Hi Bev,
I was going to wait until Monday to reply to this, when I was back in the store and could pull the leather swatches, but it looks like you need a reply today!
Flexsteel is definitely several notches down from Bradington-Young and is a product that gives up hardwood frames for engineered plywood, gives up 8-way hand-tied springs for their 'blue steel' torsion spring, and the uses much cheaper upholstery foam and cushion cores than BY. To go from BY to Flexsteel is like going from steak to hamburger. I have to say, I don't like the Flexsteel Recliner Sectionals at all. I cringe when we used to deliver them, though customers seemed happy with them. I guess because the flaws and shortcuts they use just make themselves so apparent to me that its like nails on a blackboard. I have discontinued the brand as I lost faith in it. The last piece I had come in actually had a piece of foam over CARDBOARD - like poster board - for the entire back portion of the funtiure and over that went the leather cover. That was just ridiculous to put something out like that and expect any dealer with a shred of integrity to sell it to someone.
Seven Seas BY is junk. Sorry. I won't sell that. either.
As to comfort. Everyone knows I'm hesitant to recommend comfort on a piece, especially ones I've not tried out myself. It's just something you can guess at on dimensions and photos, but you may or may not like the end result. For higher back units however, stay in the 38" and up category for back height.
The all-time comfort champ for a sectional with recliners at the outboard stations is the Hancock and Moore Austin series, and it's built to last. Its going to be a long ways form the prices you see on the Flexsteel Chicago however, about double.
Duane Collie
Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.