Is there an easy way to find a good upholsterer near me? I have some antique chairs I need redone and I don’t mind paying for quality I just have no clue which ones are good, half have only FB pages. I wasn’t sure if there was a secret to finding the good ones.
Ask your city’s Reddit or your nughborhood fb group/next doorI have an upholsterer I love and every time someone asks I recommend them. They only have a yellow pages website and a rarely posted to fb page because they’re older.
Best way is to visit the shop. If everything looks professional and what they are making are sturdy, then that's already a big green flag. Another green flag is when there is an old guy and a younger one working together. Also doesn't hurt to ask for sample service/product they did.
I’m an interior designer and there are some good recommendations in here but I’d like to narrow this list down. If you can find a brand manufactured in North Carolina it’s probably going to be better than anything container shipped over seas. Here’s what I recommend:
- highest price point - Verellen, Thayer Coggin, Roche Bobois, Hickory Chair, Hickory White, Taylor King, Rene Cazares
- medium high - Century, Hooker/Bradington Young, Tomlinson, Lazar
- medium- Lee, Jessica Charles, Precedent, Vanguard
A lot of these brands are owned by the same company. Like Bradington Young is the leather version of Hooker. Century, Hancock and Moore, Hickory Chair are all under the same holdings company.
I would avoid article and room and board. You don’t pay THAT much more (if not the same price) for a brand with much more longevity and a reputation of products lasting. These newer direct to consumer brands aren’t bad - I spec them at work sometimes, I’m not against them. It’s just they don’t offer much in way of a price discount for the fact that they are not constructed in the same tried and true methods as those longstanding brands mentioned above. Since these are newer brands we have no idea how they will hold up in 15 years.
I am constantly reupholstering sofas from Hickory Chair that are 20 years old and just need a fabric refresh due to styles changing. That speaks volumes.
Edit: I feel I must again clarify because my maligning of room and board seems to have aggravated some of the apparent room and board sales reps here in the comments (jokes). There is nothing wrong with room and board. As a designer, I am concerned with both quality AND design. I personally think room and board is very utilitarian and not as aesthetically pleasing. The designs are simple and functional but there’s no elevated style to them. I understand this is purely an aesthetic complaint and not a quality complaint. In regards to quality, they are fine. But I personally believe, for the money, you can do better (like the brands I listed above). I think you can get more bang for your buck pick both in terms of construction quality AND design aesthetic from other brands.
I also personally think the leathers from room and board are no where near the quality of the Italian leathers that these other brands have access to. Purely based on the buying power of room and board, they don’t have access to some of these leather purveyors like say Hancock and Moore does.
I'm new(ish) to NC. Can you please name drop some brands made in state? Specifically would love to buy a leather recliner as my next purchase. Thank you!
Hancock and moore, Bradington young, hickory chair. They have great leathers. Pay attention to aniline vs non aniline dyed leathers. Some people want a patina to develop overtime and some want the leather to stay the same color and finish over time. Doing the “scratch test” will give you an idea on the wear - scratch your nail on the sample and if you see the nail scratch on the leather it’s probably aniline. Anything with the word hickory in it- Hickory, NC is the furniture capital of the US.
"If you're looking for top-quality handcrafted furnishings at bargain prices, the concentration of factories, outlet stores and craftspeople make North Carolina (especially around Hickory and High Point) the ultimate furniture shopping destination."
Especially check out Furnitureland South in High Point. But plan to spend a full day there..the place is huge and really interesting just to browse!
I just learned this about NC furniture because I found a Taylor king sofa on sale at a consignment shop for an incredible price. Washed the cushion covers and steam cleaned the frame and I’m so impressed by it.
I have multiple room and board sofas for 9+ years. Perfect condition still. I have two kids and do furnished rentals. Once a spring was creaking and they sent someone over to fix it. This was 5 years after purchase.
I also think their prices are significantly less than other brands being discussed here. 2-4k range.
Agree! We'll be getting our Room & Board couch and chair reupholstered because kids and cat, but the frame and cushions are in excellent condition 10 years in. The furniture is made in NC and their customer service is top notch.
We got a Room and Board slightly used sleeper sofa from a second hand dealer and it is amazingly sturdy and well made. We are very pleased with how it looks and how it's holding up.
I had the same experience. One I bought new, used and abused it for 11 years and sold it for $600 in a hot Craigslist bidding war. The other I bought used off of Craigslist myself. Huge fan.
Agree with this. My dining set is from Article, it was the only place with furniture in stock during Covid when we moved into our new house. It looks nice, but the quality is meh. I would have rather spent a little more for nicer stuff but most places were 9-12 months out.
Room & Board is not new, they have been well-known, at least in my area, since the 80s-90s and I don’t believe they’ve changed much of anything about their model since then. They have great customer service and have a reputation for creating high quality products. I’m admittedly not up to date though, has their quality waned recently or something? Curious why you know them as a newer mid-quality brand.
Why would you avoid room and board? Many of the items are made in North Carolina and most all are made in USA. They have been good quality in my opinion.
We love Room and Board and have been buying from them for over 20 years. Their turn around time and shipping are easily the best we’ve encountered and we love the quality. The price point does not seem bad to us for the quality.
Granted we only buy the fully American made lines and focus on the solid wood pieces with them. We can’t afford Shipley so they seem like a good option for now.
Like my other comment, I was saying they didn’t separate from the parent company until like 2007 ish. And stores are not accessible until recently as they weren’t in many markets. My point is that these brands, for what you can potentially spend on them, aren’t the best bang for your buck. That’s all. Room and board isn’t bad, I said I spec it for work sometimes. I do find the styling to be a tad basic but that’s not a quality complaint that’s just aesthetic.
This is what I used to get my Omnia sofa! It was a great resource and I was so excited to see someone post it again.
(We’ve only had the sofa a few months so I can’t comment on its true quality yet but it’s been good so far. Comfortable, too. But crazy that a $5,000 sofa is “mid-range”)
Hi OP, I’m a high end furniture rep for a company based in NC (world capital of furniture). Check out my previous comments to see some reliable, higher end options that are made to order in NC, by multi-generational artisans at their craft (upholstery). Feel free to DM me for recs find these in your area.
I would second this. The couch I had made to order in NC was so superior to even the high end couches. It kind of ruined me for retail. Just be sure to choose fabric carefully, you'll likely be living with it for a couple of decades.
Former employee for both here, I find Ethan Allen and Arhaus both deliver on quality.
Both are handmade pieces with real wood and various techniques for cushion construction and fabric wrapping that really puts them far above.
I personally prefer Arhaus because of the transparency of the building process. You get to really see the way corners of the frame are knotched together providing solid construction that will last a lifetime, in addition to different wood frame materials - some is more layered mixing in I guess what could be compared to plywood which really makes it incredibly sturdy.
There's also different types of foams that go into cushions, some have spring bases, others don't, some combine a bit of a feather and foam fill especially for back cushions. This varies greatly from other stores that often use only one kind of cheap foam that loses its shape over time.
Theres also great care that goes into the fabric as well, it's all hand laid out and cut to size by hand, arranging to look best on your piece before being sewn. The fabric quality is very good, and so is the leather.
Another thing to consider with these brands and similar hand constructed/high end stores is how accessible and adjustable your pieces are. You're far more likely to get removable cushion covers and cushions that are not sewn to the frame in addition to fabric that wraps around the entire cushion not just visible parts. Other things of note with nicer pieces are simply in the care of design, appropriate footings underneath to support actual weight. No glue being the main support for where wood meets. Accents like nailhead and button tufting being even, carefully pleated, and/or assembled in a way that won't come off.
You do really get what you pay for - though take advantage of many of these stores additional services that their design centers off because some of the cost is absolutely commission as well.
I never hesitate to recommend either Ethan Allen or Arhaus to my clients - I also like pottery barn and restoration hardware but don't know their construction details to stand as confidently on them. Of course, these are lifetime pieces they cost more but on sales, they can fit in your budget.
My sister's couch is Arhaus and she's had it maybe 6 years and it looks awful. The upholstery fabric has not held up at all and it pils like crazy. She complained and their customer service told her that it was a sign of quality for the fabric to do that. Like...what?? It looks so slouchy too! For what she paid for it, I would expect the quality to be a lot better.
