Pottery Barn Turner Roll Arm Leather Chair Review

Are you considering a Pottery Barn Turner leather chair?  After living with two of the 48” Turner leather chairs and ottomans in Statesville Molasses for 4 years – with a cat – I'm sharing how the leather has held up, scratches and all.

This is the first time I’ve ever owned leather furniture. There are a few reasons I have never even considered it.  For one, I was worried if I sat down on the leather with shorts on, that my skin would stick to it. It just doesn’t seem like the coziest material to snuggle up to. And you know what? I’ve never had this happen.  I guess since we keep the house at a steady temperature, it’s just not an issue at all.  The other reason?  Because we have a cat.....cat claws on leather sounds like a nightmare, right? I researched this whole world wide web before I made the decision to buy these chairs and I could find precious little information of actual people that had actual cats with actual leather.  Pretty much it was just “cats and leather don’t mix.” 😅

Is the Pottery Barn Turner Leather Chair Comfortable?

The chairs need very little maintenance. The cushions have held up great! No fluffing needed. They are firm, but not hard. You’re not going to feel like you are sinking into another layer. They have good back support. I prefer having a pillow at my back, but Doug doesn’t. He always throws my pretty pillow to the side when he sits down.😅 The chairs are also comfortable to watch a movie in. That’s always a big test for me….can I get comfy and watch a movie? The 48” chair is large enough that it will fit two people so when we have a house full of family, the couples don’t mind cozying up in the chairs. If size is an issue for you, you should definitely measure. Our living room is large enough to accommodate two 48” chairs and two ottomans. We even sketched it out: (insert the photo of the sketch).

How Have Our Turner Leather Chairs Held Up After 4 Years?

Like most furniture, the seats and ottomans have developed a little waviness from us sitting on them. You can’t flip the cushions because the bottom is a different fabric. The underside of the cushion is not leather. The leather has maintained its color even though these chairs are located in front of a window. I haven’t noticed any change in the color of the arms from our arms resting on them. We really love these chairs and I think they are absolutely worth the investment. 

How Does the Pottery Barn Turner Leather Chair Hold Up With Cats?

Now, the burning question.....how has the leather held up after 4 years with a cat in the house?  There are scratches!  Every time Coconut jumps up or down off the chairs and ottomans, he leaves a little claw scratch on the leather. I even tested his claws on a sample piece of leather before we went through with ordering the chairs. His claws left superficial scratches…..they did not rip or puncture the leather at all. 

I was mortified when we got the first few scratches, but now they don’t bother me at all.  I clean the leather by simply wiping it with a dust cloth. Doug conditions the leather at least once or twice a year and it helps to lessen the appearance of the scratches. (Both photos below are completely unedited, taken in natural light!)

Do Cat Scratches Ruin the Leather?

I’ll tell you what my interior designer sister said when she saw them after we had the chairs a few months.  She said people pay money to get their leather distressed. Like literally, beating the leather with a chain to get a lived-in patina. She said to think of our chairs like you would think about a fine, vintage Ralph Lauren leather jacket.  Those scratches are part of the charm!

That totally changed my mindset.  Coconut is being a cat and leather is just being leather.

Unless you are close to the chairs, you cannot tell that they are scratched at all. When I’m sitting across the room, I don’t notice the scratches at all. When I’m sitting in the chair, I can see them, but they just don’t bother me anymore.

If having scratches at all on your leather is going to bother you, then I wouldn’t recommend getting these chairs if you have pets. Cat or dog claws certainly have the potential to scratch the leather. But so do things like clothes with zippers. We LIVE in our house so I do not let real life happening ruin my experience with my furniture.

Coco doesn’t use the chairs as a scratching post which I think is an important distinction. If your cat has other scratching options available and doesn’t typically scratch your furniture, you may feel more comfortable trying leather in your house. There are also products available that are designed to deter cats from scratching furniture.

If you love the idea of leather developing character over time, then I say go for it!

Here’s the exact armchair that I have:

If you’d like to read more about how I selected the rest of the furniture in the room, please read this post. And if you’re more interested in the performance fabrics and stain removal, please check out this blog post.