When the time comes to purchase new furniture for the home, many people want to buy quality pieces that will last for many years to come. But what exactly is quality when it comes to furniture, and how can you know you’re making the right choice?
Here at Moore’s Furniture and Mattresses, we feel that understanding the materials and craftsmanship that go into the furniture-making process is an important part of considering what furniture is the right choice for you. Here’s an overview of what to look for when shopping at our showrooms, and why quality matters!
Materials
Like much in life, the quality of a piece of furniture starts with the quality of the parts that go into making it. With a wide variety of choices and manufacturers, it’s important to understand what sets certain pieces above the rest.
One of the first and foremost things to look for is the type of wood used throughout the piece. Most people will look for solid hardwood, and it’s not difficult to see why. Sturdy and attractive, hardwood is simply superior to materials like particleboard and wood veneer in terms of stability and resistance to wear and tear. However, when it comes to the best durability among wooden frames, cross-grained hardwood plywood offers additional support that solid pieces of wood lack. Many high-end brands such as Temple and Smith Brothers provide multi-layered cross-grained plywood as the frames for their furniture. By layering the solid wood-grain against each other, the wood pieces provide structural integrity that makes them much less likely to break along the grain.
Image via Temple Furniture. Note the layered plywood frame!
Furthermore, the source and treatment of a wood can affect the end product. Mavin is a great example of a company that really understands this—they use wood harvested from trees they’ve grown themselves, so that they can assure that the end result is a product they’re proud of.
Image via Mavin Woods.
Another common material to consider is leather. Real leather, while more expensive than faux leather, is one of the most durable materials for a furniture piece. Faux leather may mimic the look and even the feel of leather at first, but over time it will break down and flake off. A real, high-quality leather piece should have no such issues; if care is put into the pigmentation, treatment, and overall care of the leather used to make your furniture, it should last a lifetime without issue. If you’re looking for a company that delivers on high-quality leather furniture, our Flexsteel offerings can’t be beat.
Fabric quality is easy to overlook, but there’s quite a lot of work and care that goes into determining what makes a fabric suitable for furniture upholstery. Considering that you’ll be using your furniture almost every day, you’ll want a durable fabric that can withstand friction, light exposure, spills, and whatever else you throw at it! That’s why companies like Smith Brothers only work with fabrics that pass a multitude of quality control tests, such as double-rub tests, seam-separation tests, and sit tests. This ensures that whatever designs you go for, you can know you’re getting a piece that will remain attractive and comfortable for years to come.
Craftsmanship
Of course, even with the highest quality materials, it’s the attention to detail in furniture craftsmanship that really makes a piece shine. Different makers all have their own techniques they rely on to make quality pieces, and knowing the hallmarks of well-crafted furniture can help you make an informed decision when buying.
When looking at wood pieces, you’ll want to look for pieces made with a good knowledge of woodworking in mind. Wood joined to wood is preferable over joinery that relies on screws—wood will expand and contract over a furniture’s lifetime due to factors such as temperature and humidity changing from season to season. Metal hardware, on the other hand, does not expand or contract at the same rate, which can lead to loose joints and even stripped screws. Look for strong, well-crafted wood-to-wood joinery for lifelong durability.
Image via Mavin Furniture. This is an example of a dovetail joint.
If you’re shopping for upholstered seating options, your first concern is likely comfort, and understandably so! But if you want to make sure you’re getting lasting comfort, it doesn’t hurt to consider the structural support elements that go into making your chair or sofa. Most entry-level furniture will use cheaper techniques such as elastic stretched over the frame, but that runs a higher risk of tearing or sagging over time. For long-term, structurally-sound support, look to brands like Temple, who proudly display their 8-way hand-tied base support, with sturdy springs secured at 8 points with hand-tied, high grade polyester twine. Other brands offer support in other ways, such as the Flexsteel patented Blue Steel Spring system, which offers the sort of strength and stability you’d expect from tempered steel.
Image via Temple Furniture & Parker Southern on Facebook.
Image via Flexsteel.
Furniture companies that prioritize quality over quantity will take the time to make sure each piece meets their craftsmanship standard, from well-matched fabric patterns to durable stitching. By choosing high-quality furniture from trusted names, you’re choosing to prioritize a piece made with care and customer satisfaction kept in mind.
Lasting Investment
By choosing high-quality furniture for your home, you’re also choosing sustainable, durable pieces that will elevate your living spaces. Not only will it lend your room a gorgeous, timeless look, but you can also be assured that it will last for many years. Good-quality furniture is comfortable to use, and comes with the peace of mind that it can withstand your day to day life.
Are you ready to take the next step in furnishing your home? Visit one of our showrooms today, and see what awaits! We'll be happy to help you find or customize the perfect heirloom piece.