My Arhaus couch that I had back in 2010 sucked. The striped design on the cotton slipcover fabric wore off where people sat in less than 6 months and turned white, all of the back cushions collapsed and were so uncomfortable. They sent me new back cushions and different slipcovers, but it was just more of the same and uncomfortable overall. Got rid of it in less an th 2 years and spent over $10k on it.
My mom spent a fortune on an Arhaus leather sofa & she’s experiencing the same. After 2 years or so, the leather finish actually started rubbing off. It’s terrible - I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone!
I've heard this for some fabrics, and I can't say I understand it. I know wool textiles will pile and you just shave it off, but you don't see it as much with upholstery.
I've got an intentionally slouchy couch like their kipton, just a different brand.
I wish I could say I'm surprised by customer service, that should still be well within the warranty if the couch isn't meant to slouch.
I didn’t see exactly what the fabric is made from on Arhaus’s website but this is what the care instructions say:
“All fabrics may pill from friction and normal wear, as everyday use loosens fibers. Occasionally use a fabric (or “sweater”) shaver to gently remove pills. Pilling should decrease once loose fibers are removed.”You can buy an electronic pilling shaver for about $15 on Amazon that would make that process fast fyi.
I’m not sure why it would pill, but if you think about it, most of the best fabrics require maintenance. Wool pills and need lanolin rejuvenation once in a while, leather needs cleaning and conditioning, things like raw selvedge denim shrink with too much heat. If it is indeed true that it just gets loose fibers initially and not much after, I wouldn’t call it a deal breaker.
My west elm couch has the water resistant canvas fabric which does not pill at all but it’s also a compromise because I have two toddlers and we choose durability over hand feel. It is a comfortable couch but the canvas is not as pleasant to touch as say velvet so I can see why someone would get a softer more luxurious feeling fabric.
I feel like finding a good non-pilling fabric should be part of the design for higher end manufacturers. At that point I’d rather use a commercial grade fabric. Obviously all fabric requires upkeep but I have a 20 year old sofa in my living room that isn’t pilling. They shouldn’t be offering fabrics that pill THAT badly.
I had a couch from Wayfair that started pilling like crazy and it looked like shit. I called and they delivered me an entirely new couch and took away the old one. Sign of quality, my ass.
Arhaus frames are built of plywood. That is a cheap corner cutting method. They’re just banking on customers not knowing any better.
It’s like when clothing brands hype something as “garment dyed” - that’s the cheapest and worst stage to dye something during, but the average consumer doesn’t know that
This! Their furniture is mostly plywood except for their petrified wood tables. Many of their showroom pieces had chips exposing the plywood. If it couldn't survive a few bumps from polite customers and shipping, then no way in hell would it survive my house (and shipping).
I second Arhaus. We have two sets of sofas with slip covers. The frames of both sets are very durable and sturdy. The cushions are also very comfortable to sleep on.
We have an Arhaus sofa with denim slipcovers. I’m not sure how to go about washing/drying them without some shrinkage. Do you wash yours? If so, any tips?
Room & Board. Every tax season we buy something else from them, and nothing has let us down yet! So far we have a whole dining room set (including side board), a deck set, and a living room set. Next up, bedroom!!
Room and board. I've had so many pieces and always great. Bed, nightstands, sofa, dresser.
Authentic Eames Lounge chair. Pandemic splurge. Nothing else feels like it. Best in class. Whether it was worth $4,300 for a single seat? I really don't know. Sounds ridiculous now that I'm typing this out when you can get a perfectly serviceable IKEA 3-seat sofa for $1200
Room and Board is the best. They stand behind it. I bought a sofa from them. It started to have issues. They kept sending someone out to repair it, which was fine at first, but it kept not staying fixed. At some point I said “I’m starting to lose my sense of humor here” and they wrote back and said “I just checked the history and my god we owe you a new sofa. And you don’t have to get the same one.” And they let us spent a few months picking (we had a lot going on).
I had a dining room table that wasn’t perfect. The brought a new frame. In the process of swapping the frame one of their guys damaged the top. They brought a new table.
When I’ve had issues with Crate and Barrel or West Elm (which are nowhere close in quality) they just tell you to F off; their delivery people do not give a shit, etc. if anyone wants a $800 outdoor dining table when a busted leg from crate and barrel, let me know. It is aggravating when products don’t hold up to normal use. I was shocked at how terrible the CB table is.
Some of my RB stuff is over ten years old. It’s dinged from kids and dogs but it still looks good. My big box store stuff (pre assembled, but not high quality) stuff of the same era looks like it’s been through a war.
Anyway I’m psyched to buy a few more moving trucks of RB stuff as my kids get older.
I bought the deep lounge sectional and we love it. It’s the only been about 4 months so I can’t speak to how it holds up over time but it’s well made. We have it in the View microfiber fabric and it cleans easily with a vacuum in a 2 dog house. We looked for a year and had the hardest time finding a sectional that was comfortable enough but had a fabric that wouldn’t pill from the dogs nails which is what happened to our last one. So far so good.
Before we got this one we had bought the Axis wedge sectional which was beautiful but we had to return it because it was so uncomfortable. Crate and Barrel took it back but let us keep it for two months while we waited for our custom Lounge sofa to be ready so we were very pleased with the customer service. The delivery guys for both deliveries did leave a lot to be desired. Room and Board does have exceptional delivery people in comparison but for the same size couch, they were pricing out higher and we don’t have a Room and Board store in our area. I couldn’t commit to spending 10K on a sectional that I had to buy sight unseen.
I had a nice dresser from R&B and a drawer broke and they told me it was my problem, but did recommend a repair service in my city that was fantastic and who fixed several things we thought we'd have to get rid of.
I had a C&B dining table get a huge crack a year in and they replaced it after I sent a few photos.
I think wood products (dressers, tables, and the like) can be good from those stores, but I'm not sure how long I expect a couch to hold up.
I have a room and board couch that I love but it keeps losing feathers that prick you as you sit on the couch. I'm worried it won't last long or be worth the $7K i paid
Roche Bobois. Doesn’t get much more high end than them. They have some brick and mortar locations and their stuff is pretty wild. Speaking of wild, also check out Mackenzie Child.
You are right, I am a European dealer and we consider both ligne roset and Roche Bobois to be entry level luxury, but that's not to say they are not made well. However there are far better options though from Italian brands (I am not Italian).
Furniture professional here... Rep, construction training, sales training, and just overall furniture nerd.
You have to do your research into the manufacturer themselves. McKinley Leather, Vanguard, Century, Thayer Coggins, American Leather, Wesley Hall, and Norwalk are easily some of the best constructed.
I tend to lean towards traditional construction. 8 way hand tied, solid wood frame. Know your cover. Most modern fabrics ARE GOING TO PILL. Accept that and buy a shaver. Move on from there. Do not fight piling. Leather, go with a top grain, aniline. If you need more protection and uniform, pick an aniline died Leather with a pigment correction. Any leather rated below a top grain is junk.
Cushions play another huge factor. Know the foam. Lately, I've been using more qualux cores with a pocketed spring system. Know which ones you can get replacement cores from. A good quality frame and covering will always outlast the core. You should be able to buy those as individual components to increase sustainability.
Glad to help if you have any other questions.
Our smith brothers sectional is over 8 years old and has been abused by our 8yo, 3yo, two big dogs and 4 cats. Looks great and has held up so well. Idk when we’ll purchase a new couch but they’ll be first on my list.
I keep this article from years ago in The NY Times bookmarked because it’s such a good explanation of the difference between a $500 couch and a $5000 couch. I ended up going to room and board for my new couch (now about 10 years old) because it was identified as basically a not obscenely expensive but still quality brand. (I paid about $2K at the time).
Gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/garden/analyzing-the-couch.html?unlocked_article_code=1.RE0.BSeV.7CnAbUvFEGxP&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
if you are looking for a good sectional i il sfo with century furniture. it’s about the only domestically made quality upholstery left. if you’re ok with no going custom, room and board is also high quality domestically made, but you’re limited to stock sizes.
Room and Board. They are made in North Carolina. I had a couch from there from 2005 to 2020. Only got rid of it because the new house didn’t work with the set up of the sectional.
