True. It is all about taste. I think the production cost of leather is probably why it costs more. That is true about spills. But forget biro or what cat claws can do to leather. I adore the look of leather- especially tan/caramel and don't get me started on the chesterfield I covet! Alas not for me again. Haunted by the self-awareness of the sweaty patch from a summer afternoon!! No I didn't (pee my pants), really!

It all depends on how much money you would like to spend. As your lounge is dark and your stools and bookcase are also dark I think white chairs would be fine, but then I would change the stools as well and take some white down to the lounge area. However you can buy stretchy covers for this style of chair for around $10 and there is quite a variety, so I would look on line for those to see if you like any of them as that would be a very easy fix.

Thank you everyone, lots of shopping, many shops seen. I have pulled this look together. I am not sure about the heavy textured throw. Just walked in with it, thinking a white pot with a plant in the corner by the window. I wanted to find the beige colour in the blue cushion, a much darker colour than the plain one l found to the left of it. Take care everyone. Sue

I'm surprised to admit I really like the brown. I usually don't like earthy neutrals of any shading but this one is ok, it certainly provided balance for the dark furniture the previous owners had. I love the idea of the side table at 90 degrees to the start of that wall to create a reading nook/dining space and redirect traffic. You could get something reasonable tall facing toward the glass doors to be storage/extension of the kitchen so there is a sense of connection. You could then put paint, wallpaper the back of that cupboard and put up the mirror and a little table for keys. Or even have matching bookshelves back to back and use the one facing the front door as a 'wet' room/shoe storage. Ikea sells so many great units that you can tailor the combination of size and shapes open and closed to get just the right look on each side.If you do this you have to screw the two units to each other so that stand straight and appear as one. If you did use the nook as dinning space you could have all the serving/special stuff in that cupboard so you dont have to go far for setting the table and leave the kitchen cupboards for daily use stuff. When I first moved into my big home from a super tiny apartment I just laid out what I had (plastic dinning set and all) as best I could and moved them around every few weeks till I got the combination of how to use the room right. Then I went and bought more/new furniture over the next 6 months.