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Thread: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

  1. #1
    JBailey1 Guest

    Default Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    Question: Is July the best month to buy (read this from many sources)?

    *My wife and I are seeking to buy a 3 cushion, leather sofa and reclining loveseat. We want to stay south of 5K.
    *We do not want to buy Chinese or entry level furniture
    *We want to stay w/mid-mid high, perhaps even high end furniture. Best bang for the buck

    Question 2: We would like to be able to purchase HM but don't know if we can afford (even on line) or they even make a reclining LS. Is HM, BY, Barcalounger, Classic Leather possible or even probable or will we have to settle for Flexsteel, Henredon, or Bernhardt. Please any suggestions will be appreciated.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    High Point, NC
    Posts
    259

    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    I cannot confirm or deny that July is the best month for buying furniture. Actually over the past few years all of the old patterns governing when furniture sales are best seem to be shifting. I'm not sure there is a best time anymore. Most retailers seem to run sales most of the time.

    The three "mid-line" brands that you list (Henredon, Bernhardt and Flexsteel) are very different companies and are really not comparable.

    Henredon used to have one of the best reputations in the U.S. for mass produced furniture. They are not the same anymore. They closed down several factories and moved their production to other locations. Many of their most experienced craftspeople did not make the transition and were replaced by less experienced workers. They also made engineering changes in the product such as replacing many of their solid wood frames with plywood. From a structural point of view the plywood may be just as strong as the solid wood but it seems like cheating for a company that is supposed to be "high end."

    Flexsteel is in a completely different category than Henredon. I would expect a Henredon sofa to cost almost double the price of a similar looking Flexsteel. Flexsteel used to make a great product for the money. Unfortunately they moved much of their production overseas. From what I have heard the overseas product is not the same quality.

    Flexsteel's fame originally came from their use of a blued steel parabolic spring support. This is a spring support system invented over 100 years ago and used only by Flexsteel probably because the cost of making this spring is prohibitive to companies who do not already own the technology and equipment. It is a great seat support and almost never breaks. The company is so proud of it that they are the only upholstered furniture company that does not put a black bottom dust cover under their sofas. They want their customer to be able to see the blued steel spring. This can help you tell whether the Flexsteel product you are looking at is an American-made item or a cheaper import. Simply tilt the sofa back and look underneath. If there is no dust cover and you can see the blued-steel spring you are probably looking at a product that was made in America. If there is a dustcover it is probably an import. Even the American-made product, however, is in an entirely different category than Henredon.

    [Random Furniture Factoid - Over 20 years ago a federal court ruled that the Flexsteel blued steel parabolic spring was equivalent in comfort and quality to 8 way hand-tied. This came about from a U.S. government bid that specified a product equal to or better than a particular product made by Drexel which came with 8-way hand-tied springs. When Flexsteel was disqualified from the initial bidding because they did not have 8-way hand-tied springs they sued the U.S. government and after more than a year, won their case (and the contract.)]

    Bernhardt has become a specialist in contemporary upholstered furniture styles. Their quality for upholstered furniture is usually excellent although sometimes modern styles do not have quite as much support as the old-line traditional sofas and unusual new sewing or upholstering requirements can take a little while to perfect.

    If you are looking for contemporary furniture you should definitely give Bernhardt a look.

    Jeff Frank
    Simplicity Sofas
    Last edited by simplyjeff; 02-25-2012 at 10:15 PM.

  3. #3
    JBailey1 Guest

    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you. Lotta good info in that! Pls feel free to add.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
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    15,890

    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    There is one given in this industry, and that is that prices are always increasing. I would not ever wait for a "best time" per se, because you are likely to get caught in a price increase. The furniture industry is heavily influenced by the price of oil, and with fuel hovering around $ 5 a gallon, we are bound to see raw material increases and distribution costs rise. Its going to happen. Most companies will not raise prices from March through April, or September through October, because they are getting ready for Furniture Market in High Point. We see the prices increases after Market, typically June and December, once they have 'caught their breath' from the Markets.

    You won't be close to better quality pieces at under $ 5K for both a sofa and loveseat in recliner models, and will be mid-range in less costly leathers at best.
    Last edited by drcollie; 02-26-2012 at 09:35 AM.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  5. #5
    JBailey1 Guest

    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    Thanx drcollie for the cold water in the face. What would be YOUR choice of the mid-range furn for sofa/loveseat combo?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    I just ordered this for my store last week, in a power unit. This is probably the best and most comfortable unit I've come across in a full recline sofa in a very long time from any maker.

    http://www.bradington-young.com/prod...0&style=912-90

    Sofa starts at $ 2,379 + delivery in the base, married cover leather and the loveseat version $ 2,239 from my store, but delivery will add several hundred dollars to the price depending on your location. That's the manual unit prices, and I would definitely add the power option to both at $ 150 additional per unit. Price looks better than I though it was in Married Cover leathers (2 colors to choose from at that price). Of course, I ordered my floor model in their most expensive leather (GR 5, Grafton Place)!
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  7. #7
    JBailey1 Guest

    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    Quote Originally Posted by drcollie View Post
    I just ordered this for my store last week, in a power unit. This is probably the best and most comfortable unit I've come across in a full recline sofa in a very long time from any maker.

    http://www.bradington-young.com/prod...0&style=912-90

    Sofa starts at $ 2,379 + delivery in the base, married cover leather and the loveseat version $ 2,239 from my store, but delivery will add several hundred dollars to the price depending on your location. That's the manual unit prices, and I would definitely add the power option to both at $ 150 additional per unit. Price looks better than I though it was in Married Cover leathers (2 colors to choose from at that price). Of course, I ordered my floor model in their most expensive leather (GR 5, Grafton Place)!
    Does BY have a reclining loveseat that would match this awesome sofa?

  8. #8
    JBailey1 Guest

    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    I'll take a stationary sofa but really need dual reclining LS.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
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    Alexandria VA
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    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    Yes, read in the post above, I priced the loveseat model for you....but there are no photos of it.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  10. #10
    JBailey1 Guest

    Default Re: Rookie, Seriously Needing Some Guidance.

    yes, caught that thank you again.

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