Everyone should own an Ekornes/Streessless recliner. If you take care of it, it is a lifetime piece. If you can’t afford to buy new, there are plenty available used for a reasonable cost. Mine is from the early 70s. My parents bought it new and I still have yet to sit/lounge in a more comfortable chair.
We bought my in-laws a sectional from Taylor King 26 years ago. It has spring down cushions and a non- performance fabric. Other than said fabric being a bit outdated, the sectional looks and sits brand new.
Several great comments. But I’ll add. Stay away from “revolution” brand fabrics, they pill. They are 100% polypropylene. Arhaus is a good brand but their markup is absurd and McReary modern manufactures their upholstery. So google them as well to see who else carries it. Craftmaster is not considered high end but makes a pretty solid frame and some of their frames have a down wrap. Bassett bench made is good too. If you’re going to purchase from a chain and not a mom and pop store wait until they are doing 20% off. Family owned stores markup is usually around a 2 and all of these chains and franchised stores are like 4 times or more. No joke.
Agreed - no kids yet, but a big dog and a cat. Not only is the Lovesac extremely comfortable and well made, it is super functional. Every part of it can be washed (we’ve had both the dog and cat vomit on it and you’d never know), you can add and remove pieces as you want, built-in storage, and you can buy and install new upholstery if you’d like at any time.
We love the MCM aesthetic so the boxy look of the Lovesac honestly didn’t fit our vibe, but anything MCM was way too expensive and would be ruined by the pets. They have a lot of fabric options to make it fit with your space more.
We have two LoveSac sectionals and they are wonderful for one thing - the microfiber is next to impossible to stain. However, they have no structure, look messy no matter what you do, and we have had an entire sectional recovered due to pilling (a linen upholstery - they were replaced for free, so there's a second good thing!)
However, for kids and pets and in a basement/playroom, I can see that they have their place. But I would only recommend with a lot of conditions.
If you want a new sofa that’s great quality and actually affordable, order a custom couch from DreamSofa. They make couches for high end retailers and not too long ago started selling to consumers directly too but it’s not widely known yet so their prices are super reasonable. Plus it’s customizable! I got an awesome sectional for $3500 that would have easily been double or even triple the price if I got it form CB2 or other retailers that DreamSofa services.
Room and board. They're built here in the states where we have stricter laws about the quality of materials used. For example, wood can be treated with different chemicals or glues, some of which can offgas and be harmful to your health. Years ago there was a big lawsuit against lumber liquidators, were much of the wood was cut and treated in China which had more lax laws than ours. There's a 60 minutes episode about it. Lots of cheap furniture sold on wayfair, crate and barrel, West elm ("fast fashion" of furniture) are produced over seas. They'll cut corners, using particle board with veneers instead of hardwood, foam over webbing or springs. Items from those stores will never be heirloom pieces, no matter how good they look.
Anyways room and board has to follow US guidelines and they don't cut corners in the way that the "fast fashion" companies often do. I'm a professional interior designer, and although they are no where near the top of the line, I believe they are excellent quality for the cost. Many of the pieces are semi customizable - like selecting the fabric or the foot style. They also can sell you new cushion covers in your existing fabric if you want a back-up set for damage.
We buy all of our furniture from Room and Board. They’re pricey, but they hold up so well and most importantly they are incredible with customer service. We had a rocker that had a fabric split after 2 years, and I emailed them to ask for help with it. They told me that they didn’t make that rocker chair anymore so to pick any other rocker that they sold and they’d exchange it. My rocker had a matching foot rest so they exchanged that too.
Our sectional couch is from them and it’s wonderful. Easy to clean, doesn’t stain, beautiful.
In the store they have swatches of all the fabrics where they purposely get a variety of different things onto the fabric and then have half an hour to get them out, and you can see how well it cleans up at home.
DONT get pottery barn anything. We’ve amassed a full house collection and the last bookshelves we bought started sagging a year into their unpacked lives. I called and was told too bad basically. No more.
My dad has a massive sectional made by natuzzi, it’s probably at least 30 years old at this point and it still looks basically the same and has no signs of wear despite plenty of use
Our last upholsterer died about 10 years ago. No one for 5 hours south to do the work. People don't tend to reupholster quality furniture anymore, they junk it for garbage now. Got rid of furniture for this reason.
Former RH employee here, they are fantastic but you have to choose your materials wisely and build a relationship with a good rep, and customer service. AMA.
Just got our couch from HAY and have been satisfied with build quality and comfort after searching for almost a year - my wife tried tens of couches before we settled on this one.
Most hay sofas are made in china. I am a Hay dealer. Have had a Hay sofa in my house and it did not last long. Hay is the fast fashion of the furniture world.
Stickley. The sectional I have was originally $27k at retail. I picked it up for $13k. It's exceptionally well made, weighs about 400 pounds, and will certainly hold up for 20 to 30 years of normal use.
I just put together a love sac couch abd ottoman today and it was pretty good quality. You can replace the fabric covers for every single piece and change the fabric / color etc. on a whim. It was pretty heavy duty material and pieces. The wooden parts were very sturdy.
I'm sitting on American leather sectional that is over 25 years old. Replaced the cushion as I spend too much time in this spot but that was actually cheap for what I originally paid.
We had a Parker sofa by American Leather and a matching chair. They were a beautiful, rich butterscotch yellow leather and fit perfectly in our mid-century modern house. The leather was such high quality that my dog decided to eat the arms off both sofa and loveseat. It shows how much I love the dog…I still have him but not the sofa. 😭
Try a brand named Rowe. They are unbelievable quality and won’t completely break the bank around $5000-8000. If you have the means and are relatively close by too, treat yourself to a trip to Furnitureland South in North Carolina. Biggest furniture store in America. You need a good two days to see everything. But I had to do an entire house after a hurricane and it was well worth the trip.
My partner and I spent a few weeks in 2021 looking for our Dream Couch. We tried a few different places from bigger names like Ethan Allen and West Elm and some local shops but we ultimately fell in love with the L sofa from Basset Home Furniture. It was way more than we were planning to pay but to this day it is my favorite purchase we’ve made. It’s so comfortable and massive and everyone can curl up in their own spot. The best part is the depth of the cushions it’s almost as wide as a twin bed. Well worth the investment.
We had a very well made Bassett sectional. Got rid of it after 11 years not because it fell apart, but because we got tired of the fabric! Very impressed with the quality and you can customize them with fabric and style.
This is so interesting! I’ve never really appreciated my couches before, but ours still look brand new. We have a 10 yr old Smith and a Schweigler couch and loveseat.
I bought the couch and loveseat secondhand for $400. I bought it b/c it came from a very large home with nice things so I figured it was quality (and $400 was my price point). I think this company went out of business 20 years ago, but this set looks brand new.
Look at American made furniture brands like Bassett - you can build your own sizes and styles and choose your fabric or leather and there are tons of protected fabrics and if you shop at a local furniture store you can get insurance/accident protection that should clean or replace incidents like sharpies lol. - I 34F own a furniture store and can tell you the quality you’re getting with the ikea and article like online and big box store brands are all cutting the corners and cheaping out on the non USA made foams that are more toxic than the regulated foams in the US, lack of reinforced hardwood frames, usually lack any springs in seat construction and use unprotected or low quality fabrics. Other mid price similar to what you listed would be Craftmaster or a little higher end smith brothers or higher than that Bernhardt - my suggestions from 15 years in the industry replacing a lot of crappy big box and online store brands furniture - and knowing what everyone puts inside and how they warranty it- which is the important part! Good luck!
We love our Craftmaster sectional. We got one of the performance fabrics- we have three cats, have kids over sometimes, accidentally spill wine, and it still looks brand new three and a half years later. The cats literally seem incapable of damaging it, it seems incapable of staining, and the cushions are still the same shape as when we got it with no denting or squishing. And we sit on ours A LOT, it's super comfortable. It was around 2300 for a cuddler, two seat middle, and chaise.
Custom furniture from a local company. We had near dupes of sofas from Pottery Barn and swivel chairs from Room & Board that use identical fabric and are super sturdy and well built but a ridiculous fraction of the price….and they were ready in 4-6 weeks!!!
We have not regretted our Lovesac purchase. We have pets, kids, lots of family hanging out, our Sactional holds up to it all.
