apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I believe you mean Custom Sofa Design. Not Customs of a Design? :-) Well, I can sort of answer this question. I've been corresponding with the owner this past week and he's very prompt in responding to my emails. Just got my swatches today and have selected the fabric I want. He was very generous to mail me 12 different fabric swatches. They were all quite nice I thought. Don't know how it will all work out because I'm in Florida but with $475 shipping I still make out way way way less than R&B. AND it's completely custom. Hope to report back that all will be well! So far so good.

Ya...it is Custom Sofa Design. I met one of the sales guys at a storage place in culver city once to check out some floor samples he was trying to get rid of--- he had some really nice ones for $500 bucks. I think they have floor space or storage in a few LA spots and in the OC as well.

I ended up not getting anything though because I didn't like the fabric/sofa combination that was on sale. And I couldn't really afford to custom make something. But the quality seemed great and the sales guy was very helpful, nice, and not at all pushy. I'm not a furniture connoisseur, but from the average buyer's eye...they looked good to me.

So far our contact with the owner has been pretty smooth. My custom design of the modern will be delivered on friday. I'll update you all then.

LOL...thanks guys for the catch! I've been pumping Nyquil for the past 3 days, so my comprehension skills are at an all-time low... :)

I bought a sofa from them a few months ago after meeting with Don and checking out the fabric swatches in person. He also had six sofas of various styles to inspect (although he did not have the one we wanted on hand, it did give us an idea of the quality). He gave us swatches to take home before we placed our order and asked for payment on delivery which we took as a sign of honesty. He wasn’t pushy at all, just super straightforward. We are very satisfied with the sofa and our dealings with Don. I have recommended the company to friends and would buy from them again. Our guests have remarked on what a nice sofa we have. I believe the frame has a lifetime guarantee and the fabric/stitching is guaranteed for a year.

That said, it is definitely important that you know what you want; it's not quite as easy as buying a sofa off the showroom floor. You need to think about fabrics and pillow fillings and how any changes you request in the dimensions might affect the aesthetics or functionality of the sofa. Also, while the sofas really are amazingly similar to the sofas that "inspire" them, if you are the type of person who measures in millimeters as opposed to centimeters (not to switch systems but I think Don promises the specs to be within one inch of the name brand) or if you are exquisitely sensitive to other differences as compared to the name brand version, for example, in the pillow feel or weight, this might not be the right choice for you. Put more bluntly, if your ass demands that your sofa be hand stitched at high altitude by yodeling fifth generation seamstresses and stuffed with free range farm grown Norwegian goose feathers (or whatever BB Italia uses to justify the high price), do your ass a favor and save up for the real thing.

I had my custom sofa delivered last friday and my girlfriend and I couldn't be happier.

Starting with the delivery, they were there within 15 minutes of when they said they would be there. After they installed the sofa, which is a "modern" style sectional, they made sure it is what I ordered. Did I mention that it is a two week turn around from order to delivery? I have never heard of something that quick.

The sofa itself would be at least double the price anywhere else, and that would still be a knock off.

In no way is this a scam. Don is very honest and answered all of our questions. I will agree with flavorpacket, you should have a clear idea of what you want, test out the various stuffings he offers at one of his storage facilities and think through the purchase.

jbfaddis - Do you have any pictures?

I am about to order a sofa from him but I cannot decide which one. I visited his storage unit today and he has 6 different couches in stock. He has SO many different fabric swatches there. If you take the price on his website for the couch you like, it is only $35 for each additional upgrade you make in fabric (eg grade 4 fabric, 3 x $35 = 105 extra.) I think my favorite one is $599 plus $35 for the grade 2 fabric i love. What a deal!!!

If you are in florida check out http://www.loftsofa.com they have alot of modern sectionals. Good prices lots of them in stock. There are like 15 colors of leather and a couple hundred choice of fabrics. They have couple dozen designs or you can choose a design of your own.

i visited his storage unit in LA today and ordered my sofa. GREAT deal and he said it will be ready next week! some other places would take AT LEAST four weeks. no deposit required...just a cashier's check upon delivery.

My girlfriend and I went through Don and got our couches for our new apartment. We started off at his showroom in Los Angeles, and were impressed at the craftsmanship of the couches there. Once we settled on the couches and fabric we wanted, it took about 2 weeks to get. Unfortunately when we got our couches, something happened and the dimensions of the couch did not resemble what we picked and ordered. I called Don and he acknowledged the mistake and was very helpful in getting us the right couch. About 2 1/2 weeks later our new couches arrived and we were more than happy and impressed with what we got. Not only that, but we probably saved about $1500 had we ordered from a name brand store. I recommend if you are in the Southern California area.

My husband and I bought a sofa from them a few weeks ago. It looks good and Don certainly knows a lot about sofas. Time will tell how it holds up but except for some smudge on the fabric, it feels sturdy and looks good. I was less impressed by the customer service. It took several emails and calls to get a fabric sample (we had taken several from the showroom but forgotten the name of one piece; it would help if they offered white labels to stick to the fabric sample). I was also surprised that they delivered our sofa in a small pickup truck. Other furniture had been stacked on top of it. Finally, when I emailed them a few weeks later to ask a question, they never responded. This concerns me a bit as you never know how they would handle issues such as warranty.

RUN do not walk away from this CHARLETAN.

I'm on my third go around on the same sofa. He just can't get it right. He has a knack for making you believe it's all your own fault.

To answer your question about the numerous Craigslist postings you've been seeing, that's where he makes you go sell 'em when he screws up.

That's right YOU have to RESELL not HIM.

I wouldn't recommend this guy DON to make good on his promises, let alone a SOFA !!!

I would have ordered a sofa from them but 2 emails and 4 phonecalls later, I still have not received any correspondence back from Don. Although the style and prices are impressive, how could I justify ordering from a company that is so unprofessional?!