I know what y'all think about RH, but...

[Asomer]

I've been reading diligently on this forum for the past few days about everything I can find regarding Restoration Hardware/RH & am fully aware based on my own research about their price vrs value. With that said however, I'm in LOVE with their Capri slipcovered sofa & my tastes, style leans towards minimalist, modern, clean lined, industrial, etc.
I have spent many hours researching other manufacturers & retailers who also carry something most resembling the Capri, even a company in China who presented themselves as a direct supplier for RH that would've sold me the sofa in the exact linen/cotton color I want that RH uses as an option on the Capri for $1,475(as opposed to $3,225 direct from RH.) Unfortunately, that route means having to fork over nearly $1,000 in port fees & customs charges AND tax on ALL of that...making the final cost ~$2,850 & only just found out after months of speaking to a very well versed representative of this Chinese company that they're not actually a direct supplier for RH, but only have the sofa frames RH uses & able to acquire the exact fabrics, yada, yada: it'd only be a replica of the Capri.

Well, as you can imagine, $2,850 & a massive logistical headache for only a replica is NOT what I thought I was getting myself into & am now researching other furniture manufacturers both large & small for something not close in style to the Capri, but nearly identical, if not the same. And, obviously for under the costs of just going direct thru RH @ their $3,225 plus $200 shipping cost.

There's a fairly new company out there called TAG by Tandem Arbor that's owned by Arbor Gentry hq'd in NYC, but says their sofas are made in North Carolina. I only see them listed on Overstock, Etsy & Gilt as of right now. Their own webpage is not up yet, but Arbor Gentry's is. From what it looks like, all their offerings are dead ringers for most of RH's poplar sofas, down to dimensions & fabric options. Yet, for a company with no brick & mortar store, no functional website, etc their prices are just as expensive as RH & their build quality actually looks less than RH claims theirs to be(can't possibly conceive what their business model is or how they except it to work with that approach LOL!) Anyone familiar with this company, or been able to track down who they actually are & where they're building these subpar, similarly priced sofas??

I've contacted Monarch Sofas(formerly Sofa Craft outta Cali,) to get a quote on a custom build of the Capri, but their reviews on Yelp are turning me off quickly. Anyone know about them?

SimplyJeff, I've looked at Simplicity Sofas site, but unfortunately most of the models were too traditional for my tastes. If you're able to get a hold of the template for the Capri & do it in a 96"L x 43"D, I'd be very interested in discussing that!

Perch Furniture out of Portland is another custom sofa builder who says they've done a RH Belgian Track Arm, but not the Capri. They're looking into seeing if they can get the frame template. They're a small company, built in USA, etc & looks promising. They're not but maybe few hundred less than RH. If anyone's familiar with them I'd really like to hear about your knowledge as well?

And, lastly I've contacted both The Comfortable Couch Company(CoCoCo,) & everybody's(on here at least LOL,) favorite company to hate: Casco Bay Sofas about their pricing & availability to do the Capri. Any additional info &/or knowledge about these guys would help as well.

Before anyone begins to shout "you really should look at B&Y & H&M" I already have. I'm a single woman in my mid-30s with no children & am not particularly interested in a leather sofa. I LOVE the look of the distressed, old & worn leather couches, but living in Texas with our heat makes me nervous thinking about going that route. Besides, the models I've seen here & on their websites look like something my parents would have in their homes, NOT something I'd go for: too froo froo & traditional for me. I love the mid century modern look, but for an accent chair not my main lounging in sofa. And, I am all about the down cushions & that sink in, deep feeling.

So, LONG story short lol: y'all know my style, look & feel I'm going for. You know I'd ideally like to not go the ridiculous retail route of purchasing directly thru RH & yet, I'm hitting major road blocks on finding a supposedly "custom" sofa manufacturer able to actually make a sofa based off the pictures of the Capri I've sent them...?

I'm stumped & any info would much be appreciated.
Incidentally, I've read what has all been written here about Casco Bay, but looking at ALL their info on their site, they seem like the real deal as far as construction & materials go; just cause the owner's a bit of a jerk, everybody's writing his product off?? I must be missing something...

Thanks again & sorry for the length of the post
Andrea