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Thread: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

  1. #1
    taz982 Guest

    Default Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Hello all!

    I have come to find this interesting community from my searches in trying desperately to figure out what to do. You all seem somewhat more high level than I can afford, but I figured asking couldn't hurt.

    Anyways, my living room furniture is falling apart and breaking. I got the extended warranty, but as I should have guessed it has been basically useless. So, my partner and I are thinking of purchasing a new sectional piece (3 seats + chaise), as we believe this will accommodate our room best. However, we do not want to overpay for poor quality as we seem to have already done. We are specifically looking for cloth upholstery as the vinyl on our pieces is peeling (one seat and one back basically have NO vinyl left), and that has left me quite gunshy of anything vinyl or vinyl like (e.g. leather) (thank you cats/dogs).

    Anyways, since we live basically paycheck to paycheck we are trying to find the best quality furniture we can at Ashley/La-Z-Boy prices. I know we won't get anywhere near H&M quality (can't seem to figure out who they are), we just don't want to beat our heads against the wall in the near future as we have with this furniture and the company we were dealing with. And that brings me to the crux of my problem.

    I hear a lot that La-Z-Boy and Ashley are overpriced. Well if that is the case, what brands are in their price class but not overpriced because they bring a higher quality product?

    For a reference, the sectional we were looking at with La-Z-Boy before we investigated their issues was the Collins Sectional for around $2100 for the pieces to make up the 3 seats + chaise lounger.

    Thanks!

    Nick

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

    Default Re: Newbie Question

    Quote Originally Posted by taz982 View Post
    Hello all!

    I have come to find this interesting community from my searches in trying desperately to figure out what to do. You all seem somewhat more high level than I can afford, but I figured asking couldn't hurt.

    Anyways, my living room furniture is falling apart and breaking. I got the extended warranty, but as I should have guessed it has been basically useless. So, my partner and I are thinking of purchasing a new sectional piece (3 seats + chaise), as we believe this will accommodate our room best. However, we do not want to overpay for poor quality as we seem to have already done. We are specifically looking for cloth upholstery as the vinyl on our pieces is peeling (one seat and one back basically have NO vinyl left), and that has left me quite gunshy of anything vinyl or vinyl like (e.g. leather) (thank you cats/dogs).

    Anyways, since we live basically paycheck to paycheck we are trying to find the best quality furniture we can at Ashley/La-Z-Boy prices. I know we won't get anywhere near H&M quality (can't seem to figure out who they are), we just don't want to beat our heads against the wall in the near future as we have with this furniture and the company we were dealing with. And that brings me to the crux of my problem.

    I hear a lot that La-Z-Boy and Ashley are overpriced. Well if that is the case, what brands are in their price class but not overpriced because they bring a higher quality product?

    For a reference, the sectional we were looking at with La-Z-Boy before we investigated their issues was the Collins Sectional for around $2100 for the pieces to make up the 3 seats + chaise lounger.

    Thanks!

    Nick
    Hi Nick,

    There are several misconceptions in your comments. To begin with Ashley and La-Z-Boy are not equivalent products. La-Z-Boy is a superior product, although still very much in the mid-quality range.

    Next, the two companies you refer to are not "overpriced." They represent a good value for what they are. In the case of Ashley you get the "look" of furniture that costs twice as much. Unfortunately the "guts" of the furniture are not up to the look they are going for. By skimping on the raw materials and using very cheap labor you end up with a product that looks and feels great in the showroom but will look and feel like the "cheap" furniture it is within a year after you get it home.

    I don't have as much problem with La-Z-Boy. Although I have seen many negative reviews it is generally a similar quality to most other furniture in the same price category. The biggest disappointment is that since they moved the majority of their production overseas the quality is no longer up to the standards that it had when it was made in America. Many long-time owners of La-Z-Boy get disillusioned when the new products they buy are not up to the standards of the older pieces they have had in their homes for 20 years or more.

    All furniture "extended" warranties are pretty much a waste of money. Over 90% of the things that actually go wrong with upholstered furniture will not be covered by the extended warranty. Warranties are generally void if their has been any customer "abuse" of the furniture and determination of whether "abuse" has occurred rests with the retailer and/or manufacturer of the furniture.

    When buying upholstered furniture the most common problems that will make you regret your purchase involve fabric and cushions. Many people think that the more expensive a fabric is the better the quality and the longer it will last. That is not the case. Fabric cost depends on many factors. Very delicate fabrics can be very expensive. Very durable fabrics can be inexpensive. For a home with pets you will want to avoid anything with a loose weave. If your pets get to sit on the furniture you will probably want to avoid natural fabrics such as cotton which will stain more easily and be more difficult to clean. Microfibers or densely woven polyester fabrics will probably be the most suitable, however not all microfibers are alike. Many microfibers attract lint and pet fur like magnets, particularly the longer fiber "velvety" microfibers. Another thing to watch out for is the thickness of the microfiber. Always check out the fabric on a separate swatch to see whether the fabric feels "thin." When made up on a new, unused sofa, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a good quality fabric or a thinner "knockoff" which has been used to reach a lower price and which will begin to look "worn out" within just a few years. If you feel the fabric swatches, however, you will be able to tell the difference.

