Furniture manufacturers are in business to make money, just like everyone else. Your local furniture store buys from the manufacturer through the manufacturers sales representative. This representative also earns a percentage of all sales in their territory. So it should be common knowledge if you can purchase directly from the manufacturer you can avoid the retail store markup and also the representative take from each sale. I suggest that to partial38, the features your looking for may not get you the best deal, or fall with in your budget. A high quality frame? What this is, is not a pine plywood frame stapled together. Solid hardwood 4/4, 5/4 is better or hardwood wood plywood thats same thickness, minimum of 12 plys. This frame should be double-doweled and glued. Now the seat springs is where most everyone makes the mistake that it has to be coil springs that are 8-way hand tied. And thats simply not true. A no-sag sinuous wire spring; 8 gauge spring securely fastened to a hardwood frame using the clips that are required by the spring manufacturer, and that are engineered to the correct length and stretched accordingly to the spring manufacturers requirement will result in a seat suspension that will last a lifetime and have the same ride/push-back as the best 8-way handtied coil springs. The only time that a 8-way handtied coil springs suspension is better is when it is a spring edge with the correct rail heights all the way around the frame. At this time I dont know of very few manufacturers building their 8-way handtied coil springs this way, if so the costs for a leather sofa will be upwards of 5000.00 Its just too labor intensive and takes highly skilled worker to build. Truly the only type of seat cushion core that will last for 20 years+ is a 100% natural latex. A true 2.0+ pound density high-resilent foam core will normally last 5+ years. But all will loose some shape because of the wrap around the cushion core is of a softer material: polyester fiber or down blend or a thin foam wrap of same density foam which last better that the first 2 , and all manufacturers dont consider this softening of the softer wrap a defect in any way, but just normal wear. Back cushions are usually of a the same: polyester fiber or down blend and will not last or hold its shape after considerable use. But usually thats a fix the owner or upholstery shop can do to replace this filling to be like new again with minimal costs. If anyone does a search of my name in this forums will realize I have been preaching this for many years. My 38+ years of managing upholstery product design and development for 20+ manufacturers and many years working in re-upholsery. I have always said that your local re-upholstery shop that has been in business for 20+ years with the same owner is the best resource for understanding what it takes to makes a quality sofa. Because they have to repair or junk the ones that arent worth re-upholstering.

After reading your post I feel you are looking for better American made leather furniture. Believe it or not there is still quality handmade furniture left in North Carolina. Not everything has gone to China yet. All of the companies I will mention are available in colors other than browns or dark colors. Actually our bestselling color right now is grey. Take a look at Leathercraft, Mckinley Leather or Classic Leather. Each of these 3 companies offer lots of product in lots of colors. They are considered the top of the line in quality and construction. You may also want to look at Bradington Young. Although their frames are no longer made of solid hardwood they are now constructed using engineered wood and most of their leathers are now imported from China. They should price somewhat lower since their construction is now more medium rather than high-end.

i bought this from someone for$600 recently and am trying to figure out exactly how good a purchase i made...i researched what to look for in a leather sofa before i bought but had no one to ask the usual questions to such as what king of leather is this (or is it?) and how dense in the foam and what kind of contruction..it is a pebbled texture and very comfortable to sit on..does the pebbled finish mean anything to type of leather or quality? it is dated 2004. See picture of the label. And it weighs a ton..Also do you think i should add a rug in front of it or not?i found a possible one thats pier 1 that ill add picture of. What about a coffee table?

The Hancock and Moore French Curve sofa is my current favorite tight back of all the brands I carry. Sits terrific, the top is too narrow for a doggie perch. This is my floor model shown that I have in the store. I don't personally call them "lifetime" sofas, but it should go 20 to 25 years with reasonable care. Shown in an Italian burnished leather "Hyde Park" that is one of their most durable (to dog scratches) leathers. Price increases on all Hancock and Moore go into effect January 15th 2020 across the line. Just in case you were wondering. Never buy a "leather warranty" from any store, that's a terrible rip-off. Duane Collie