How does one go about assessing the quality of furniture?

My bf is wanting to buy a couch, and while I'm at work, I'm doing some research.

Some tips I've found through googling:
- hardwood frames > pine
- Glued joints or screwed > nailed or stapled
- 8pt tied sprints (??) > cheap wire coils


We're gonna get an L-shaped couch, hopefully one with a recliner at the end of the long arm. It's got to be fabric, and choosing that is something I'll have no trouble with. I don't know yet how long he's wanting to keep this sofa, or the timelines on things affecting that.

We're looking at contemporary styling, so the list of places to check out that I have so far is
- Ethan Allen
- Ambiente
- Nowells
- Rooms-To-Go
- Ikea
- LazyBoy
- Jennifer Convertibles

Anything I'm overlooking?

8/2/2008 2:29:05 PM

i think youre looking into this way too much

8/2/2008 2:32:14 PM

when you go look at furniture you'll get a decent sense of the quality

i've had the same couch for 5 years and i've moved with it 7 times or so and its still good as new, solid as ever

and i have no idea idea about the frame coils or anything. its just a good couch

8/2/2008 2:36:38 PM

You have a wide price spectrum if you're considering Ambiente all the way to Rooms to go.

I'll also add that Ambiente is having a warehouse clearance sale right now, and you can negotiate a great price. I really like that store, but have found that I usually end up buying at Ecko because it's cheaper. I have seen some of the exact Ambiente stuff at RoomStore for much less.

[Edited on August 2, 2008 at 2:55 PM. Reason : +]

8/2/2008 2:52:37 PM

I honestly have no idea what kind of budget he's got in mind

8/2/2008 3:01:52 PM

budget about 15-30k for your living room set, anything less is going to be built the same, but have nicer coverings.

8/2/2008 6:06:45 PM

^ 30k for a living room set? Wait, what? I guess I could see all custom-made leather furniture put together by a high-quality manufacturer for a large living room costing that much, but really that might be more than she wants, haha.

I mean, if you're just looking for a decent couch that won't die in five years, I would say:

1. Stay away from ikea (seriously).
2. Stay away from rooms to go (their stuff isn't that bad but it seems to wear and fall apart pretty quickly).

Outside of that I think the basic tips you found are good suggestions. Really, if you sit on the couch and bounce a couple times and feel the padding that makes it up, you should be able to tell how well it will hold together. I think my leather couch has a well-built frame, but the fill used in it is a little bit on the cheaper side so I can tell that, if it got more regular use (I use my office chair mostly, lol), that the cushions and such would start sinking in pretty quickly.

I guess an easy way to check for this is to put your ass into the couch for a few minutes and to see if, when you get up, there is significant ass-printage that takes several seconds to go away. If it rebounds pretty quickly the fill/cushions are probably pretty elastic and they won't break apart and start to sag/sink shortly after you buy it.

Also, perhaps somebody can say something for the Ashley furniture stores. http://www.ashleyfurniture.com/ The couch I have is made by the same manufacturer but, as I said, they used slightly cheaper fill and such so the couch (while the leather is nice and it's very comfortable) might not last as long as a proper name brand. I've always heard decent things about Ashley as far as a nice middle-of-the-road brand of furniture so I thought I'd throw that out there.

Words words words. More words. Blah blah. tl;dr. Words.

8/2/2008 9:17:53 PM

I'm going to add Broyhill as another furniture manufacturer that has some nice stuff.

I got a double reclining loveseat in PERFECT condition from a yard sale for $75, and lemme tell you, that thing is niiiiice. Comfty, its got all hardwood or metal (its heavy as a BITCH), and if my roommates don't spill anything on it, its gonna last me for a loooong time.

I'll also second the Ethan Allen stuff. My parents have some of their wooden desks/tables/chairs and that shit is OLD and is sturdy as ever. Good quality.

8/2/2008 11:46:32 PM

we have all ashley stuff and have had it for about 10 years, looks GREAT to this day and anything that we didnt like about the stuff they fixed on the site, delivered it all for free and whatever else we needed or wanted done.

so id check into them, also try and keep it NC made, help this state.

