Need help deciding on sofa

[grandma dee]

Hi! I've been reading this forum for a while and have learned a lot. Now I have some questions regarding my sofa purchase. I am looking at a Hancock and Moore City sofa #9840 and Bradington Young Hartford #674-95. I chose these two because of the size and design. There is a significant price difference between the two ($2150-2650 for the Hartford based on leather vs. $3499 for the City Sofa). If I choose a leather from the Town and Country program on the City Sofa the difference would be lessened (the price would be $2699) but I'm not sure that I want to be tied to that. I know that you have talked about thinking of pricing in terms of cost over the long haul, and I understand and agree with that. The problem is that I will be paying for it now, not over the long haul so I have to consider that. I would probably go with a grade 2 or 3 leather. I prefer something that is soft and low luster, not shiny, in a medium brown (not red) or maybe even tan color. I would appreciate advice and a comparison between the two sofas as well as some leather suggestions. My last question concerns seat comfort/firmness. My husband has Parkinson's Disease so we need a fairly firm cushion otherwise he won't be able to get up from the sofa. Is it possible to get that?

Thank you so much for your help!

[drcollie]

The H&M is going to have a solid hardwood frame, the Brad Young a composite engineered (plywood) frame, the HM frame will be stronger and stiffer. The H&M will have more foam and padding over the internal wooden structure parts, and be better tailored. The H&M will have 1-piece back panels, the BY-will have 3-section sewn panels. H&M uses real 8-way hand-tied knots, BY uses a 8-way hand loop.

Most all stores have a 6 month, same as cash, 0% financing program available, might be worth inquiring about if you decide on H&M to help offset the initial cash outlay.

Yes, you can ask for extra firm cushions from either company at no additional charge.

The Cavalier that comes in the Married Cover on the 9840 is decent enough leather - no need to go beyond that unless its just a color/taste preference.

Either maker will last 20 years in leather, or more. Both will give good service. H&M defines the 'Art' of upholstery wheras I consider B-Y more of a Utility grade. I think that's the main difference. Hope that helps!

[cuse69]

grandma dee ....

WELCOME to our little forum. The regular members are always looking to help out as best we can. I own both H&M and B-Y sofas. The H&M is in the family room, the B-Y in the basement rec. room. The H&M is by far more comfortable. A couple of points you need to stay aware of for your husband. Seat height to the floor can be important when trying to get up. The higher the easier. Also seat depth can be important. Sitting deeper in the sofa will also make getting up more difficult. Keep in mind that the firm cushion from H&M is pretty firm. As far as leathers you should also consider Columbia, it fits your description well. It was a grade 1 but may be grade 2 now. Remember the grade number represents price, not necessarily quality.

Good luck in your search and remember many members have found the Keeping Room's prices to be among the best in the country so don't be afraid of inquiring with Duane for his price. Maybe you will be able to get the H&M within your budget.

[grandma dee]

Thank you Duane and Furniture Connoisseur, I really appreciate your help. I have pretty much decided to go with H&M, I think it will be worth using the extra money from my home decorating stash. Actually I'll be depleting it but that's OK. Before I decide for sure on a style I want to revisit the website, I noticed that the Darby comes in a three seat version. I like that kind of style, traditional but clean with not too much ornamentation. You are right about the dimensions Furniture Connoisseur, before looking on the websites I measured every piece of seating in our house to determine what height and seat depth was most comfortable for us. We currently have a Lecacy Leather sofa that has an inside seat depth of 20.5 inches and that's quite comfortable for both of us. We live in a condo where all of the main living areas are open to each other and there is not a ton of room so I can't have a real large sofa either. I will check out the Columbia leather, thanks for that tip. I'm also glad to know that Duane sells long distance, I wasn't clear about that.

Again, thank you both!

[drcollie]

Glad to help. I think you will find the H&M to be a good choice. If you are looking at the Darby, also give a quick look at the Parisian. The latter is really a gorgeous sofa. To best stay in your budget however, focus in the Town and Country collection. That's a real money saver. I have the entire current program here under the LEATHER section as a 'sticky'. Yes, I sell H&M worldwide.

[grandma dee]

Thanks Duane! I checked out the Town and Country collection that you posted, then I made a field trip to a retailer who carries H&M today. I didn't bother a salesperson, just looked, sat and read tags. I was able to see and sit on the City Sofa, which I liked. It was comfortable and a good size for my living space. I also looked at the Parisian and agree that it is a beautiful sofa, however it is a little too big. We have a condo and size really does matter, our current sofa is 87" long and I can't go any more than that, would like slightly less length. All of the sofas had the standard cushions, which I found to be comfortable. How would a spring down cushion compare?

As far as my budget ... that is by choice, not necessity. I'm frugal and my husband is downright cheap so I thought that if I could buy a sofa using my mad money rather than dipping into the joint account it would be good. However, I am willing to dip if need be.

I'm still interested in the smaller Darby sofa because it does have some nailhead trim on the arms, which I like. The City Sofa has none, but that would be OK too. I just like a traditional roll arm and I guess that my first choice would be a small amount of nailhead trim. I can't find complete dimensions for the three seat Darby, notably the inside seat depth. Do you have that information?

Lastly, how do I go about getting leather samples and a quote from you?

Thank you so much!

[drcollie]

The City Sofa comes in two sizes, and they do sit differently because of that. Most often, you're going to find the smaller # 9840 on the floor as that's in the T&C Program and the larger one is not. I personally like the standard cushions for the majority of applications its all you need. Ultra Down will give you more 'cush' and luxury, so that's available if you like. Spring Down I rarely have ordered for leather, as it gives the seat cushions more of a rumpled look and won't maintain the shape as well as the Ultra Down.

66" is the inside width of the 3-seat Darby # 4128 (they typically vary +/- as in any handcrafted piece).

For leather samples and pricing, simply click on my user name and send me a Private Message here on the forum. I'll be glad to get those samples for you at no charge.