Ideas for Leather Chairs

Mini-Me Club Chair

• Trendy toddlers can relax in their tiny leather club chairs right next to dad in his full-size one. The chairs are duplicates of adult chairs in miniature --- about 1/4 size. It's great for taking a load off your feet when you're learning to walk. But the chairs are a sop to the tiniest tycoon's dignity as well. You can sit in them if you're -- ahem -- height-challenged, and still manage to keep your feet on the ground.

Sophisticated Dining

• Leather dining chairs take style up a notch when they are sleek, contemporary designs. The chairs might complement but not match a dining table -- a set of all black completely leather-covered chairs looks sharp with a glass table. Bronze leather and metal chairs add rich texture to an old wood refectory table. Mismatched chairs recovered in the same leather are visually lively but not discordant with a stone-topped or painted table.

Tally-Ho Desk Chair

• A hand-stitched leather chair on a swivel base upgrades a home office from trash treasures to pure professional. Choose a chair with a back and seat that look like a fine saddle. The simplicity of an equestrian-inspired design would harmonize with traditional or sleek modern furniture. A good leather chair will hold its shape while molding itself slightly to yours over time. And a spare leather chair with good lines can be pressed into service in the living room to handle unexpected guests with aplomb.

Eco-Friendly Leather

• Rehab your old cracked leather chair without losing any of its worn charm. There are products available that allow you to dye vegetable-tanned leather. The dyes are water-based and emit low V.O.C.s -- harmful volatile organic compounds -- so you save that old chair from the trash and protect your health at the same time. The dyes are inexpensive so a little elbow grease from you and it's a lucky break for your budget as well.