8/2/2008 11:51:14 PM

Quote :

"budget about 15-30k for your living room set, anything less is going to be built the same, but have nicer coverings."

Uh....

Quote :

"1. Stay away from ikea (seriously)."

But I <3 Ikea! However, having read up on their construction...I think we'll relegate them to not-so-important stuff

Quote :

"2. Stay away from rooms to go (their stuff isn't that bad but it seems to wear and fall apart pretty quickly)."

Got this from my mom, too. She and my aunt managed to buy the exact same couch a couple months apart, without even knowing the other was getting a couch. My mom's housekeeping? Not so prissy. My aunt's? Her house is a germaphobe and OCD haven. Both couches had the same problems: springs coming lose and puncturing the leather, leather discoloration, the leather itself thinning. That was enough to steer me away.

Of course, now the boy has come around to leather
So we have to visit all the same stores that we visited today before he realized 'hey, leather isn't so bad!'

Quote :

"also try and keep it NC made, help this state."

If we find something that happens to be made in-state, that's cool. I don't care at all. It will not be a deciding factor. I'd have a lot more goodwill towards the state's furniture industry if they didn't make so much ass-ugly, ostentatious furniture

We both really liked this one, but the chaise has to be on the other side.

This is another one...I feel like the tufting on the seating area is going to date it pretty quickly.


Next up...anyone have any stories to share about haggling/bargaining with furniture stores? If there's ever a time to try it, I figure it's on luxuries with a high profit margin in a shitty economy

8/3/2008 12:05:07 AM

Oh yeah, just an FYI, if you buy a fabric couch that has a suede finish and it doesn't have some sort of nifty stain defender type stuff on it, you should consider buying something else. The rooms to go couch my brother has is that suede stuff (the suede "hairs" are shorter than I've seen on other couches but it's still that sort of finish) and it stains pretty easily and they don't come out. Something to consider if you get a light colored couch.

Leather, on the other hand, doesn't absorb stuff like that as easily.

Also:

Quote :

"I think we'll relegate them to not-so-important stuff"

An excellent idea. I have ikea lamps in my living room and ikea parsons tables for my end tables. They're cheap, look inoffensive, and work just fine. If you pick one up though the build quality is laughable. I think a child could easily break these by leaning against them. For furniture that will get lots of every day use you definitely want something nicer.

Also, here's the couch I have that's the copy of what's sold at the ashley furniture store:

http://www.ashleyfurniture.com/Showroom/Showroom.aspx?PageId=Showroom&CategoryID=1&ItemNo=4950438&SetDomTab=1&SeriesNo=49504&CollectionId=&style=&PageNumber=1&IsClicked=1&CatPageNumber=11

I think that sort of styling (simple, not too traditional or contemporary, no exaggerated style details) will age rather well and will look nice with some other furniture with simple, clean lines and some somewhat minimalist accessories/lamps/whatever. Plus, it's easy to dust.

[Edited on August 3, 2008 at 12:19 AM. Reason : ]

8/3/2008 12:17:34 AM

have you tried costco? they have nice quality furniture.

8/3/2008 10:25:07 AM

R2G has surface dyed, NOT submersion dyed leather, so it'll wear off. i looked at a nice living room set there and you could tell that it wouldn't last more than 3 years of moderate use.

i bought a VERY similar suede set at the high point furniture market for a little more, but it was heavier duty. so if you can wait, i'd do so.

and if you're wondering why the price limit i set was so high, it's just that MSRP doesn't mean you'll pay that price.

8/3/2008 11:05:21 AM

Bassett makes nice quality furniture too, though it's not inexpensive.

8/3/2008 12:53:16 PM

Ambiente is extremely overprices. Anything the sell you can find through a little mail-order or internet-order digging for 1/2 their price.

It's good that you are reading up on construction techniques Unfortunately for you (and all consumers) the only way to know how well a sofa is built, is to cut it in half and look. You pretty much have to rely on the knowledge of the showroom people to tell you how they are manufactured.

