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Designer Furniture Part 2: Springs, Cushions, and Fabrics

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 06:37:31 GMT

In part one of my post about designer furniture, I began addressing the basics of construction, frame, and joinery. Let’s continue to talk about some of those high-quality materials that distinguish luxury seating from mass-produced pieces.

Springs

The springs and cushions in furniture are what make them comfortable as well as durable. How will sofas, sectionals, armchairs, benches, and ottomans withstand rigorous moving and shifting over time? The answer is: quality springs and cushions! Think of them as your furniture’s support and suspension system.

Eight-way hand-tied springs are the hallmark of a classic, well-made piece of furniture, giving it a nice, deep spring and that “bounce-back” homeowners like. It’s the oldest and best method for supporting upholstered seating … the industry’s “gold standard.” It’s also the most labor-intensive to make. Craftspeople tie every coil spring underneath the seat by hand in eight different places, making it the sturdiest suspension system offered.

When constructed well and with heavy-gauge steel, sinuous springs also offer solid support. They are a popular choice of mid-market furniture manufacturers today. Remove your seat cushion. Do you see or feel a continuous S-shaped metal coil underneath that looks like a snake? That’s a sinuous spring system. When buying furniture, ask about the number of springs installed, how closely together their spacing is (1.5” - 2” apart is a good sign), and the gauge of the wire. Furniture that “sags” is a telltale sign of insufficient sinuous springs and lower-quality steel coils.

Example of sinuous springs, courtesy of Wellington’s Fine Leather Furniture of Johns Island, SC.

Example of an 8-way hand-tied spring sofa, courtesy of HomePlex Furniture of Indianapolis, IN

Cushions

Spoiler alert: cushions will be the first item to break down on your upholstered sofa or chair. Why? Any type of foam within cushions will degrade over time. The goal is to keep your cushions looking and feeling great for as long as possible. So what type of cushions are the best and last the longest? Glad you asked!

You will usually have four types of choices when it comes to cushions:

Conventional Foam

Blend Down
Spring Down
Full Down

CONVENTIONAL FOAM

Conventional foam cushions are the ideal pick for homeowners who want a clean, crisp look to their sofas and chairs. They are also the best option for people with back pain because they are firm, offer good support, and retain their form after being compressed. The cushion density refers to the weight per square foot of foam core, which is the solid block of foam in the center of your cushion. High-density foam is less likely to break down. Though lightweight, it absorbs impact well. Ask your designer or showroom representative about the quality of foam used in the furniture they sell. Less expensive foam will lose its shape more quickly over time.

The striking handmade “Florence Chair” by Precedent Furniture of Newton, NC, features a biodegradable, high-density foam cushion with heavy-gauge sinuous steel springs

BLEND DOWN

Want something less crisp and a bit softer, but will still maintain its resiliency? Then choose blend down cushions. The most luxurious of cushions, blend down features high-density foam core wrapped in a well-balanced combination of feathers (firmness and structure) and down (softness and malleability). The blend is then surrounded by batting to create a barrier between the stuffing and upholstery. This is the most popular choice for today’s homeowners. You will be happy and comfortable with this option as it usually lasts well beyond 10 years! (In case you’re curious, a blend of feathers and down is the most sought-after choice for sleeping pillows, too, because they don’t bunch up or form clumps.)

Example of a blend down cushion, courtesy of HF Custom of Bedford, VA.

SPRING DOWN

Spring down cushions also have that “just right” feeling when it comes to comfort level. They typically last more than 15 years with excellent resiliency. These types of cushions feature a foam border that surrounds an inner core of individual, fabric-wrapped coil springs that you typically find in a good mattress. A combination of down, feathers and polyester fiber batting is used to provide a little more comfort. A down-proof cover or “jacket” wraps everything so the feathers don’t poke through. The high-resiliency foam border helps keep the cushions puffed up, and returns them to their original shape.

Example of a spring down cushion, courtesy of Hickory Home Furniture of North Carolina.

