds.com/customdogbeds.html

the gray is not going to be much different than what u had originally...its dark like the brown leather....

do u want to room to feel lighter??? or more grounded like the dark brown provided??

do u want it to blend with coffee table and rug or stand out?? only u can decide. i think both look good for different reasons but again its how u want the room to feel....

lighter- go with the linen

same over all feel - go with charcoal

its hard to really see on a computer especially the lighting, overall feel of the room and how that room ties in with rest of house...

My vote is to get another leather one, one that is comfortable

Even though I have one in the den, I don't find tufted sofas all that comfortable for general lounging. What is DH's objection to the comfort level of your previous sofa? Of course, he has probably already sat on the new one, and given his thumbs up. For appearance, I prefer the lighter one. As a three dog owner myself, I vote the gray for practicality.

I am a dissenting vote. I think the light one might look too much like your table. That being said, have you at in this couch? I think those Chesterfield sofas can be uncomfortable. Your room is very nice.

I'm not so sure that the dark gray color would go with anything else in that room. Any couch that doesn't have a pattern will show stains and dirt no matter what. I'd go with the one you really like more. I would think most sofas nowadays have some kind of protective barrier on the material anyway. I have to say I love chesterfields and have always found them very comfortable. You can sit sideways or lie down and drape your legs over them, and you don't feel the tufting as long as it's not on the seat cushions. The light one is somehow richer and more expensive-looking, and also will make the room look more cheerful. That would be my choice at any rate.

Sueb20- your pups are so cute! Love them! Sabbath7- I had the drapes made into Roman shades when we redid our fireplace. There wasn't even clearance for drapes between the edge of the mantle and the window. I originally just did Romans on the windows on the fireplace wall but it looked strange to me not to match the other windows. So, now they are all roman shades. The drapes were a little much for me and I really like the cleaner look of the shades.

I agree you should go with the light fabric. But have you looked for a fabric that might be more durable such as an ivory or oatmeal color herringbone pattern instead of a solid?