Quote :

"we have all ashley stuff and have had it for about 10 years, looks GREAT to this day and anything that we didnt like about the stuff they fixed on the site, delivered it all for free and whatever else we needed or wanted done. so id check into them, also try and keep it NC made, help this state. "

There isn't a single "NC Made" furniture manufacturer left. They ALL do their production in China. The only manufacturing still done here is for commercial order furniture and extremely high end one-offs.

It doesn't mean their stuff is bad, but the only differentiating feature is going to be construction quality, not materials. Go to a furniture store and ASK how the piece is made. If they can't give you a straight answer, walk on to the next store. Any good, reputable furniture dealer will know.

I'll recommend you checking out Ecko furniture out on 70 before the 540 interchange. I've met and talked to the owners a good bit, they know their stuff and have most of their furniture built to spec for them. You can also check out Father & Son's downtown (vintage used furniture) because while expensive, everything they sell is very very high quality. Cherry and Ambiente are good to go look, Ambiente's upholstered stuff is decent quality, almost everything Cherry sells is good quality, but DO NOT BUY THERE. Find the piece you are interested in, find the manufacturer and model, then go hunt online. Most everything they sell is Italian and Scandinavian manufactured, so they figure people won't go looking for it elsewhere.

The big guys (Rhodes, Ahsley, Broyhill, Ethan Allen, LazyBod, Thomasville, etc) are all worth looking at, especially if you can find a knowledgeable sales person and a good deal. Just beware of them just nodding their head when you ask if they use screwed and glued joints.

And keep in mind the golden price rule. A sofa under 1000 bucks is going to be pine + staples, no matter what they claim. Unless they can SHOW you otherwise, I wouldn't believe claims to the contrary.

8/3/2008 3:46:26 PM

CHECK

MAH

DOVETAILZ

8/3/2008 4:01:54 PM

^^

Quote :

"And keep in mind the golden price rule. A sofa under 1000 bucks is going to be pine + staples, no matter what they claim. Unless they can SHOW you otherwise, I wouldn't believe claims to the contrary."

Ah, now you've got me concerned. My leather sofa was $800, but seems rather solid. Then again, we don't have any fat people jumping up and down on it all day, and it sees pretty light use.

Anybody know how the Ashley furniture manufacturer builds their stuff? Or does it all depend on the price? Damn thread's got me wondering if I made a retarded investment.

8/3/2008 4:53:03 PM

I'd be sketched about that if you bought it from a showroom. Leather already carries a premium, and that's a damn good deal even for a average built leather sofa (assuming good leather as Seotaji pointed out earlier).

For leather I stick to known and respected European makers, but that's just me.

8/3/2008 5:20:17 PM

I'm sketched about the quality of the quality of the fill used in the cushions, since I can tell that that was part of the couch they kinda scrimped on. It looks like they used the poly fill stuff they use in cheap pillows kinda breaks down over time), but they used a lot of it and it supports you pretty well.

I did pick this up at a sale last summer and it was at a smaller, non-chain store (I think, well, it was called the Bedroom & Sofa emporium and the guy was having a rough time with business). The leather also appears to be decent quality, so I know they skimped somewhere. The thing hasn't started creaking yet and it's been a year, so I think that, at the very least, it wasn't built SUPER shitty.

[Edited on August 3, 2008 at 5:26 PM. Reason : It is some leather that's been treated to resist stains as well.]

8/3/2008 5:25:56 PM

I bought a sweet ass leather couch from Lazboy about 6 months ago and I absolutely love it. It should last forever, it's always nice and cool when you sit on it, it naps like a champ, and it should last for at least 20 years. It was a really good $1500 investment.

8/4/2008 12:57:57 AM

it wont last for 20 years, but 5-10 should be realistic

8/4/2008 3:48:21 AM

NCSU Furniture Manufacturing & Management Center

8/5/2008 6:56:07 AM

What's the long term quality of microfiber upholstery? It seems to me like it would show wear patterns much faster than regular fabric.