FULL DOWN

Full down is the priciest of cushion offerings because down is the most expensive filling. You can expect them to last longer than a decade. With down cushions, you have the feeling of sinking into the sofa versus sitting on it. These light and airy fibers are soft and settle over time. Because they do not contain foam and don’t readily return to their form, they have a more relaxed, casual appearance. They require extra maintenance. They must be fluffed daily to prevent divots and to prevent the cushions from losing support. This is an option only if you are willing to perform the daily upkeep!

Fabrics: Rub Count and Weave

And now the final touch (literally) – the fabric! You will have countless choices for upholstery fabric when designing a custom piece of furniture. The type of material (natural or synthetic) is not as important as the quality of it and how it’s woven. If a particular chair, sofa or ottoman is going to endure repeated daily use, make sure you select a fabric that’s durable. In addition, any furniture for the sunroom must be fade-resistant so they don’t lose their color vibrancy from UV exposure.

RUB COUNT

This is the single most important metric when it comes to durability. Look at the back of fabric swatches and choose fabrics that have a double rub count of 20,000 or higher. This number represents how many times a fabric is rubbed before showing any signs of wear and tear. If you have younger children, pets and frequent house guests, look at heavy-duty fabrics with a double rub count of 20,000 - 50,000. Medium-duty fabrics (9,000 - 15,000 double rubs) are completely acceptable for those areas of the home that aren’t used regularly, perhaps your living room or dining room furniture.

WEAVE

Seating in high-traffic areas of the home should always have a tightly woven fabric; the tighter the weave, the stronger it is. Tightly woven performance fabrics that have been properly treated are also more resistant to stains and damage from youngsters and pets. Weave options include:

Tweeds: Typically made of sturdy wool yarn (usually sheep) or wool combined with other fibers; often has a multi-tonal or “flecked” appearance because it’s created with various-colored yarns.

Cottons or a cotton blend: Versatile and affordable with superior wear resistance, breathability, and moisture-wicking properties.

Twills: A diagonal weave pattern that gives fabric a distinctive and durable texture; the twill fabric structure is resistant to wear and tear.

Bull Denim / Cotton Twill Fabric: A type of twill, bull denim is made of 100 percent cotton fibers and takes dyes well; it is machine-washable.

Linen and Hemp: Extremely robust, long plant fibers spun into yarn with excellent breathability. Linen and hemp fabrics are naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic. Linen is about 30% stronger than cotton, and hemp fabric is eight times stronger than linen.

Jacquards: Also known as brocades and damasks, Jacquards are a type of fabric woven on a Jacquard loom, named after its French inventor. The textured and raised fabrics have a tone-on-tone effect because they are interwoven with intricate patterns.

The “Didier Stripe” in Ivorie by Fabricut is a linen-cotton blend fabric with 24,000+ double rubs.

Finally, a side note about leather if going that route. Though more expensive, choose a “top-grain leather” and treat it regularly; it will last a lifetime. Top-grain leather is made from the top layer of the hide; all imperfections are removed and it has a more consistent, softer, and smoother appearance. On the other hand, “genuine leather” is less expensive because it is a lower-quality leather with a less pliable feel and inconsistent appearance.

If you’re thinking of refreshing your space with new designer furniture, ask these important questions before you begin the process, and test out seating to determine your personal preference! In the Willowbrook, IL area? Feel free to reach out to discuss designer furniture options with me.

Designer Furniture Part 1: Tips on Choosing Pieces with Quality Construction and Materials

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 06:09:28 GMT

Why do furniture pieces run the gamut when it comes to pricing? It depends on any number of things, but, above all, construction methods and quality materials are what differentiates high-end designer furniture from mid-market furniture. Interested in learning more? Read on. In part one of two here, I’ll touch on the topics of construction, frame, and joinery.

(If that holds your attention, I hope you’ll read part two where I talk about springs, cushions, and fabrics for high-quality upholstered furniture.)