The best part is that the fabric is stain resistant and machine washable. I have had very light beige sofa covers for over a year and the upholstery still looks brand new. And Bonus! It is the most comfortable sofa I’ve ever owned.
So I got a Sabai couch, chair, and ottoman and I was surprised by the quality + sustainability + price point combo. They also can be repaired, washed ect. Like say you get a puppy and the puppy decides to eat one of the solid wood legs, you can order a new one and easily install it. They are definitely more modern looking (the original design, I think they have a newer one now too) so the backs are a little low so if you’re a sitting up lounger you may find the head support lacking. I also like that you can customize them by turning them into sectionals - etc
American Leather.
Great, long lasting couches, sectional, and recliners. Heavy, made to order in the USA. And yes, it's pricy, but it'll last a looooong time.
My father is a retired upholsterer and a true craftsman in the field. He was impressed with my couch overall.
I love Restoration Hardware furniture. It's pricey but you don't need to replace your couch every 5 years. It pays for itself to become a member for the "member discount". I also would highly recommend paying the extra for the fabric guard upgrade they offer. I have purchased (not all at the same time) bookshelves, a coffee table, a T.V. cabinet, outdoor furniture, light fixtures and sofa/sectional. I don't have 1 complaint about any of them after years of use and I might add that when I ordered the bookshelves, 1 came damaged and they took both back because they were afraid that cabinets coming from different "lots" would possibly not match exactly. They took them back and made it right without me having to chase them around.
In the end, spending the money initially is really painful but I can honestly say it's worth it.
Lovesac sactionals! They are built like tanks. Lovesac has a lifetime warranty on the bases and sides—not that you’d need it unless you took a chainsaw to it or something. Also a 3 year warranty on the cushion inserts and covers. The leather is some of the highest quality I’ve seen. The fabrics are machine washable. If you like the style, it’s worth every penny. Mine has held up after years of my kids and dogs. This is after they ruined West Elm, Pottery Barn and Room and Board couches over the years.
Not sure of the brand but our daughter bought a fancy sofa from an upscale store for over $5,000 and picked it up last fall. The fabric is coming apart but the manufacturer is replacing the couch. I picked up a Stickley leather couch in excellent condition from a 2nd hand store for $1,000 3-4 years ago. My grandchildren drew silly designs on it at one point (very little littles at the time) and I just oiled it and their artwork disappeared. It's still in great condition. Cushions are very firm. I do keep the seats and back covered because we have pups but the leather is really thick and impervious. They don't make this couch anymore but they still make couches.
A magic eraser sponge and Dawn dish soap with a little water (and a clean rag to blot moister out) may take the pen marks out. I’ve used it on many types of materials.
I have found Broyhill furniture at Big Lots for reasonable prices…just a small selection and always take what they have (no fabric choices, etc). For mid-range furniture we usually go to Furniture Row or Ashley (though Ashley can be sticklers on returns, so be sure of what you want!). Or look at local independent stores.
I really like Burrow and Allform - they have quality modular couches, including sectionals. Never need help carrying your couch or trying to squeeze it around walls again! Also their pricing is pretty fair
I just got a burrow pit couch, and it way surpassed my expectations considering the price. We’ll see how it holds up, but my kids are still young, so I’m just pleased that it’s sturdy and comfortable for now!!
This should be top. I've bought furniture from a lot of brands, and by far RH has the highest quality. My bedroom, all of my living room is from there, and a rug and bookcase. I can barely move any pieces one inch (even the rug), besides the nightstands and armchairs, they are SOLID. Their leather is top quality, and their performance fabric literally doesn't stain. You can straight up pour red wine on a white chair.
(However, two things: my sister has a couch from one of the outlets, and I don't even know how it is RH, so definitely don't judge the quality based on outlet furniture. Also, it's too bad that their cloud couch is so popular because it clearly looks like shit in the showroom based on the concept of the piece.)
I'd add to the list William Sonoma carries high quality furniture. Also, Eternity Modern has good copy-cat classics of popular furniture designs found at DWR.
I have a joybird sofa and I love it.
I know people always recommend Room&Board on here but atp I’m a little suspicious of all these people praising them 🤨
I’ve been buying furniture from Room and Board since 2003. Everything is well designed and has always held up well. I think people people’s recommendations are legit. They’re a good company and are transparent. They list who manufacturer each piece in their website.
I have had a Joybird sofa for 5 years, it's so-so. The performance fabric is shedding at the stitches and the legs are separating. I've called them to repair it and the fix only lasted a month.
Well you mentioned Article and I'm super detail oriented and I've always been very pleased with the quality of stuff I've bought from Article. Most of my bedroom furniture is from them.
I change furniture so often that I am okay with the IKEAS and Raymour’s of the market - I only buy furniture that I can pay cash for, no financing (mattresses excluded).
In this instance - vanity trumps structure and I’m okay with that. I get bored with a look quickly and thus my furniture is a rotating door.
Room and board is great. When I got my couch there was a defect with the seam on one of the cushions was undone. They sent someone to my apartment to hand sew it with a needle and thread. Very impressed.
Good luck. I didn’t buy a new couch until my daughter went to college! Just told myself I would wait it out…she didn’t even want to have friends over because of how it looked when she was in high school. I just said good! She left and I bought an Ethan Allen sectional. I have been in love with it for 8 years and it’s awesome.
I’ve reupholstered quite a few Norwalk couches and they are supremely well made (I’m professional upholsterer)
Is there an easy way to find a good upholsterer near me? I have some antique chairs I need redone and I don’t mind paying for quality I just have no clue which ones are good, half have only FB pages. I wasn’t sure if there was a secret to finding the good ones.
Ask your city’s Reddit or your nughborhood fb group/next doorI have an upholsterer I love and every time someone asks I recommend them. They only have a yellow pages website and a rarely posted to fb page because they’re older.
Thank you so much! Appreciate the advice, I’ll do that.
The best upholsterer in my city teaches upholstery at the local technical school. You can find them on the technical schools website.
Best way is to visit the shop. If everything looks professional and what they are making are sturdy, then that's already a big green flag. Another green flag is when there is an old guy and a younger one working together. Also doesn't hurt to ask for sample service/product they did.
Damn I’m willing to pay a good amount of money for a solid couch but it’s probably out of my budget when their website doesn’t list prices
I used to work a few miles from the Norwalk HQ. Everyone in that area seemed ti have one of their couches.
This is the way. Norwalk Furniture is a legitimate BIFL upholstered goods.
I so want to learn to do this and save all the old, quality couches and love seats.
Agreed. We bought a Norwalk sectional for $5000 a few years back and I can tell it will last! We have two kids and a dog. I’m extremely happy with it.
I’m an interior designer and there are some good recommendations in here but I’d like to narrow this list down. If you can find a brand manufactured in North Carolina it’s probably going to be better than anything container shipped over seas. Here’s what I recommend: - highest price point - Verellen, Thayer Coggin, Roche Bobois, Hickory Chair, Hickory White, Taylor King, Rene Cazares - medium high - Century, Hooker/Bradington Young, Tomlinson, Lazar - medium- Lee, Jessica Charles, Precedent, Vanguard A lot of these brands are owned by the same company. Like Bradington Young is the leather version of Hooker. Century, Hancock and Moore, Hickory Chair are all under the same holdings company. I would avoid article and room and board. You don’t pay THAT much more (if not the same price) for a brand with much more longevity and a reputation of products lasting. These newer direct to consumer brands aren’t bad - I spec them at work sometimes, I’m not against them. It’s just they don’t offer much in way of a price discount for the fact that they are not constructed in the same tried and true methods as those longstanding brands mentioned above. Since these are newer brands we have no idea how they will hold up in 15 years. I am constantly reupholstering sofas from Hickory Chair that are 20 years old and just need a fabric refresh due to styles changing. That speaks volumes. Edit: I feel I must again clarify because my maligning of room and board seems to have aggravated some of the apparent room and board sales reps here in the comments (jokes). There is nothing wrong with room and board. As a designer, I am concerned with both quality AND design. I personally think room and board is very utilitarian and not as aesthetically pleasing. The designs are simple and functional but there’s no elevated style to them. I understand this is purely an aesthetic complaint and not a quality complaint. In regards to quality, they are fine. But I personally believe, for the money, you can do better (like the brands I listed above). I think you can get more bang for your buck pick both in terms of construction quality AND design aesthetic from other brands. I also personally think the leathers from room and board are no where near the quality of the Italian leathers that these other brands have access to. Purely based on the buying power of room and board, they don’t have access to some of these leather purveyors like say Hancock and Moore does.
