Room and Board Sectional Sofa Quality

[LS515]

I've been searching on and off for a sectional sofa for our Family Room for the last year. I am interested in the Room and Board "Orson" sectional. Before I dropped $3500 for this sofa set I decided to take a 2 1/2 hours trip to the Manhatten store. I really liked the look of the sofa and loved the fabric. I happen to also like this sofa because the back is much higher on this sofa than others with the same look. I would like to be able to rest my head when I sit back. When I sat on the sofa the seats and back felt a lot "squishier" than other sectionals from other stores. The cushions are blend-down. The sales person along with the reviews online say the cushions need to be fluffed and rotated. For $3500 should I have to fluff and rotate?

Does anyone know what the quality is like on the Room and Board sofas? Is the quality mid-range or better? I'm not sure who the manufacture is, possibly McCreary Modern. For $3500 I planning on keeping the sectional for a good 15 years. I just don't want it to look like it's 15 years old in 1-2 years. My limit on spending for a sectional is $3500. Is it possible to get a good quality sectional for this price or under?

Sorry for all the questions but it's been 15 years since I purchased my last sofa set.

[drcollie]

Most cushions that are down-filled have to be fluffed a little, though usually not excessively. Less expensive foam cushions do not.

I don't know the brand so can't comment on R&B quality, sorry.

[LS515]

Thanks so much for getting back to me. I just called R&B and they said the "Orson" sectional is made by McCreary Modern. The frame is Kiln dried engineered wood, the seat deck is tempered steel flex, and the back has a canvas webbing.

[aaron]

The frame is Kiln dried engineered wood....

Are you sure you heard that correctly? You would kiln dry hardwood for a frame, and might use some plywood or "engineered wood" components, but I don't see engineered wood as a selling point - and would personally see a claim to use "kiln dried engineered wood" as misleading - to me it sounds like lipstick on a pig. Engineered would usually means particle board, masonite, chip board, and the like. It can sometimes reference plywood, but it's difficult to imagine a furniture maker saying "engineered wood" rather than "plywood" if it's using the latter.

[drcollie]

Good catch, Aaron! You attorney types are sharp <g>

"tempered steel flex" means a cheap, nothing suspension and all they have is canvas webbing in the back? I think combined with the plywood frame I'd pass on that one.

For $ 3,500 you can get one of these and its properly made with a solid hardwood frame, 8-way hand-tied spring deck, and no-sag springs in the back:

http://www.taylorking.com/products.p...ochure1&m=12!0