Confused!

[Kristine]

After pouring over the forums and visiting several stores, I'm confused.

My husband & I really like the Randall-Allen Washington sofa (wipe off bark leather), we also found a Hancock & Moore Austin (Town & Country) Chair (document saddle) and ottoman (document saddle) that will go nicely with the RA sofa. My question is, does anyone have recent experience with RA. My concern is that although they are owned by H&M, I'm a little uneasy with the fact that they don't offer the same warranty as they do on their other lines? If the builder is making to the H&M spec and H&M is confident in that, why wouldn't they have the same warranty? Is this my first clue that something is off?

To make it all a little more confusing, my husband really likes the Whitman Chair from Century Furniture--wondering if anyone has any insight on Century Furniture also?

Essentially, we're using an old hand-me-down leather set from my parents, its over 20 years old (Bassett, which I realize these days is a mid-tier brand), but its in great shape, the cushions need an overhaul, but the leather is excellent (if only it wasn't green, we would probably be restuffing the cushions). My goal is to get a good set of furniture that will last the way my parent's set did (or better)? It survived kids & dogs (and some messy adults too).

Any guidance you can give will be much appreciated!

[drcollie]

Randall Allan is a 100 % Made in China line of furniture from Hancock & Moore Company. It is NOT built to the same spec nor is it the same quality as the flagship brand. I don't carry that line because I don't care for Chinese-made furniture. Randall Allan is sold as a less costly alternative to H&M and while I don't think you will find it will suffer a failure in construction, its definitely a different product and should not be associated with Hancock & Moore other than its one of the many brands they own.

Century is a good brand with a good reputation. I would not expect any issues with their furniture.

H&M is the gold standard in the trade for the best built, most detailed, and best designed leather furniture in the business.

[Kristine]

Thanks! My first clue that it was inferior, is the fact that although they own the company it's not warrantied the same way. It's too bad too...ironically, we both like the look of that couch better than what we saw in the Town & Country line...but I think in the long run the Town & Country Tavern Sofa will be the better value.

I may see what Century has to offer in sofas...although their prices compared to the T&C line were really similar.

Thank you again!

[drcollie]

Randall Allen is there for price only. Quite honestly, it (like all other Chinese furniture) is loaded into containers and bought in bulk, and when it arrives here is stacked in a box in a warehouse in North Carolina. So the good news is it can go out right away on a truck, and the bad news is the first person in this continent to see it since it left The Peoples Furniture District # 19 is the dealer or the delivery company. See a chair and ottoman combo? You have to buy them together because they are packed in one box and are not separated. That sort of thing. The good news is Randall Allen is exempt from the e-commerce pricing restrictions that went into effect on August 1.

Town and Country is 100 % H&M, handmade on the regular production line at Hickory NC. You get the full monty.

Good luck in your search!

[Ci2Eye]

I thought the Town and Country program featured covers cut and sewn in China and the only way to get a truly 100 percent US made product was to select a leather outside of the T&C program.

[drcollie]

There is really no 100 % USA made product, from any maker. Most the steel (such as the springs) are imported, and 90% of all covers - maybe 95 % are as well. It's a world economy now. There are only handful of US tanneries left, and most are specialty dealing in Bison hides or making baseballs or footballs like this one in Chicago:

http://horween.com/leathers/

The fact of the matter is EPA and OSHA put an end to the majority of USA tanneries back in 2008, because tanning hides is a dirty, nasty business and environmentally recovery and safety equipment in this country costs a small fortune, so most it done offshore now.

In the H&M Town and Country line, only about 50% of the leathers are true 'married cover'. The rest are all cut and sewn from loose hides in Hickory NC - they are just put on that list as a promotional price. For example, all the ones you see in Tiburon, Buckingham, Weston or Hand Antiqued Saddle are made of loose Italian or German hides.

[Kristine]

Just came home from making our purchase...we ended up going with the M&H Kent Chesterfield in Pecos Mink and the Whitman Chair & Ottoman from Century--even though they're different makers both colors have variations of browns in them and we're not sticklers for things having to match perfectly, so we should have the best of both worlds here (or so I hope). That Century Whitman Chair was so darn comfortable to sit in that it was impossible to think of getting something different. Thanks for your help & guidance, the H&M was a little more (because we couldn't match within the T&C line)...but in the grand scheme of things, I really think its going to be money well spent!