    Cushions are the other major factor that will determine how long you will enjoy your furniture. Ask about the cushion construction. At a minimum you want a cushion with an HR (High Resilience) foam. If the cushion has a 1 year warranty chances are that 3-4 years down the road it will begin losing its shape and resilience. Thicker cushions (8" thick) will generally hold up longer than thinner cushions. Be aware however, that some companies will build up the thickness of their cushions by adding extra polyester fiber around the foam core. If the cushion has more than 1" of polyester fiber around the foam it will quickly compress and begin losing its shape within a few months. (Check your Ashley cushions for this.) Also be aware that all cushions will lose some of their firmness over time so the cushions should be "firm" starting out. There are some high end "soft" cushions that will last for a long time, but in your price range what feels comfortably "soft" in the showroom will be uncomfortably "squishy" within a short period of time.

    Jeff Frank
    Simplicity Sofas
    www.simplicitysofas.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    274

    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Quote Originally Posted by taz982 View Post
    ...and that has left me quite gunshy of anything vinyl or vinyl like (e.g. leather) (thank you cats/dogs).
    I have two cats and I tend toward leather - but at the same time will admit that certain leathers are more vulnerable to scratching when pets simply run across them or jump off them, and cats pack a lot of power with their rear legs and claws, and that pets have different preferences for what they scratch. My cats prefer to scratch fabric, especially carpet; some cats love the sides of furniture if they can hook their claws into the fabric, and some cats will claw up leather. You have to know your pets and buy accordingly. What I like about leather is that it's much easier to keep clean, doesn't attract fur, and our cats have no interest in sharpening their claws on it. As such, it's more durable and I'll get a longer useful life out of each quality piece.

    If I were buying furniture of the "imported from China, good for five years or so" variety, as long as the upholstery was appropriate for my pets and lifestyle, I would be much less concerned about leather vs. fabric. because the inside of the furniture will likely wear out before the upholstery.
    Quote Originally Posted by simplyjeff View Post
    I don't have as much problem with La-Z-Boy. Although I have seen many negative reviews it is generally a similar quality to most other furniture in the same price category.
    As you suggest, I suspect that the issue is disappointment between what people remember of their parents' and grandparents' furniture, or an older piece of their own, versus the performance of a modern piece sold under the same brand name.

  4. #4
    taz982 Guest

    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Thank you both for your response! I'm sorry it took so long to respond. Unfortunately I gave up on checking after the first couple of days.

    Anyway right now we have chosen the Broyhill Veronica (barring any unforeseen problems), and are in the process of picking one of 7 fabrics we brought home with us. They have springs in their cushions so I do hope they last a bit longer, but I do not recall their warantee off hand for the cushions. I hope they have higher resiliency cushions, but I doubt it, as they don't seem to allow too much customization (just wanted a different fabric for that rounded bit outlining the edges. I will definitely look into it though.

    I will definitely be checking out the stuffing situation when i go back in, as I didn't do that this last time through (i think we're going to end up driving the sales lady nuts lol).

    Anyway, thank you much for your help, and any additional feedback would be welcome .

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    High Point, NC
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    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Quote Originally Posted by taz982 View Post
    They have springs in their cushions so I do hope they last a bit longer, but I do not recall their warantee off hand for the cushions. I hope they have higher resiliency cushions, but I doubt it, as they don't seem to allow too much customization (just wanted a different fabric for that rounded bit outlining the edges. I will definitely look into it though.
    Don't worry about the High Resiliency foam. If your cushions have springs in them the resiliency of the small amount of foam will not matter much. Of course like everything else there are cheap "spring" cushions that are complete junk but any "spring" cushions Broyhill uses will be good quality and should last several years.

    Broyhill makes good quality mid-priced furniture and if you find a style and fabric you like you should be very happy with it for many years.

  6. #6
    taz982 Guest

    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Thank you Jeff! You have made me feel so much better about this all.

    Also thank you to the mod who changed my title. I realized after I made the post that the title was leaving something to be desired.

    Nick

  7. #7
    taz982 Guest

    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Whelp I finally pulled the trigger. $2100 (pretax) later and apparently I will have a 3 piece sectional, and ottoman delivered here to replace my god awful sofa. Lets hope this lasts longer than my Ashley piece.

    Nick

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
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    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Pretty much anything will last longer than Ashley.....good luck!
    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
    taz982 Guest

    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Quote Originally Posted by drcollie View Post
    Pretty much anything will last longer than Ashley.....good luck!
    Well hopefully after I get done with grad school I will be able to give you, or one of your peers a call.

    Thanks for providing this wonderful place. I grew up thinking Ethan Allen was the best there was, I'm glad my eyes were opened to your standards, even if they are presently above my pocket book .

    Nick

  10. #10
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    Oct 2008
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    High Point, NC
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    Default Re: Finding Quality Furniture at a Modest Price Point

    Ethan Allen is another company that has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. Before that time they were known primarily for their American made solid wood furniture of which a large percentage was in the Early American or Colonial styles featuring collections which remained in production for 20 or more years. Now most of the solid wood is gone, the styles have been updated and the sourcing is global.

    Although Ethan Allen is not quite up to the H&M quality standards they do present a lot of very good styling for their upper mid-range price. One of the strongest points of the company is the number of salespeople with professional interior design credentials in their stores who can be very helpful for those who lack confidence in their own design expertise.

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