Leather grades, plainly

Full-grain and top-grain leather shows the natural grain and marks of the hide and wears the best. Corrected-grain leather is sanded and embossed for an even look at a lower price. Leather-match puts real leather where you sit and touch, with matching faux on the back and sides — a sensible way to get a leather look on a budget. We'll tell you exactly what each sofa uses.

Looking after leather

Dust it weekly, wipe spills straight away with a damp cloth, keep it a metre from radiators and out of direct sun, and feed it with a leather conditioner twice a year. Do that and a good hide will still look right in fifteen years.