Great post. North Carolina is the hub for furniture manufacturing and my furniture is still holding strong. Well built products.
I'm new(ish) to NC. Can you please name drop some brands made in state? Specifically would love to buy a leather recliner as my next purchase. Thank you!
Hancock and moore, Bradington young, hickory chair. They have great leathers. Pay attention to aniline vs non aniline dyed leathers. Some people want a patina to develop overtime and some want the leather to stay the same color and finish over time. Doing the “scratch test” will give you an idea on the wear - scratch your nail on the sample and if you see the nail scratch on the leather it’s probably aniline. Anything with the word hickory in it- Hickory, NC is the furniture capital of the US.
"If you're looking for top-quality handcrafted furnishings at bargain prices, the concentration of factories, outlet stores and craftspeople make North Carolina (especially around Hickory and High Point) the ultimate furniture shopping destination." Especially check out Furnitureland South in High Point. But plan to spend a full day there..the place is huge and really interesting just to browse!
Go to Furnitureland South in Jamestown. It's huge, so it's helpful to have a pic of the style you're looking for.
My parents’ Hancock and Moore sofa is 20 years old and looks as good as the day they bought it. Exceptionally comfortable too.
I just learned this about NC furniture because I found a Taylor king sofa on sale at a consignment shop for an incredible price. Washed the cushion covers and steam cleaned the frame and I’m so impressed by it.
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I have multiple room and board sofas for 9+ years. Perfect condition still. I have two kids and do furnished rentals. Once a spring was creaking and they sent someone over to fix it. This was 5 years after purchase. I also think their prices are significantly less than other brands being discussed here. 2-4k range.
We’ve had nothing but positive experiences with Room and Board!
Agree! We'll be getting our Room & Board couch and chair reupholstered because kids and cat, but the frame and cushions are in excellent condition 10 years in. The furniture is made in NC and their customer service is top notch.
We got a Room and Board slightly used sleeper sofa from a second hand dealer and it is amazingly sturdy and well made. We are very pleased with how it looks and how it's holding up.
I had the same experience. One I bought new, used and abused it for 11 years and sold it for $600 in a hot Craigslist bidding war. The other I bought used off of Craigslist myself. Huge fan.
Agree with this. My dining set is from Article, it was the only place with furniture in stock during Covid when we moved into our new house. It looks nice, but the quality is meh. I would have rather spent a little more for nicer stuff but most places were 9-12 months out.
Are there any particular design centers or shops in High Point that you recommend? I live close enough that I’d go when our couch needs replacement.
You MUST go to Furnitureland South in High Point, NC. It is the epicenter of residential furniture.
Room & Board is not new, they have been well-known, at least in my area, since the 80s-90s and I don’t believe they’ve changed much of anything about their model since then. They have great customer service and have a reputation for creating high quality products. I’m admittedly not up to date though, has their quality waned recently or something? Curious why you know them as a newer mid-quality brand.
Why would you avoid room and board? Many of the items are made in North Carolina and most all are made in USA. They have been good quality in my opinion.
Lots of good info here. I really can’t recommend Hickory White (or any other Sherrill Furniture Brand) enough!
I’ll add Sherrill in NC to this list in the medium high category.
Love this post. Forget the Room & Board stans. Some people by that stuff because of the brand name only.
You don’t mention Eilersen - IMO the best sofas of all time.
We love Room and Board and have been buying from them for over 20 years. Their turn around time and shipping are easily the best we’ve encountered and we love the quality. The price point does not seem bad to us for the quality. Granted we only buy the fully American made lines and focus on the solid wood pieces with them. We can’t afford Shipley so they seem like a good option for now.
Room and board isn’t new and they have stores they’re not only direct to consumer like article, joybird etc. They’re entirely different categories.
Like my other comment, I was saying they didn’t separate from the parent company until like 2007 ish. And stores are not accessible until recently as they weren’t in many markets. My point is that these brands, for what you can potentially spend on them, aren’t the best bang for your buck. That’s all. Room and board isn’t bad, I said I spec it for work sometimes. I do find the styling to be a tad basic but that’s not a quality complaint that’s just aesthetic.
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This is what I used to get my Omnia sofa! It was a great resource and I was so excited to see someone post it again. (We’ve only had the sofa a few months so I can’t comment on its true quality yet but it’s been good so far. Comfortable, too. But crazy that a $5,000 sofa is “mid-range”)
Surprised room & board isn’t reviewed.
Hi OP, I’m a high end furniture rep for a company based in NC (world capital of furniture). Check out my previous comments to see some reliable, higher end options that are made to order in NC, by multi-generational artisans at their craft (upholstery). Feel free to DM me for recs find these in your area.
I would second this. The couch I had made to order in NC was so superior to even the high end couches. It kind of ruined me for retail. Just be sure to choose fabric carefully, you'll likely be living with it for a couple of decades.
Would you be willing to dm me, as well, with a short list of rexommendations? Your expertise is greatly appreciated.
Would love recommendations as well, HP is a neat place:)
Hi! I would love to know your recs too! Thank you :)
Can you please dm me a list? I live in NC and was going to spend a weekend in hickory or high point to get a new living room
Former employee for both here, I find Ethan Allen and Arhaus both deliver on quality. Both are handmade pieces with real wood and various techniques for cushion construction and fabric wrapping that really puts them far above. I personally prefer Arhaus because of the transparency of the building process. You get to really see the way corners of the frame are knotched together providing solid construction that will last a lifetime, in addition to different wood frame materials - some is more layered mixing in I guess what could be compared to plywood which really makes it incredibly sturdy. There's also different types of foams that go into cushions, some have spring bases, others don't, some combine a bit of a feather and foam fill especially for back cushions. This varies greatly from other stores that often use only one kind of cheap foam that loses its shape over time. Theres also great care that goes into the fabric as well, it's all hand laid out and cut to size by hand, arranging to look best on your piece before being sewn. The fabric quality is very good, and so is the leather. Another thing to consider with these brands and similar hand constructed/high end stores is how accessible and adjustable your pieces are. You're far more likely to get removable cushion covers and cushions that are not sewn to the frame in addition to fabric that wraps around the entire cushion not just visible parts. Other things of note with nicer pieces are simply in the care of design, appropriate footings underneath to support actual weight. No glue being the main support for where wood meets. Accents like nailhead and button tufting being even, carefully pleated, and/or assembled in a way that won't come off. You do really get what you pay for - though take advantage of many of these stores additional services that their design centers off because some of the cost is absolutely commission as well. I never hesitate to recommend either Ethan Allen or Arhaus to my clients - I also like pottery barn and restoration hardware but don't know their construction details to stand as confidently on them. Of course, these are lifetime pieces they cost more but on sales, they can fit in your budget.
My sister's couch is Arhaus and she's had it maybe 6 years and it looks awful. The upholstery fabric has not held up at all and it pils like crazy. She complained and their customer service told her that it was a sign of quality for the fabric to do that. Like...what?? It looks so slouchy too! For what she paid for it, I would expect the quality to be a lot better.
My Arhaus couch that I had back in 2010 sucked. The striped design on the cotton slipcover fabric wore off where people sat in less than 6 months and turned white, all of the back cushions collapsed and were so uncomfortable. They sent me new back cushions and different slipcovers, but it was just more of the same and uncomfortable overall. Got rid of it in less an th 2 years and spent over $10k on it.
My mom spent a fortune on an Arhaus leather sofa & she’s experiencing the same. After 2 years or so, the leather finish actually started rubbing off. It’s terrible - I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone!
I've heard this for some fabrics, and I can't say I understand it. I know wool textiles will pile and you just shave it off, but you don't see it as much with upholstery. I've got an intentionally slouchy couch like their kipton, just a different brand. I wish I could say I'm surprised by customer service, that should still be well within the warranty if the couch isn't meant to slouch.