Furniture Construction: Mass Production, Handmade, and Benchmade

Mass production

Lower-cost furniture is typically factory made, which means it is mass-produced by a design print often on an assembly line. This type of furniture is most common. It is not known for its longevity, but rather for its affordability.

Machines do the heavy lifting of cutting and gluing the parts together, often using engineered materials like MDF (medium-density fiberboard). MDF is comprised of broken-down wood fibers, resin and wax, which is then formed into panels. Veneers ─ thin pieces of fine wood like oak or walnut ─ are typically applied to the top of the MDF to enhance the appearance of the furniture. Various chemicals are involved in this entire process as you might have guessed.

Production furniture is an option for renters who haven’t moved into their dream homes yet or first-time homeowners starting out on a smaller budget. Many mass-produced furniture lines are attractive, are available in multiple sizes, and are designed by well-known professionals.

Handmade

Handmade pieces are the environmentally responsible choice, in addition to being the most visually appealing. No two pieces are alike because no two wood grains are alike. Each one-of-a-kind piece has character and charm all its own. They require a team of people to complete with each person using their advanced skills throughout the process to create beautiful high-end furniture.

Handmade furniture is generally crafted using manual labor and traditional techniques. Craftspeople use a combination of power tools and hand tools to precisely hand-cut wood frames. Most handmade pieces are custom and use high-quality, natural materials (think kiln-dried solid hardwoods, top-grain leather, and tightly woven fabrics). This is a great option for homeowners investing in their dream home who value quality, durability, and customization. These pieces will stand the test of time – even a lifetime – and can be reupholstered to look completely fresh whenever desired.

Every frame is cut and assembled by hand at Sherrill Furniture in Hickory, NC

Benchmade

“Benchmade” furniture takes handmade to the next level and usually means that it was crafted by one person from start to finish, like art. Benchmade furniture is built to order and is only carried out by the most exceptionally skilled and experienced craftspeople with extreme care and time. Benchmade can also refer to a woodworker and an upholsterer who team up to build a custom piece with precision and detailing unique to that piece.

Wood detailing is carved by hand, stains and finishes are applied by hand, and upholstery is hand-cut to perfection. Benchmade furniture is ideal for those who are in their “forever home” and want stunning heirloom pieces they can pass on to future generations.

Example of benchmade furniture, courtesy of Western Heritage Furniture in Bradford, IL.

Frame

The structure of your furniture is key – what material is inside of it? The best furniture is constructed from solid kiln-dried hardwood frames. Oak, alder, birch, acacia, ash, walnut, and maple are ideal hardwoods for high-end furniture. Multiple layers in the frame result in resilient – and virtually indestructible – furniture.

North Carolina is home to many of America’s top furniture companies specializing in handmade and benchmade furniture. Their teams dry wood in a kiln (a big oven) to remove moisture before it’s crafted for furniture. This step is critical because it prevents warping and cracking, which results in extremely durable furniture. The kilning process also kills larvae, eggs, bugs and mold in hardwoods and makes the wood resistant to fungal decay.

All pieces are handmade or benchmade with outstanding craftsmanship at Lee Industries in Conover, NC.

Joinery

After carpenters carefully cut and carve furniture elements, they must be joined together (joinery). The stronger the woodworking joints, the better and long-lasting the piece of furniture. Widely considered the most popular, strongest, most reliable, and aesthetically pleasing joinery methods are mortise and tenon and dovetailing.

Mortise and Tenon Joint

The mortise and tenon technique has been around since 4,900 B.C.! A mortise (hole) is carved into one piece of wood, and a tenon (peg) fits tightly into it; the two are glued together. You will find this feature in heirloom-quality handmade and benchmade furniture.

Dovetailing

Similar to mortise and tenon, dovetail joints date back to Ancient Egypt. It’s a joinery technique that uses pins and tails that interlock together, followed by gluing. You can see dovetailing most often used on well-constructed drawers, and they are nearly impossible to pull apart after gluing.

Now that you know some of the basics to look for, please read on to my next post about springs (suspension systems), cushions, and fabrics in upholstered furniture.