I would shop around before buying. Century is widely available and pricing can really vary from retailer to retailer. The quality is good. Not the very top of the line, but certainly well above the standard. Some would put it at the quality level of Henredon, others would place it just below. Most is below Kindel and Kargas in quality. Many would say it is over-priced, but that is not always the case. It depends on the pieceÂconstruction and material are the factors to determine whether or not a piece is over-priced. Brand name is not a guarantee of quality.

I know this is a super old thread but maybe there are other people searching for Massoud and not finding anything. So I want to help before you make the mistake we made. We have a Hickory White sofa with bench cushion that has help up well with moderate use over 7 years. Fabric, frame and cushions in good quality. We just bought 2 Marge Carson sofas, and the fabric was pilling badly after TWO weeks of use (they say it was a QC issue and they are sending replacement covers, we'll see). Now let's talk Massoud: We bought 2 club chairs that were very expensive. Fabric is gorgeous, craftsmanship looks fine, but the upholstery material is cheap and flimsy. It feels like dorm room seat cushions you buy at Walmart. It even makes a little crunchy noise when you sit. Seriously. My husband is a tall 250lbs man, and he seats on the chairs for more than 30 min and the seat is crushed, and it takes a day to go back to normal. We flip the seat and back pillows DAILY and still, they are embarrassingly crushed after 2 months of use. We are beating ourselves up for having believed that $$$$ equaled quality. Don’t buy Massoud!

To start, I am in Interior Design with 15+ of dealing with furniture as low quality as Ashley to some of the higher end pieces in the world. I have owned several Bassett Pieces thoughout the years and they have held up fantastic! Unlike some of the comments on here I'd like to state that rougher you and your family is on furniture the shorter the life span. It seems like common sense, but I've seen it all. Bassett has 3 quality levels: Entry (2-5 years), Medium (4-8 years) and highest (8-15+). so if you're looking to cheap out, don't expect a lifelong sofa. I also cannot stress this enough, ALL FABRICS PILL, with the exception of the ugly microfiber(P.S. probably one of the worst materials to put on your sofa, btw). However, Bassett is very clear about the materials that go into making their fabrics. So either do research on material (cotton, linen, polyester, olefin, etc) or ask your sales person, I am sure they'd be happy to show you the contents of the fabric. Lastly, remember that most people on these theads usually are unhappy about something. so you're only seeing the negatives, because most happy customers do not leave reviews. I am leaving this honest review because I too have had a framing issue with one of my sofas, however I understand that some accidents may happen during transporting, and the furniture is HAND MADE people, no one is perfect 100% of the time. Are you? Please make a smart purchase, and take a deep look into your family and how they treat furniture before deciding what quality you want .

I am a dealer for Century, the Cornerstone series is by far their most popular. It's a plywood build as is 98% of all furniture today. You are correct that only their Signature line is a solid wood frame. Very few makers use solid wood any more, two others are non-motion Hancock and Moore, and Leathercraft. While it sounds really great, the plywood construction method can be result in fewer broken frames as there are no stress lines that you get with solid wood. The trick however, is how good it the plywood and how is it being assembled? Not all plywood is created equal in either quality or thickness. A little trick you can do when shopping is bend over and pick up one leg of a sofa and lift up. How much twist is there in the frame chassis before the far leg lifts off the ground? Stiffer frames are better. You can't really judge a piece on a frame alone, you have to look at the entire build. Here's a photo tour I did of Hancock and Moore's factory, both their solid hardwood frame shop and their plywood build operation. Take a look and you will see how quality upholstery is made. http://www.myfurnitureforum.com/showthread.php?8380-A-trip-to-Hancock-amp-Moore-s-Factories