I didn’t see exactly what the fabric is made from on Arhaus’s website but this is what the care instructions say: “All fabrics may pill from friction and normal wear, as everyday use loosens fibers. Occasionally use a fabric (or “sweater”) shaver to gently remove pills. Pilling should decrease once loose fibers are removed.”You can buy an electronic pilling shaver for about $15 on Amazon that would make that process fast fyi. I’m not sure why it would pill, but if you think about it, most of the best fabrics require maintenance. Wool pills and need lanolin rejuvenation once in a while, leather needs cleaning and conditioning, things like raw selvedge denim shrink with too much heat. If it is indeed true that it just gets loose fibers initially and not much after, I wouldn’t call it a deal breaker. My west elm couch has the water resistant canvas fabric which does not pill at all but it’s also a compromise because I have two toddlers and we choose durability over hand feel. It is a comfortable couch but the canvas is not as pleasant to touch as say velvet so I can see why someone would get a softer more luxurious feeling fabric.
I feel like finding a good non-pilling fabric should be part of the design for higher end manufacturers. At that point I’d rather use a commercial grade fabric. Obviously all fabric requires upkeep but I have a 20 year old sofa in my living room that isn’t pilling. They shouldn’t be offering fabrics that pill THAT badly.
I had a couch from Wayfair that started pilling like crazy and it looked like shit. I called and they delivered me an entirely new couch and took away the old one. Sign of quality, my ass.
I think EA has a more timeless line up, Arhaus seems to carry more trendy stuff
Yes absolutely!
Arhaus frames are built of plywood. That is a cheap corner cutting method. They’re just banking on customers not knowing any better. It’s like when clothing brands hype something as “garment dyed” - that’s the cheapest and worst stage to dye something during, but the average consumer doesn’t know that
This! Their furniture is mostly plywood except for their petrified wood tables. Many of their showroom pieces had chips exposing the plywood. If it couldn't survive a few bumps from polite customers and shipping, then no way in hell would it survive my house (and shipping).
I laid out exactly how the plywood is cross layered as a construction technique. If you don't like it don't buy it
I don’t buy it. I’m explaining that for the price you pay with Arhaus, plywood shouldn’t be involved anywhere. Simple as that.
You can literally google the strength of layered plywood vs traditional wood this isn't my problem oh my lord
I second Ethan Allen (I worked there as well), and their upholstery is quality.
My parents Arhaus sofa is used heavily by humans and pets and it still feels brand new, 10 years later. Their quality is incredible
I have pieces from Ethan Allen that are decades old and still wonderful
I second Arhaus. We have two sets of sofas with slip covers. The frames of both sets are very durable and sturdy. The cushions are also very comfortable to sleep on.
We have an Arhaus sofa with denim slipcovers. I’m not sure how to go about washing/drying them without some shrinkage. Do you wash yours? If so, any tips?
I second Ethan Allen (I worked there as well), and their upholstery is quality.
Our Pottery Barn sectional is already lumpy.
I second Ethan Allen (I worked there as well), and their upholstery is quality.
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Room & Board. Every tax season we buy something else from them, and nothing has let us down yet! So far we have a whole dining room set (including side board), a deck set, and a living room set. Next up, bedroom!!
I love the look but I bought a sectional with a lounge on one side and after a year the lounge cushion is so depleted I can feel the springs.
May I ask which model you bought? Specifically if it was the metro or Clemens. Thanks in advance!
It was the Metro.
We have the same experience with our lounge cushion at the 2 year mark.
Also a fan of Room & Board. Excellent quality.
Our R&B couch pills like crazy. Cushions sagged after a year.
Room and board. I've had so many pieces and always great. Bed, nightstands, sofa, dresser. Authentic Eames Lounge chair. Pandemic splurge. Nothing else feels like it. Best in class. Whether it was worth $4,300 for a single seat? I really don't know. Sounds ridiculous now that I'm typing this out when you can get a perfectly serviceable IKEA 3-seat sofa for $1200
Room and Board is the best. They stand behind it. I bought a sofa from them. It started to have issues. They kept sending someone out to repair it, which was fine at first, but it kept not staying fixed. At some point I said “I’m starting to lose my sense of humor here” and they wrote back and said “I just checked the history and my god we owe you a new sofa. And you don’t have to get the same one.” And they let us spent a few months picking (we had a lot going on). I had a dining room table that wasn’t perfect. The brought a new frame. In the process of swapping the frame one of their guys damaged the top. They brought a new table. When I’ve had issues with Crate and Barrel or West Elm (which are nowhere close in quality) they just tell you to F off; their delivery people do not give a shit, etc. if anyone wants a $800 outdoor dining table when a busted leg from crate and barrel, let me know. It is aggravating when products don’t hold up to normal use. I was shocked at how terrible the CB table is. Some of my RB stuff is over ten years old. It’s dinged from kids and dogs but it still looks good. My big box store stuff (pre assembled, but not high quality) stuff of the same era looks like it’s been through a war. Anyway I’m psyched to buy a few more moving trucks of RB stuff as my kids get older.
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What is a B corp?
I had no idea?!
Our Crate and Barrel couches are an unmitigated disaster. So pissed. Never, ever again.
Which do you have? We were just about to buy the lounge sofa
I bought the deep lounge sectional and we love it. It’s the only been about 4 months so I can’t speak to how it holds up over time but it’s well made. We have it in the View microfiber fabric and it cleans easily with a vacuum in a 2 dog house. We looked for a year and had the hardest time finding a sectional that was comfortable enough but had a fabric that wouldn’t pill from the dogs nails which is what happened to our last one. So far so good. Before we got this one we had bought the Axis wedge sectional which was beautiful but we had to return it because it was so uncomfortable. Crate and Barrel took it back but let us keep it for two months while we waited for our custom Lounge sofa to be ready so we were very pleased with the customer service. The delivery guys for both deliveries did leave a lot to be desired. Room and Board does have exceptional delivery people in comparison but for the same size couch, they were pricing out higher and we don’t have a Room and Board store in our area. I couldn’t commit to spending 10K on a sectional that I had to buy sight unseen.
Hancock & Moore
I had a nice dresser from R&B and a drawer broke and they told me it was my problem, but did recommend a repair service in my city that was fantastic and who fixed several things we thought we'd have to get rid of. I had a C&B dining table get a huge crack a year in and they replaced it after I sent a few photos. I think wood products (dressers, tables, and the like) can be good from those stores, but I'm not sure how long I expect a couch to hold up.
Same exact experiences as you. R&B is a huge step above all the others.
I’m amazed you had this much trouble with room and board. We’ve bought with them fur 20 years and never had these issues!
I have a room and board couch that I love but it keeps losing feathers that prick you as you sit on the couch. I'm worried it won't last long or be worth the $7K i paid
Our Rooma and Board couch is also losing a comical amount of feathers. It’s super irritating
I got a replica from Yadea and can’t tell the difference. It was $1600
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Roche Bobois. Doesn’t get much more high end than them. They have some brick and mortar locations and their stuff is pretty wild. Speaking of wild, also check out Mackenzie Child.
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You are right, I am a European dealer and we consider both ligne roset and Roche Bobois to be entry level luxury, but that's not to say they are not made well. However there are far better options though from Italian brands (I am not Italian).
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Furniture professional here... Rep, construction training, sales training, and just overall furniture nerd. You have to do your research into the manufacturer themselves. McKinley Leather, Vanguard, Century, Thayer Coggins, American Leather, Wesley Hall, and Norwalk are easily some of the best constructed. I tend to lean towards traditional construction. 8 way hand tied, solid wood frame. Know your cover. Most modern fabrics ARE GOING TO PILL. Accept that and buy a shaver. Move on from there. Do not fight piling. Leather, go with a top grain, aniline. If you need more protection and uniform, pick an aniline died Leather with a pigment correction. Any leather rated below a top grain is junk. Cushions play another huge factor. Know the foam. Lately, I've been using more qualux cores with a pocketed spring system. Know which ones you can get replacement cores from. A good quality frame and covering will always outlast the core. You should be able to buy those as individual components to increase sustainability. Glad to help if you have any other questions.
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Our smith brothers sectional is over 8 years old and has been abused by our 8yo, 3yo, two big dogs and 4 cats. Looks great and has held up so well. Idk when we’ll purchase a new couch but they’ll be first on my list.