8/17/2008 1:17:17 PM

i have a microfiber couch and its holding up great

in one apartment in college i had it near a window so the back is discolored from the sun which pisses me off but i cover it up with a blanket

8/17/2008 1:42:17 PM

i bought 2 microfiber couches in 2002 and they lasted some hard years while in college and right after - my wife and i still have them in our living room and they look more or less brand new - not a single sign of wear / tear on them

we'll keep them a while longer until we upgrade to some nice leather furniture

8/17/2008 1:43:00 PM

Quote :

"1. Stay away from ikea (seriously)."

[yes]

i have no idea why all these retards in the atlanta metro area flock to ikea 24/7...i went once on a saturday to check it out and couldnt move because there were so many people there

spend more money to get solid wood, not laminated particle board

8/17/2008 1:54:54 PM

It just depends on your budget and how long you're wanting to keep stuff.

And as other people have said, it's great for accessories.

8/17/2008 2:04:54 PM

^ I agree about the accessories. I went there when I needed some lamps and cheap end tables, and got 2 floor lamps, 2 table lamps, and 2 end tables for $88. They're holding up OK but i'm probably going to recycle the floor lamps soon. They ain't lookin so hot. I got it because I had no furniture and had only just gotten my first paycheck from the first job I'd ever had in my life, so money was tight.

I sure as fuck wouldn't buy something I was going to put my ass on from Ikea though, I'd rather take a chance with a free couch from craigslist.

8/17/2008 5:42:17 PM

^What kind of sofa did you get from Bedroom & Sofa Emporium?

Initially I was thinking about getting a leather sofa (~$1,000 range) but I found some stuff at Home Comfort that I liked, too. It's Broyhill so I think the quality would be good. I'd definitely like to get 5-10 years good service out of it. It's upholstered but I'd be able to get a sofa and love seat together for about $1,200. The sofa by itself was just 600.

Any of you guys familiar with the Zachary line from Broyhill?

8/17/2008 10:04:35 PM

I bought a broyhill leather sofa and chair off of craiglist for 200 bucks a couple years ago. When we bought them there were cracks on the leather between the cushions and one of the cushions on the couch is slightly discolored when you look close at it (looks like some dye of a new pair of jeans rubbed off). Also the back cushions on the couch are all wrinkled like the stuffing in them shrunk. For 200 bucks they are fabulous and are really comfortable. I have no idea how old they were, but I suspect they were used as a trampoline for the family's boys. It seems well made and would probably last longer if taken better care of.

8/18/2008 12:40:34 AM

Quote :

"budget about 15-30k for your living room set, anything less is going to be built the same, but have nicer coverings"

I about fell out when I read this. I have two large den/living rooms and I never paid this much.
I paid around $1000 for my couch last year at one of the stores on Glenwood (yeah I know that helps a bunch, but I couldn't find the name) It is the best sleeping couch EVah

The other is a nice used one from my parents

The other is an inlaid 1830's loveseat with carved lions heads. ( I really love it)

back to subject -I always check out the Home Comfort outlet, they are usually good. If you want really fancy go to Green Front Interior. (they also have really nice rugs)

8/18/2008 2:34:35 PM

Quote :

"What kind of sofa did you get from Bedroom & Sofa Emporium?"

I don't remember the name. It's the same look as the one I linked to in my previous post, only it wasn't ashley furniture brand.

http://www.ashleyfurniture.com/Showroom/Showroom.aspx?PageId=Showroom&CategoryID=1&ItemNo=4950438&SetDomTab=1&SeriesNo=49504&CollectionId=&style=&PageNumber=1&IsClicked=1&CatPageNumber=11

My sofa is also burgundy and the leather has a nice texture and appearance to it. It doesn't look cheap and it's very comfortable. You could probably ask the guy that runs the place "do you have any sofas by that company that makes sofas for ashley furniture?" and he'd be able to tell you something.

8/18/2008 2:47:10 PM

metal framed couches will probably work for you the best.... if you plan on moving a lot

[Edited on August 18, 2008 at 3:16 PM. Reason : moving]

8/18/2008 3:14:24 PM

There's a brand new Ashley Homestore in Clayton on US 70 (past the town itself, but before Hospira) if you or anyone else happen to live this way.

8/18/2008 9:51:39 PM