I would rate Ashley as low-end furniture. One of my clients carries it, but they try to dissuade people from ordering it. At one point, they told me 80% of their furniture that was in need of repair upon arrival was Ashley. I see a fair amount in the wild and believe most of it won't last 5-7 years. Let's just put it this way: I've worked on enough of it to see the quality and would not buy it. One thing to avoid, in my opinion, is bi-cast leather. If you think of hide leather as being like lumber, bi-cast is like particle board. It is chopped up leather scraps pressed into a sheet with glue, embossed and painted. I have tried to sew it and literally had it disintegrate in my hands. Another caveat is "leather match" that means the areas you normally touch are leather, and everything else is vinyl that is the same color. Everything else is the outside back, outside arms and maybe the front kick panel. There are two broad classes of leather: 1. Unfinished leather. This is about the top 15% of hides that are without blemish. Think of this as a stained and finished wood. The leather is dyed and may or may not have a protective coat of urethane or wax. These are generally a softer "hand," sometimes described as a "buttery" feel. They are, though a little more susceptible to damage unless well treated. For example, a non-top coated unfinished leather will be prone to body and hair oil stains. A wax pull up unfinished will be prone to scuffing and scratching. 2. Finished leather. This is leather that is "corrected" to remove scars and other defects. It is coated with a pigmented top coat. The analogy is a painted board. On top of the pigment is a protective clear layer. These are usually a little stiffer and have a little more durability. They are also easier to repair by a leather technician who can match the color and re-coat. The ne plus ultra of leather furniture seems to be Hancock and Moore.

All of our custom furniture is made in the US. Our US factory is family owned and has been in business for nearly three decades making the highest quality reproduction furniture. http://www.thelondonfactory.com/pages/custom-furniture We have a wide selection of made in the US furniture in stock, most of it made from solid woods. Imported furniture is usually much cheaper in terms of quality and price. Our website: http://www.thelondonfactory.com/ http://www.thelondonfactory.com/collections/all

Look at Room and Board as well, for wood furniture. And check Mitchell Gold: http://www.mgbwhome.com Yes, a designer will open the doors to many more options. They do not necessarily mark prices up; they get a discount and will charge you retail. I went this route when I bought my apartment 12 years ago. You will get access to the designer-only showrooms if you live near those (D&D Building in New York, etc).

Thank you Heather! I love your room from the picture. Yes, most of my case goods that weren't my grandmothers were Craigslist finds. They were often someone's parents' or grandparents' stuff and I got good deals on them. Unfortunately, I haven't had any luck in finding upholstered items so far on Craigslist so I'm open to buying new since a quality reupholstering job is often fairly close in price to a mid-quality new. Love your idea about the Harris tweed fabric. Wish I had picked up a few yards when I was in Harris a few years ago. If only I had known at the time that my new husband didn't like the decor and furnishings I brought to the marriage. Oh well. I guess that may just mean, I need another trip to Scotland with a stop in Harris. ;)