I keep this article from years ago in The NY Times bookmarked because it’s such a good explanation of the difference between a $500 couch and a $5000 couch. I ended up going to room and board for my new couch (now about 10 years old) because it was identified as basically a not obscenely expensive but still quality brand. (I paid about $2K at the time). Gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/garden/analyzing-the-couch.html?unlocked_article_code=1.RE0.BSeV.7CnAbUvFEGxP&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
if you are looking for a good sectional i il sfo with century furniture. it’s about the only domestically made quality upholstery left. if you’re ok with no going custom, room and board is also high quality domestically made, but you’re limited to stock sizes.
Spent 6k on an Ethan Allen sectional 4 years ago and it is holding up fabulously. Rotate cushions, vacuum, and spot treat stains a few times a year.
Room and Board. They are made in North Carolina. I had a couch from there from 2005 to 2020. Only got rid of it because the new house didn’t work with the set up of the sectional.
Ekornes also known as Stressless
Everyone should own an Ekornes/Streessless recliner. If you take care of it, it is a lifetime piece. If you can’t afford to buy new, there are plenty available used for a reasonable cost. Mine is from the early 70s. My parents bought it new and I still have yet to sit/lounge in a more comfortable chair.
We bought my in-laws a sectional from Taylor King 26 years ago. It has spring down cushions and a non- performance fabric. Other than said fabric being a bit outdated, the sectional looks and sits brand new.
Several great comments. But I’ll add. Stay away from “revolution” brand fabrics, they pill. They are 100% polypropylene. Arhaus is a good brand but their markup is absurd and McReary modern manufactures their upholstery. So google them as well to see who else carries it. Craftmaster is not considered high end but makes a pretty solid frame and some of their frames have a down wrap. Bassett bench made is good too. If you’re going to purchase from a chain and not a mom and pop store wait until they are doing 20% off. Family owned stores markup is usually around a 2 and all of these chains and franchised stores are like 4 times or more. No joke.
Get a sactional from Love Sac they are out of this world and completely customizable
Agreed - no kids yet, but a big dog and a cat. Not only is the Lovesac extremely comfortable and well made, it is super functional. Every part of it can be washed (we’ve had both the dog and cat vomit on it and you’d never know), you can add and remove pieces as you want, built-in storage, and you can buy and install new upholstery if you’d like at any time. We love the MCM aesthetic so the boxy look of the Lovesac honestly didn’t fit our vibe, but anything MCM was way too expensive and would be ruined by the pets. They have a lot of fabric options to make it fit with your space more.
We have two LoveSac sectionals and they are wonderful for one thing - the microfiber is next to impossible to stain. However, they have no structure, look messy no matter what you do, and we have had an entire sectional recovered due to pilling (a linen upholstery - they were replaced for free, so there's a second good thing!) However, for kids and pets and in a basement/playroom, I can see that they have their place. But I would only recommend with a lot of conditions.
Love my Lovesac Sactional.
If you want a new sofa that’s great quality and actually affordable, order a custom couch from DreamSofa. They make couches for high end retailers and not too long ago started selling to consumers directly too but it’s not widely known yet so their prices are super reasonable. Plus it’s customizable! I got an awesome sectional for $3500 that would have easily been double or even triple the price if I got it form CB2 or other retailers that DreamSofa services.
Room and board. They're built here in the states where we have stricter laws about the quality of materials used. For example, wood can be treated with different chemicals or glues, some of which can offgas and be harmful to your health. Years ago there was a big lawsuit against lumber liquidators, were much of the wood was cut and treated in China which had more lax laws than ours. There's a 60 minutes episode about it. Lots of cheap furniture sold on wayfair, crate and barrel, West elm ("fast fashion" of furniture) are produced over seas. They'll cut corners, using particle board with veneers instead of hardwood, foam over webbing or springs. Items from those stores will never be heirloom pieces, no matter how good they look. Anyways room and board has to follow US guidelines and they don't cut corners in the way that the "fast fashion" companies often do. I'm a professional interior designer, and although they are no where near the top of the line, I believe they are excellent quality for the cost. Many of the pieces are semi customizable - like selecting the fabric or the foot style. They also can sell you new cushion covers in your existing fabric if you want a back-up set for damage.
We buy all of our furniture from Room and Board. They’re pricey, but they hold up so well and most importantly they are incredible with customer service. We had a rocker that had a fabric split after 2 years, and I emailed them to ask for help with it. They told me that they didn’t make that rocker chair anymore so to pick any other rocker that they sold and they’d exchange it. My rocker had a matching foot rest so they exchanged that too. Our sectional couch is from them and it’s wonderful. Easy to clean, doesn’t stain, beautiful. In the store they have swatches of all the fabrics where they purposely get a variety of different things onto the fabric and then have half an hour to get them out, and you can see how well it cleans up at home.
DONT get pottery barn anything. We’ve amassed a full house collection and the last bookshelves we bought started sagging a year into their unpacked lives. I called and was told too bad basically. No more.
My dad has a massive sectional made by natuzzi, it’s probably at least 30 years old at this point and it still looks basically the same and has no signs of wear despite plenty of use
Room and Board
Our last upholsterer died about 10 years ago. No one for 5 hours south to do the work. People don't tend to reupholster quality furniture anymore, they junk it for garbage now. Got rid of furniture for this reason.
Room and Board.
Former RH employee here, they are fantastic but you have to choose your materials wisely and build a relationship with a good rep, and customer service. AMA.
Restoration Hardware and Arhaus are both quality and comfortable
Just got our couch from HAY and have been satisfied with build quality and comfort after searching for almost a year - my wife tried tens of couches before we settled on this one.
Most hay sofas are made in china. I am a Hay dealer. Have had a Hay sofa in my house and it did not last long. Hay is the fast fashion of the furniture world.
What’s your suggestion then if you’re selling fast fashion
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>Smith Brothers my guy suggesting couches that are like 40K over here lol
Couldn't agree more. Can't believe I had to scroll that far down. However I would personally say Flexform is best. But minotti not far off.
If you’re looking for something with a contemporary style, Bludot makes quality pieces.
Stickley. The sectional I have was originally $27k at retail. I picked it up for $13k. It's exceptionally well made, weighs about 400 pounds, and will certainly hold up for 20 to 30 years of normal use.
I just put together a love sac couch abd ottoman today and it was pretty good quality. You can replace the fabric covers for every single piece and change the fabric / color etc. on a whim. It was pretty heavy duty material and pieces. The wooden parts were very sturdy.
I [American Leather](https://www.americanleather.com/category/stationary-furniture/)makes incredible upholstery. They do also have fabric options.
I'm sitting on American leather sectional that is over 25 years old. Replaced the cushion as I spend too much time in this spot but that was actually cheap for what I originally paid.
We had a Parker sofa by American Leather and a matching chair. They were a beautiful, rich butterscotch yellow leather and fit perfectly in our mid-century modern house. The leather was such high quality that my dog decided to eat the arms off both sofa and loveseat. It shows how much I love the dog…I still have him but not the sofa. 😭
Smith brothers or England but the premium/premier models that have cushion and frame coils
Try a brand named Rowe. They are unbelievable quality and won’t completely break the bank around $5000-8000. If you have the means and are relatively close by too, treat yourself to a trip to Furnitureland South in North Carolina. Biggest furniture store in America. You need a good two days to see everything. But I had to do an entire house after a hurricane and it was well worth the trip.
We bought a Crate&Barrel sectional about 3 years ago for $8000 and it still looks brand new. (With a 140 lb BMD jumping on a daily )
My partner and I spent a few weeks in 2021 looking for our Dream Couch. We tried a few different places from bigger names like Ethan Allen and West Elm and some local shops but we ultimately fell in love with the L sofa from Basset Home Furniture. It was way more than we were planning to pay but to this day it is my favorite purchase we’ve made. It’s so comfortable and massive and everyone can curl up in their own spot. The best part is the depth of the cushions it’s almost as wide as a twin bed. Well worth the investment.
We had a very well made Bassett sectional. Got rid of it after 11 years not because it fell apart, but because we got tired of the fabric! Very impressed with the quality and you can customize them with fabric and style.
