Measure the room and leave 30-36in of walkway around the sofa. A sofa looks balanced at about two-thirds its wall length. Deeper seats (22-24in) suit taller users; sectionals need a room of at least 12 x 12ft.

Standard interior doorways are 30-36in wide. Measure the sofa's narrowest dimension — usually depth or seat width — against that. For tight access, look for sofas with removable legs or modular sectionals that separate into sections.

Full-grain leather is the most durable and develops a patina; top-grain is sanded and treated, slightly less hard-wearing; bonded leather is reconstituted scraps with a coating — softer feeling but shorter-lived. The product description states which is used.

Most sofas arrive partly assembled — attaching the legs takes 5-10 minutes with the hardware that ships with the piece. Sectionals connect with included brackets in about 20-40 minutes. Heavier pieces are much easier and safer with two people.

Make the coffee table roughly two-thirds the sofa's length, with its top level with the seat cushion or 1-2in lower. Leave 14-18in between the sofa and table for comfortable leg room.

Vacuum weekly and blot spills — don't rub — with a clean cloth. Use water-based cleaner for most fabrics and solvent only for delicate ones; when in doubt, check the product description or contact us with the product name first.