I need help - I recently purchased 2 HM recliners - it's only been a few months but so far I really like them, though we have had an issue already with the cushions. The cushions we got were not the same ones that the chairs had in the store. But they are replacing them. After months of contemplating purchasing the Journey sofa & bringing home leather samples, all Class 2 (document and cavalier) we finally made the purchase this past Fri. night - bought the Journey Sofa in Cavalier Hunter Green - so excited-put the required 25% down and was told it would be 4 mos till it would be delivered. I was willing to wait that long because this is the sofa and color we really want. Unfortunately, today I got a call from the store and they said the leather I picked can only go on the City Sofa. I can only chose from Document she told me-otherwise if I want the Cavalier it will cost me $$$$$$ - I can't believe I find out after 2 mos of shopping at this store. I feel like it's bait and switch. Does anyone know where I can get the Journey Sofa with the Cavalier Hunter Green without paying out the wazoo!!! This shouldn't be so confusing and misleading. Now i need to stop the transaction and start the whole process over. Up until reading this no one at the store I've been working with ever mentioned this "married" issue of the leater and the sofa's. I'm so disappointed

I had a Highland leather sofa for several years and the cushions sort of lost their shape and they were covered under warranty..I thought. I called them and they said they had restructured the company of something such as that and new cushions were $1,000.00 so I declined. I ended up giving the sofa to a son and told him if he got tired of it to let me know and I'd take it back. We bought a Barrington-Young to replace it and it was a huge disappointment in that the cushions wouldn't hold up, and the leather wasn't the quality of Norwalk. To make a long story short, he gave it to his son who allowed dogs to crawl all over it, scratching and destroying the leather and after the grandson finished with it, he wanted to sell it for $500.00 on Craigslist. I wish I had kept it and had it refurbished since the frame was of such high quality.

One of the most important skills you can develop is your ability to see past "what is" and picture, "what could be". It's important when assessing a home and it's equally important when assessing a tired piece of furniture. Upholstery is ALL about the framework. A good, rugged frame (hardwood or iron is ideal) is what you look for when deciding whether or not to reupholster. I'm only offering my immediate thoughts: but early-mid-80s EA is probably decent quality, even if the "look" is dated. Probably domestically manufactured and probably of good, stout construction. "Reupholstery" has a couple of "faces". UPHOLSTERY refers to the webbing, springs, and padding that provide the comfy support and padding you expect when you settle into your favorite chair; at least if you work in the trade! When I hear "upholstery" I instantly think about the components the average owner never sees or thinks about. You can RECOVER something or you can REUPHOLSTER it. Recovering involves ripping off the present fabric and simply putting new fabric over the existing UPHOLSTERY. Make sense? There is no point in reupholstering something with a cheap, flimsy frame, but rebuilding a nice looking piece from the frame up can put a new face on something you already own and like. It's up to you to decide whether or not the money required to accomplish the task is "worth it". This is where the "lines" thing comes in. Can you look at your furniture, close your eyes and picture different fabric that might be more appealing to you? Do you need help doing that? Or has the entire shape and look of your pieces grown tiresome to you? There's a subtlety of difference there and I'm not sure if I've conveyed it accurately. Recovering something involves a lot less work than does reupholtery. But BOTH are labor intensive and that translates to money. Upholsterers get paid by the hour to rip down some of the nastiest stuff you can believe andf then, effectively remake it. There is no doubt you could go out tomorrow and replace your pieces for less money than you could "rework" them. But you'd be buying inferior quality when it comes to framing. I had a couch and 2 chairs reupholstered (they were 50 yrs. old, BEAT, but in original upholstery) some years ago. The guy I send my work to is great about giving me a good assessment. He has told me to "dump" some things, but mostly he's been keen on my projects and he's given me some invaluable lessons on how to "assess" things. I have some really nice pieces of furniture now; I couldn't afford the quality in today's market, but I certainly could have replaced them for less than I spent to have them reupholtered! (with something incredibly cheap and make to "wear out" and be "thrown out"). So... I've given you nothing definitive, Sooey. But if I were you, I'd stew on the questions I've asked of you. And I'd probably call a couple of area upholsterers and ask what they think. ...

Microfiber will sag and stretch after a while and looking at your sofa would not be appealing to the style. I have had lots of furniture recovered, most recently two 1920's armchairs and I always go with my gut. I think your sofa would look great in denim and the button tufts will stand out. Sunbrella is producing a huge variety of colors and patterns and the quality is excellent. My advice is to do what pleases you. Some upholster's do not want to deal with certain fibers and fabrics. You are the one paying. Good luck.