This Burrow couch is made with full-grain leather that will last for years - here's what it feels like and why it's worth $3,800

Jada Wong

Oct 5, 2019, 02:13 IST

This Burrow couch is made with full-grain leather that will last for years - here's what it feels like and why it's worth $3,800

Jada Wong / Business Insider

After our 5-year-old faux leather couch started showing signs of wear, my husband and I decided to invest in a real leather couch.
We tried a Nomad Leather King Sectional with a chaise and ottoman from Burrow, costing $3,790.
It's definitely not cheap but it's customizable (so yours can definitely be less expensive than our set), ships directly to you within four days, and can be put together yourself to save installation fees.
After using it for six months, I'd recommend it to anyone who has the budget and is looking for a classic leather couch that'll last years.

One of the most frustrating things about furniture (aside from said furniture shopping) is the delivery and installation. There are extra charges and 10-hour delivery windows that come and go - it just seems like an old-school way of doing things.

When my husband and I were looking to replace our 5-year-old faux leather couch that was showing signs of wear, we decided to shop online and only at places that offered free delivery and had modular styles that we could put together ourselves. Like Ikea, but not.

I've known about furniture startup Burrow for a few years but never had a reason to look at it much since we had a couch. Around the same time that we were looking to replace ours, Burrow launched a full-grain leather version of its popular Nomad couch.

We ended up getting the Nomad Leather King Sectional, a full-grain leather couch that would last years, if not, decades. We added a chaise and ottoman, all in black leather with walnut legs. The total cost was $3,790 - definitely not cheap or affordable by any means, but reasonable given the amount of pieces we ordered and the quality of the full-grain leather.

Six months in, there's still not a scratch, tear, or ripped seam to be found. And we've had young kids and dogs on it too.

Our new Burrow couch arrived in clearly labeled boxes and installation was tricky but manageable; it took about an hour

Jada Wong / Business Insider

The couch arrived a few days after ordering, and in several clearly labeled boxes. That was helpful as we unpacked boxes in the order of installation - seats first, then the side panels with low armrests, and finally, the legs. The chaise includes a long cushion that lays on top of a base and any seat you want, and the ottoman, well, it's an ottoman.

Thee boxes also helpfully have holes for handles and easy carrying, and each item is wrapped in thick plastic so it doesn't get dirty during transit. We reused the plastic to carry our old couch to a local donation center.

The couch a boxy modular design, so you can move the seats around however you want or even remove them to make your couch smaller, and the overall design and function of the couch will be the same.

Once we took out different parts of the couch to assemble, there was a big initial cardboard smell, especially on the right side. Thankfully, it's up against a wall and the smell has since dissipated.

Here are some of the specs of our king couch with the chaise and ottoman:

General Dimensions: 112 inches L x 36 inches W x 35 inches H
Seat Height: 17 inches
Arm Height: 23 inches
Seat Depth: 22 inches
Leg Height: 7 inches
Chaise Length: 61 inches
Ottoman General Dimensions: 26 inches L x 26 inches W x 17 inches H
Seat Height: 17 inches
Seat Depth: 26 inches
Leg Height: 7 inches

Jada Wong / Business Insider

Instruction manuals are provided and easy to follow, so we didn't have any trouble there. You basically put two seats next to each other and secure with a metal latch between the seats and on the underside, then you move onto the other seats and armrests.

We had a lot of issues connecting the seats though because the metal latches between and under the seats were so hard to find and secure. One person would have to use their entire body weight to force the seats flush against each other while the other would fumble around with the latches.

It took about an hour to set up the couch because of the latch issues, but some reviewers said it took 15 to 20 minutes. I'd imagine the latches were hard to deal with because the seats are well-padded and extend past their wooden frames, but if there's a way to make this process more efficient in the future, I'm all for it. If it weren't for the latches, I would imagine it'd take us much less time too.

The couch has a wooden frame covered in full-grain leather, but the underside is covered in thin fabric and secured with staples that is surprisingly cheap for such an expensive piece of furniture

Jada Wong / Business Insider

The general frame of the couch is made with Baltic Birch, a type of light-colored wood that resists warping. So far, I haven't had any issues with the seats bending in the six months we've had the couch.

But the underside is covered in thin black fabric secured via staples that is unexpectedly cheap for a $3,000+ couch. During installation, I accidentally ripped through the fabric as I was securing one of the latches and I noticed that one of the staples is just a little too close to the edge and is exposed when looking at the couch straight on.

Thankfully, both issues are on the underside of the couch so you don't see anything. These are things I wouldn't expect from a couch that costs so much and especially when it's made with full-grain leather, but I guess there are bigger issues to have.

The Burrow couch has held up well in the past six months we've had it - the frame is sturdy and the leather hasn't ripped

Jada Wong / Business Insider

Despite doubling as a trampoline for two kids and a bed for a dog (sadly, neither are ours), the couch still looks great and the frame hasn't warped or bent anywhere. It's really sturdy and doesn't shift or squeak.

My husband has had a full-grain leather wallet for the past five years, so if that's any indication of quality, our couch will last a long time. Full-grain leather is the highest quality of leather and ages well; it'll develop a slightly glossy patina with variations in color.

Despite the quality, I was personally worried about the feel and that it would get sticky and gross during the summer, but it was actually quite cool even after sitting on it for hours watching "Veronica Mars."

The seat cushions were initially too padded for my liking, but it has squished down slightly. I guess that's a good problem to have though since that means the seats are well-padded and comfortable. There's a strip of fabric on the edge of the cushion so it doesn't slide down the seat, a thoughtful design detail that goes a long way.

The couch also has a built-in USB charger which is tech-y and helpful, especially for guests crashing on our couch.

If you have the budget, I'd suggest taking a look at Burrow's full-grain Nomad couches for their durability, ease of set up, and modular design

Couches aren't cheap in general, but given the quality of Burrow's full-grain leather, I'd recommend the investment. Similar to a bed, you're sitting on it for hours every day so you should prioritize quality and durability if you can. We have a full set (four-seater couch with a chaise and ottoman) so ours was expensive. But depending on the size you need, it can be a lot cheaper.

This is Burrow's first leather couch so there are definitely certain things that can be improved down the road such as a different fabric for the underside of the seats and the staples, but ultimately, these are small issues that didn't impact quality or integrity.

Buy the Nomad Leather King Sectional, $3,295 at Burrow

Buy the Nomad Leather King Sectional with Ottoman, $3,790 at Burrow

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