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Thread: Ranking Furniture Brands

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  1. #1
    D53 Guest

    Default Ranking Furniture Brands

    My wife and I are getting ready to purchase new living room furniture and we are having a difficult time getting a sense of the quality of the various brands. I am sure Duane would say that we get what we pay for, but how much do we have to pay to get something of reasonable/acceptable quality? That is, something that will last 15 years or so...

    For example, we have heard positive comments on Hancock and Moore, Bradington Young, and Leathercraft. We have heard negative comments on Ashley, Lane, and Flexsteel. I realize that most of the old name-brand furniture manufacturers are making their furniture in China (Broyhill, Thomasville, LaZBoy, etc.) and we would like to stay away from Chinese-made furniture.

    I am not certain we can afford the top-of-the-line stuff, yet we want to avoid the junk as well. What are the in-between brands? I've heard of Jaymar, Century, and Palliser. Are these acceptable? Are their others that represent the "price-performance sweet spot?"

    We are looking for either a reclining sectional or a combination of sofas, love seats, and chairs which include some reclining furniture. While we understand the benefits of leather, I am not sure we can afford or even like the look-and-feel of leather.

    Does anyone have a list of brands by the broad ranking categories of "Superiot", "Acceptable", and "Unacceptable?" Any guidance would be appreciated.

  2. #2
    D53 Guest

    Default

    No sooner did I post the above question than I found some guidance. See what you think of these rankings: http://www.onlyleather.com/showroom/...turer_rank.htm

  3. #3
    Laxplaya7974 Guest

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    Duane will know more about this and will probably chime in shortly, but from my moderate knowledge that Table looks pretty well done. I would say that if you can afford it, definitely get Hancock and Moore (maybe Town and Country to save some money), then if you are looking for about the same quality but not quite as much, you can find some deals in Bradington Young. If you want it to last 15 plus years, I would not go much further down in quality than those. However, looking at Leathercraft might be an option and I have also heard okay reviews of Elite Leather.

  4. #4
    Join Date
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    Generally I think that table of rankings is fairly accurate, though I would buy the Bradington-Young down one notch as its not in the same league as H&M or Leathercraft.

    There's no magic in furniture pricing. Its a material/labor intensive business. If you want the top quality, then you have to start with the best ingredients, the same as a Master Chef would do. They cost more. Then you have to prepare it correctly, otherwise it never turns out right. That's the reason a brand like H&M costs more. Same as Royal Pedic mattresses. They start with the best ingredients and have the best 'food preparers' as well. It takes more money to make it. Companies like that make no higher margins on their product, they just have higher production costs than the cheapies.

    Everyone has to buy withing their "comfort level". If you have to overextend to buy something, its not fun - so don't do that.

    However if you have the available funds to buy good quality and just want to be a bit frugal, then do the math and learn of the brand reputation. Sometimes the good stuff has a lower cost over the usable lifespan of the item because it lasts so much longer. Cheap furniture rarely lasts - and it begins breaking down soon after purchase.

    Forums like this are the best source of knowledge for what works, and what doesn't. When you get to liking a particular brand or piece, toss out the name and see if anyone has experience with it. Then you'll know.

    I tend to keep my customers a long time, and I've been doing this full time since 1985. To me, the smart ones start conservatively, when they're young. I see them in their late 20's buy one or two good pieces per year. Every year. Before too long, they're in their 40's and I go over to their home to drop something off and I'm just shocked to see a mini-Keeping Room in their house! I'd forgotten many of the specific items they had bought fifteen years ago. Now their home as a beautiful collection and I want to buy back some of the pieces that I can no longer get. To me, that's the smart way to do it. Add a piece or two a year that's the quality you want, and then make-do with the ones you can't afford to replace at this time. Using that method, you'll have wonderful furnishings as the years add up.
    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
    D53 Guest

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    I wouldn't say we're looking for 15 plus years, just 15 years. However, it would be nice if itstill looked nice after 15 years. Our former fabric-upholstered sofa looked great after 15 years, but we gave it away when we purchased a different house.

    I noticed that the ranking gave Berkline a decent rating. I'm assuming going no lower than 7 on their Price/Value rating. Also, based on Duane's comments, I'm assuming that the Flexsteel ratings should be lower than in this table.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    <laughing> Remember too, that I'm a furniture elitest. I tend to be harder on makers when I see flaws than most - and am always vocal about it. I like only the good stuff, and am jaded/bored by mediocre furniture. When I pull a cover off something, or take it out of the box, I want to be 'wow'-ed by it. So please - keep that in mind when you read my comments. I'm kind of hard on the mid-level guys.

    BTW, I got a call from Brad-Young this week for example, and they asked me how they could improve their brand. I don't think they had enough paper to write it all down in the 20 minute conversation! <thinking> ....I need to charge for that consulting.....
    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
    Laxplaya7974 Guest

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    I think Duane's idea of buying a few pieces a year or even less than that, maybe one a year that is of real quality will eventually pay off in the long run. I am only 20 years old and I just bought my first piece of nice furniture from Duane (H&M City Sofa). I had done a lot of researching and knowing that I wanted a brown leather sofa, the cheapest I was able to find that was of mediocre quality was around 1500 dollars. With the Town and Country City Sofa (which I liked the sytle of so it worked for me) starting only about 700 higher than that, it was well worth the extra to know that I have a couch that will last for a LONG LONG time.

    So, if you just would like to stay conservative, I would recommend thinking about Duane's advice and thinking of the long term cost of the sofa. With that being said, if it is out of your comfort level to get a couch like that, then I would look for a few couches you really like the look of and then post about the brands on here to get feedback.

  8. #8
    D53 Guest

    Default

    Thanks, Duane and Laxplaya. We are in our mid-fifties and need an entire living room of furniture, so we won't be buying one piece at a time. We will keep in mind the comments which have been made on this board and see if we can find furnture we are comfortable with.

  9. #9
    Gus Guest

    Default

    We have been really considering H&M, but find most of their sofas to be too big for our space...so we opened up Leathercraft's website to take a gander. Found the 2530 sofa. Like its look and its size. Will Leathercraft make a sofa without nails if requested. Duane, can you send leather samples from Leathercraft?

    Also, what does the LC 2530 cost in a Grade 3 (or a leather comparable to a H&M grade 3)?

    Thanks!

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Leathercraft has many pieces that are slightly smaller in scale than H&M. I have a Leathercraft # 2670 in my Family Room for my own personal use that my wife and I have been very pleased with.

    Pricing in a Grade 3 leather from them (yes, its comparable to a GR 3 leather from H&M) would make that # 2530 sofa $ 3,390. Leather samples I can easily get to you.

    They do make them without nails on request, but there is a $ 110 additional charge to do so (welt trim replaces nail closure). Brad Young also charges to delete nail trim. H&M does not charge.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

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