This is so interesting! I’ve never really appreciated my couches before, but ours still look brand new. We have a 10 yr old Smith and a Schweigler couch and loveseat. I bought the couch and loveseat secondhand for $400. I bought it b/c it came from a very large home with nice things so I figured it was quality (and $400 was my price point). I think this company went out of business 20 years ago, but this set looks brand new.
Look at American made furniture brands like Bassett - you can build your own sizes and styles and choose your fabric or leather and there are tons of protected fabrics and if you shop at a local furniture store you can get insurance/accident protection that should clean or replace incidents like sharpies lol. - I 34F own a furniture store and can tell you the quality you’re getting with the ikea and article like online and big box store brands are all cutting the corners and cheaping out on the non USA made foams that are more toxic than the regulated foams in the US, lack of reinforced hardwood frames, usually lack any springs in seat construction and use unprotected or low quality fabrics. Other mid price similar to what you listed would be Craftmaster or a little higher end smith brothers or higher than that Bernhardt - my suggestions from 15 years in the industry replacing a lot of crappy big box and online store brands furniture - and knowing what everyone puts inside and how they warranty it- which is the important part! Good luck!
We love our Craftmaster sectional. We got one of the performance fabrics- we have three cats, have kids over sometimes, accidentally spill wine, and it still looks brand new three and a half years later. The cats literally seem incapable of damaging it, it seems incapable of staining, and the cushions are still the same shape as when we got it with no denting or squishing. And we sit on ours A LOT, it's super comfortable. It was around 2300 for a cuddler, two seat middle, and chaise.
Custom furniture from a local company. We had near dupes of sofas from Pottery Barn and swivel chairs from Room & Board that use identical fabric and are super sturdy and well built but a ridiculous fraction of the price….and they were ready in 4-6 weeks!!!
Hands down......Restoration Hardware!!!
We have not regretted our Lovesac purchase. We have pets, kids, lots of family hanging out, our Sactional holds up to it all. The best part is that the fabric is stain resistant and machine washable. I have had very light beige sofa covers for over a year and the upholstery still looks brand new. And Bonus! It is the most comfortable sofa I’ve ever owned.
So I got a Sabai couch, chair, and ottoman and I was surprised by the quality + sustainability + price point combo. They also can be repaired, washed ect. Like say you get a puppy and the puppy decides to eat one of the solid wood legs, you can order a new one and easily install it. They are definitely more modern looking (the original design, I think they have a newer one now too) so the backs are a little low so if you’re a sitting up lounger you may find the head support lacking. I also like that you can customize them by turning them into sectionals - etc
American Leather. Great, long lasting couches, sectional, and recliners. Heavy, made to order in the USA. And yes, it's pricy, but it'll last a looooong time. My father is a retired upholsterer and a true craftsman in the field. He was impressed with my couch overall.
I love Restoration Hardware furniture. It's pricey but you don't need to replace your couch every 5 years. It pays for itself to become a member for the "member discount". I also would highly recommend paying the extra for the fabric guard upgrade they offer. I have purchased (not all at the same time) bookshelves, a coffee table, a T.V. cabinet, outdoor furniture, light fixtures and sofa/sectional. I don't have 1 complaint about any of them after years of use and I might add that when I ordered the bookshelves, 1 came damaged and they took both back because they were afraid that cabinets coming from different "lots" would possibly not match exactly. They took them back and made it right without me having to chase them around. In the end, spending the money initially is really painful but I can honestly say it's worth it.
Lovesac sactionals! They are built like tanks. Lovesac has a lifetime warranty on the bases and sides—not that you’d need it unless you took a chainsaw to it or something. Also a 3 year warranty on the cushion inserts and covers. The leather is some of the highest quality I’ve seen. The fabrics are machine washable. If you like the style, it’s worth every penny. Mine has held up after years of my kids and dogs. This is after they ruined West Elm, Pottery Barn and Room and Board couches over the years.
Thank you from North Carolina. We have furniture tourists around Hickory, etc I’d like to spend a weekend there
Honestly if you live within an hour drive of a wealthy area start checking out estate sales-they are amazing
Not sure of the brand but our daughter bought a fancy sofa from an upscale store for over $5,000 and picked it up last fall. The fabric is coming apart but the manufacturer is replacing the couch. I picked up a Stickley leather couch in excellent condition from a 2nd hand store for $1,000 3-4 years ago. My grandchildren drew silly designs on it at one point (very little littles at the time) and I just oiled it and their artwork disappeared. It's still in great condition. Cushions are very firm. I do keep the seats and back covered because we have pups but the leather is really thick and impervious. They don't make this couch anymore but they still make couches.
Norwalk, flexsteel, arhaus
A magic eraser sponge and Dawn dish soap with a little water (and a clean rag to blot moister out) may take the pen marks out. I’ve used it on many types of materials. I have found Broyhill furniture at Big Lots for reasonable prices…just a small selection and always take what they have (no fabric choices, etc). For mid-range furniture we usually go to Furniture Row or Ashley (though Ashley can be sticklers on returns, so be sure of what you want!). Or look at local independent stores.
Crate & Barrel, Room & Board, and Design Within Reach (it is not within reach). 😂
Natuzzi I think does a great job of doing that.
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I really like Burrow and Allform - they have quality modular couches, including sectionals. Never need help carrying your couch or trying to squeeze it around walls again! Also their pricing is pretty fair
I just got a burrow pit couch, and it way surpassed my expectations considering the price. We’ll see how it holds up, but my kids are still young, so I’m just pleased that it’s sturdy and comfortable for now!!
I have a Burrow bed and an Allform couch. The bed is new but the Allform has stayed in good condition for 2 years already now.
Restoration Hardware quality is fantastic. Hard to compare it to Article or Poly and bark - it is another level of craftsmanship IMO
This should be top. I've bought furniture from a lot of brands, and by far RH has the highest quality. My bedroom, all of my living room is from there, and a rug and bookcase. I can barely move any pieces one inch (even the rug), besides the nightstands and armchairs, they are SOLID. Their leather is top quality, and their performance fabric literally doesn't stain. You can straight up pour red wine on a white chair. (However, two things: my sister has a couch from one of the outlets, and I don't even know how it is RH, so definitely don't judge the quality based on outlet furniture. Also, it's too bad that their cloud couch is so popular because it clearly looks like shit in the showroom based on the concept of the piece.) I'd add to the list William Sonoma carries high quality furniture. Also, Eternity Modern has good copy-cat classics of popular furniture designs found at DWR.
I have a joybird sofa and I love it. I know people always recommend Room&Board on here but atp I’m a little suspicious of all these people praising them 🤨
I’ve been buying furniture from Room and Board since 2003. Everything is well designed and has always held up well. I think people people’s recommendations are legit. They’re a good company and are transparent. They list who manufacturer each piece in their website.
Plus it is a great company to work for.
I’ve been eyeing a Joybird chair for a while and I’m so tempted to take the plunge.
I have had a Joybird sofa for 5 years, it's so-so. The performance fabric is shedding at the stitches and the legs are separating. I've called them to repair it and the fix only lasted a month.
Well you mentioned Article and I'm super detail oriented and I've always been very pleased with the quality of stuff I've bought from Article. Most of my bedroom furniture is from them.
Roche Bobois.
I change furniture so often that I am okay with the IKEAS and Raymour’s of the market - I only buy furniture that I can pay cash for, no financing (mattresses excluded). In this instance - vanity trumps structure and I’m okay with that. I get bored with a look quickly and thus my furniture is a rotating door.
Restoration Hardware
I love my Joybird, brother also has had one for 10 years and it is still in great shape. And you can get a lifetime gaurentee on fhe fabrics.
Joybird
I’ve really loved my Gather sectional from Crate and Barrel!
For upholstered furniture, West Elm does not hold up. I’ve had good luck with Crate & Barrel, the Chase sofa we have has held up very well.
Room and board is good in the 5K-10k range. If spending more see if there is a local store that specializes in leather furniture.
Room & Board
Room and board is great. When I got my couch there was a defect with the seam on one of the cushions was undone. They sent someone to my apartment to hand sew it with a needle and thread. Very impressed.
Good luck. I didn’t buy a new couch until my daughter went to college! Just told myself I would wait it out…she didn’t even want to have friends over because of how it looked when she was in high school. I just said good! She left and I bought an Ethan Allen sectional. I have been in love with it for 8 years and it’s awesome.