A Guide to Sofa Prices

by Nick, Digital Specialist | February 22, 2020

When it comes to furniture shopping, there are a ton of different options at a ton of different price points. What makes each one different? Check inside for more information!

If you’re like most other furniture shoppers, you’re not shopping for furniture every single day. How long has it been since you replaced your living room set- five years? Ten? Maybe you know someone who hasn’t replaced their bedroom set since they got married a bunch of years ago. As a result, many of our clients are taken aback when they come into our showroom and see just how much furniture is going for these days.

We can’t blame them for not knowing- it’s not like the gas station, where you can see the prices rise and fall as you drive by each day. You don’t generally hear reports on the price of furniture on the evening news. So what goes into the price of a piece of furniture, anyway?

The easiest analogy comes from the automotive industry. You could probably name fifteen different car companies without trying very hard. Every company is slightly different in terms of quality, construction, style, and options. One company may offer a basic construction across a few models, with limited colors and options, while another may feature a top-of-the-line frame and a host of options that drive up the price.

Furniture is the same way. Generally speaking, items that are offered at introductory or promotional price points are more basic in terms of quality and construction. Without getting too detailed, these pieces are constructed using basic, inexpensive materials and assembled using simple joinery methods. They’re usually offered in a limited number of finishes or fabrics as well, allowing them to be priced very competitively. You can think about it as assembly-line furniture- furniture that’s constructed in bulk, reducing costs and allowing the company to pass the savings onto the consumer. The downside? These pieces tend to be lower-quality and tend not to hold up in the long run. While this is perfect for someone on a strict budget or someone who’s just starting out, shoppers who are concerned about longevity might be better off spending a little more on something that’s built better.

As you can imagine, furniture on the opposite end of the spectrum represents much more of an investment. These pieces start with higher-quality materials and are put together with stronger joinery methods, and take longer to build as a result. Sometimes, skilled craftsmen are required (as opposed to an assembly line) to construct the item to certain standards. Furniture like this can often be customized as well- there’s a great chance you’ll have the ability to choose your fabric or finish, but certain manufacturers will offer you even more than that. You might be able to choose more style details (arms, backs, legs, knobs, etc.) or comfort options (optional seat cushions, for example) to make the piece exactly what you want it to be. These pieces are almost always more expensive to begin with, and you can choose to add optional things which would drive the price even higher. This is an excellent choice for someone who is more concerned with style and longevity, and can find the room in their budget to spend a little more.

As with cars, there are more than just these two extremes- there are a ton of options that lie somewhere in the middle. Some may offer a better construction without the ability to customize, while you can also find manufacturers that offer the ability to make style-related changes, but with a more basic construction. Just like most other things, you get what you pay for! As with anything else, be sure to ask your retailer or salesperson what all of your options are to make sure you’re making the best choice for you.