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Thread: Sofas for vertically challenged

  1. #1

    Default Sofas for vertically challenged

    HI all,

    I have been voraciously reading the forums here for a few weeks and asking Duane for help, which he has graciously provided and always in a timely manner. My wife and I are on a quest for a new sofa, and looking strongly at H&M. The furniture selection in our town is very limited, but we were able to travel a couple of weeks ago and try a couple of H&M and McKinley sofas.

    We have a concern regarding seat height and depth. We are on the shorter side at 5'6" and 5'2", and hoping we don't shrink as we get older. We have been trying different chairs, sofas, etc. for comfort and noting their seating heights and depths". My wife does "curl up" or pull her legs up, but I usually don't, mostly because it hurts too much to unwind. So far, we know 21" depth is pretty comfortable up to 21" seating height. We think 22"D might be good, if the height is 21" or less.

    I'd like to reach out to the forum for some input. I am curious to hear what H&M sofas you have, your height, and your feedback regarding comfort. My wife is really drawn to tufted back sofas (not so much on the tufted seats). In another post Duane gave a great description of his experience on the Teton. If I recall, he said sitting up straight on it reminded him of the doctor's office, but lounging on it and really leaning into the arms it was extremely comfortable.

    I hope my local furniture dealers don't get tired of me trial sitting their sofas and measuring the seats.

    I appreciate and look forward to any feedback.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    There are very few pieces made for vertically challenged folks. I have been banging this drum with my suppliers (all of them) for many years to build this, and so far they have not done so, perhaps they feel the market is too limited? The other reason could be most pieces are designed by men who are in the 6' 0" range and human nature being what it is - they build to suit them. It's not dissimilar to going into a Kohl's or Jcpenney's and trying to find a pair of pants that fit if you fall outside the norm on measurements - like I do. Most recently I have been pressuring H&M to build a recliner to fit a petite woman - there is nothing out there in that category. One of their customer service ladies At H&M is 5' 0" tall, and I am asking them to use her as the tester-person. I do not know if they will do this, but I keep asking!

    Here are some options here for you to really get the right sofa, which I would suggest you build with a 19" seat height and 19" to 20"seat depth. (if this was for your wife only, I'd drop the seat height to 18"). She is curling up her legs in the sofa (as many women do) because they can't touch the floor, they do it almost instinctively - I see that every day.

    1) Go custom. H&M will build you a one-off and dimension it. This is going to add $ 500 to $ 900 to the price of a standard piece for a seat deck and seat depth custom (you cannot customize the sofas in the promotional programs and stay within the promo pricing). It will cost less in simple forms, such as the City, Ricki, Austin sofas, and would be more costly complex builds like a Sundance, Westwood, etc., and stay away from anything with exposed wood wrap arounds as they are the most pricey to do. Considering that an H&M Sofa will last you 30 + years given reasonable care, this is my suggestion. The cost of the custom amortized over the life of the piece would mean a cost per year to get what fits is negligible.

    2) Bolster Pillows. You can buy a standard dimensioned piece and get one or two kidney pillows at time of order that will bring you forward.

    3) I can have H&M custom build a compact dimension sofa just for The Keeping Room and it would be unique to my store. Of course with this, I have to sell a certain quantity of them per year and then picking the design is difficult, I could probably only do one, and it would not be a tufted unit as the ones with pillow backs are more popular. I'm open to feedback on this, and in fact NEED feedback on it because if enough people say "I'd buy that if you build it", then I can more forward on it.

    4) Check out the H&M Kent Chesterfield. This has a low seat height and could easily be customized on depth.

    http://www.hancockandmoore.com/Produ...sterfield-Sofa.
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    QualityQuest Guest

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    Duane,

    I'm writing about the Century Cornerstone LTD 7600-2 3 cushion 92" sofa. I believe that the seat height is 21" at the crown of the seat cushion and approximately 20" at the front edge of the seat cushion with most of the leg options. There are 2 other leg options (recessed foot and wide block foot) that reduce the seat height by an inch. This is a sofa for a 5'4" female relative. She sat on the 38" sofa at a retailer and was just able to have her feet flat on the floor with a small pillow behind her back. She found the 36" depth too shallow and the 41" depth too deep.

    Would you advise her to opt for one of the legs that lowers the seat height by an inch? Her concern is that the sofa with a lower leg might sit differently than the one she tried (she can't find the 38" Century sofa with one of the lower legs to try on a showroom floor). And the dealer said that Century cannot change the leg after the sofa is built.

    Any guidance that you could offer would be appreciated. Thanks.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    The seat height doesn't change with leg variances, they keep that constant. She can go custom on Cornerstone, they charge 55 % to change the frame build specs, possibly less for taking a wedge foot and shaving and inch off it. Have her work with her selling dealer on that to see what the upcharge might be.

    It's difficult to say what she will like - she will just have to take her best guess on it.
    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
    QualityQuest Guest

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    Duane,

    Thank you. I'm still unclear about the height issue. Under the "Select Your Base" section of the Cornerstone customization checklist options U, UB, WBN and WB all say "Lowers height 1". Does that mean that the seat height will be 1" lower with those options or will the seat height be 21" at the seat cushion crown no matter which base option you choose? If the seat height can't be changed then what does "lowers height 1" mean? Thanks.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    If it says that, then it lowers it 1". I didn't look at the spec sheets for the options, but if they state that then it does....
    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
    QualityQuest Guest

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    Got it. Thanks. Would you advise lowering the seat height by an inch for a woman who is 5'4" or not? I know an inch doesn't sound like much but am wondering if 20" at the crown/19" at the front edge would make a difference (or not) vs. the standard seat height of 21" at the crown/20" at the front edge. Thank you.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,887

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    That's a 55% upcharge from Century. So if she's paying say $ 4,000 for a sofa, it will then cost $ 6,200 for a frame mod. No, I would not do that - I'd switch makers first. Clearly Century doesn't want to do a frame mod at that price.

    If I were scratch building a sofa for a 5' 4" lady, I'd built the seat height at 18.5 to 19" and seat depth at 19".
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  9. #9
    QualityQuest Guest

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    Thanks, Duane. The issue is that she thought the 36" Century was too shallow. And there are other, larger folks who use it, although she's the primary user.

  10. #10

    Default Re: Sofas for vertically challenged

    My husband and I are the same measurements, 5'6 and 5'2. We bought the Bradington-Young Yorba sofa recently, and find it very comfortable. It has a seat height of 20.5" and a seat depth of 21.5". My feet hit the floor without problem. It's definitely not the tufted-back style you're looking for, but I thought I'd mention the measurements. Duane can verify this, but I'd imagine how cushy or firm a sofa is might also have an effect.

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