Why the heck does that sofa cost so much!
What to look for in a quality sofa
There’s a reason why some sofas are $599 and some are $5,999.
I’m not saying that a $599 sofa is bad.
But, it is what it is.
If you’re looking for a sofa to last 5 years, until your kids leave for college, then go ahead and buy a cheap sofa. The one below is $249 from Walmart.com.
But, if you’re looking for a sofa that is going to last you more than that, one that has cushions that aren’t going to droop and fall over, then you’re going to want to invest some more money in a quality sofa.
The first picture is from King Hickory. I sell a ton of their sofas. They make a good quality sofa. The picture above shows why.
But, what the heck is it about that expensive sofa that makes it so expensive?
There are reasons why some sofas cost more.
And, they’re pretty good reasons.
So, let’s delve into how a quality sofa is made vs. how a cheap sofa is made.
After all, knowledge is power, right?
There are 5 things you need to look for when looking for quality in a sofa, or upholstered chair, for that matter.
- A quality sofa will feel heavy and sturdy. Seriously, nudge it with your knee. Does it slide easily? Is it light? If so, it’s probably not made with good, quality hardwood, such as oak, alder, birch or maple, and the cushions are probably not good quality foam. (We’ll go over cushions in number 3).
- A quality sofa will look good on the inside too. You probably won’t be able to see inside, unless they’re displaying it, but read on the info sheet. Eight-way, hand-tied springs are a great indicator of fine furniture, but sinuous S-shaped springs can provide almost as much comfort. Drop-in coil springs are also a less costly alternative. Nowadays there are many furniture manufacturers who aren’t using any of these! They’re just creating a frame and adding foam cushions. Like most things, if your base isn’t quality then it isn’t going to last.
- That brings us to cushions. A quality sofa (or chair) cushion should have a core of polyurethane foam; the denser the foam, the heavier it is and the longer it will last. In cheap furniture, the cushion is filled with just the polyurethane foam core. In better furniture, the core will be wrapped with batting. Even higher quality options have a core of springs and are surrounded with down and foam or sometimes can be all down. I’d avoid the all down, as it has a tendency to shed and end up being a pain in the neck. I’ve provided you some cushion info about the King Hickory sofa as well.
- As with all furniture you want to check the frame and the joints. The best quality sofa will have a frame that is double doweled and will have corner blocks that are both glued and screwed. You shouldn’t see any staples. It may even have legs that are one piece with the frame. Make sure if it does that you measure your doorway well because you can’t remove the legs for delivery. The cheapest sofas have plastic, screw on legs. You can really find out a lot about a sofa by looking at the legs.
- Lastly there’s fabric. A quality sofa will be covered in a quality fabric. When it comes to leather, the different types of leather could be a whole other blog post! The bottom line, with leather, is don’t buy a leather sofa unless you can afford a top grain leather sofa, don’t bother. Do NOT buy bi-cast or bonded leather, which is basically leather fibers adhered to a backing. It will NOT last and buying 2 sofas is not economical. A good quality fabric for a sofa is one with 15,000+ double rubs. 30,000+ is even better. Above 50,000+ is considered commercial grade fabric. Rubs is the term used in the fabric industry to refer to how many times the fabric can be rubbed before showing wear. That info will be on the card so you’ll know the durability of the fabric. You’ll want to also check the cleaning codes and stain resistance of the fabric. Because, what good is a well-built sofa if it has a big stain on it? I could go on and on about what kind of fabric is good for what style but this blog post is about quality. We’ll talk about style and lifestyle another day. Just make sure you check the card and feel the sofa. After all you’re going to be lounging around on it, you want it to be comfy too.
As I said when we were talking about the fabric, all of this info should be on the information card for the sofa. If it isn’t then be sure to ask your designer or furniture sales person for the information.
Make sure to look at the sofa really well.
Lift up the cushions, feel their weight.
Unzip the cushions and look inside to see what’s in there.
Lift up the whole sofa so you can look at the frame.
You can get a good quality sofa for right around $1600. going to need to feel how heavy it is anyway.
The bottom line is, buy the best quality sofa you can afford. And, once you’ve determined that amount, be sure you know what you can get for that price, so that you won’t be surprised or disappointed.
I mean, if you’re buying a $500 sofa at least you know that you’ll need to buy a new one in a few years.
And, if you’re totally overwhelmed with all of this, call your interior designer. This is what we do! We had tests on this stuff in school. It’s true!
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Put a Little Life in Your Space
Very informative post and so true. The cheap sofas serve a purpose but don’t expect to be buried with them.
Great Post!! Thank you so much for sharing this detailed post on Sofa…It was very interesting and I really enjoyed reading it…
Thanks Sarah! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
In your humble opinion how is the king hickory performance fabric versus crypton? I have found the sofa style of my dreams in king hickory (Drake) but they do not sell crypton fabrics anymore I do not believe. I have toddlers and I want it to bead up as well as Crytpon.
Oh my gosh, I’m SO sorry I’m just seeing this! In my experience the King Hickory performance fabric performs just as well as the crypton. Just check the cleaning code on the fabric before you choose it. You do also have the option of doing COM with whatever fabric you choose. Simply order the fabric separately and ship it to KH.
Love the article, It was very helpful. We just purchased a King Hickory leather sectional, Bentley. Love all the features. In your professional opinion, could I add a plush comfortable chair, or does that make a room look too cluttered. It’s a medium size living room with fireplace in the center, tv above that. The sectional will go in front of a window.
Sorry, I didn’t see this earlier! Yes, I’m a huge fan of King Hickory and have sold tons of their sofas. You can’t go wrong with them! As for your question, I think it depends on the size of your room. If you have the space to comfortably walk around then absolutely add the chair. Check out the KH Medium One Chair. It’s another one I’ve sold tons of.
My mother always told me to make sure the springs were eight way, hand tied. Not sure this still applies. We bought our current sofa at Beautiful Rooms in West Springfield, Mass for a hefty sum and nine years later it still looks brand new. Down cushions and the whole bit. Great article especially about buying leather furniture.
I’m a HUGE fan of Beautiful Rooms and Gary. You’re absolutely right, a good sofa will look brand new for years!
Are you familiar with Smith Brothers furniture? I’ve looked at King Hickory and Smith Brothers, they both seem to be good quality but am curious if one would be considered a higher quality than the other.
Thank you for great post and really enjoy the first graphic/photo detailing what’s inside a quality sofa. Very informative and learned a lot after reading!