apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Just to confirm some of the previous postings and to note a few "fast facts" about the RH sofa-
Mitchell Gold is the line carried by RH and also Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel & a few others sold under their trade name (ie. RH,PB,CB) Although they do not carry the entire line of mitchell gold (which as an interior designer, I love and have used quite often) I would recommend a down wrap for cushion comfort (down with the support of dacron or traditional foam ) Also check out Mitchellgold.com for a list of other sources of their line near where you live to get a couple other sources for pricing on the pieces you like ...FYI the names that RH & other retailers use to identify the furniture they offer do not associate with the names mitchell gold reference them so look at the shapes to identify ! Good Luck!

My two cents about upholstery....

All down cusions are the most luxurious and highest maintainence. If the sit is bottoming-out...take the cushions off and beat the crap out of 'em. They come back.

Down wrapped foam is a really good solution. To look and feel their best..they too have to be beaten into fluffiness.

The Mitchell Gold product is a nice one for the money. The place they don't go the whole way is on the springing. Hand-tied springs are still the most comfortable over time...even though the MG advertisements call hand-tied springs old- fashioned. MG has big ol factories which require manufactured springs.

As expensive as upholstery seems...there are some reasons why we get what we get from big retailers:

-Almost 40% of the cost of upholstery can be in the textile. It isn't always true that you can get comparable value from a local shop because of the distribution networks and quantity pricing on textiles. RH can probably pay a maximum of 8$ per yard for your fabric in quantities of a thousand yards. You'd pay a lot more (per yard) for the smaller yardage you'd actually need.

-Retailers work back from the "maximum pain" theory. They make projections of the numbers of units they can sell at various prices. Their margin requirements are consistent and, thus, they work backwards to arrive at the quality level of the offering.

-Retailers can actually offer a better looking product because they are able to go through multiple prototypes. If you get it made at a local shop, it might still be design-clunky.

Here are some easy tips to tell whether upholstery is good or not:
1) Look at it from the side and back. Under optimized design will not be nice from the back...or the company will cheap out on the details / seaming / profile
2) Pick it up. Heavier is almost always better in regard to upholstery.

Fun to know...eh?

They carry the Mitchell Gold line which is quality furniture. I happen to own one of their sofas but I bought the floor model (in 2000) and the cushions leave more to be desired. I chalk it up to the fact that it is a floor model and not the pieces they sell to the customers. My brother works for RH and he thinks the furniture is very good quality. (I know he's being honest about it because he has given poor marks to their lighting dept. until recently when RH changed to a different manufacturer.)

Ahh. I recently sat on one of their down-cushioned leather clubby chairs and it has spoiled me for all other furniture. Now I have to start saving, and should be able to sit down some time in 2006

I just purchased my first ever products from RH, a set of two single spritz sconces for a bathroom. I bought them last week and during the rather long wait enjoyed a nice long sit down on their very comfortable furniture. I was told that they were having a lighting sale shortly and they would be happy to refund the difference if I came back in with the receipt. I thought that was very nice of them. I just have to see if they live up their word now.

Reef

I have that the grand scale roll arm (not english) couch. While I love the look of the couch, I HIGHLY suggest you don't get the down cushions. Well, that may only be on the pull out sofas (which, by the way, are incredibly comfortable -- my friend who lived on my couch for three months slept on it every night and he was VERY satisfied!) but either way, after about the first month (I have now had the couch for about 7 months) the down botttom cushions had "bottomed" out. When I sit now I can feel the bar in my butt. I love the look and the feel of the couch and apparently this problem doesn't exist with the regular cushions.

Actually, does anyone know if you can order just the bottom cushions for a couch?

To brooke's point, I think the best seat cushion-- if you're looking for the relaxed comfort of down, but don't want the settling problme-- is down-wrapped foam.

At Crate & Barrel, you can indeed order replacement cushions, assuming they still sell the line from which the cushions come. But I think any upholsterer would be able to replace/recreate cushions, or re-engineer current ones to your preference.

I agree with Patrick (the other one). It's probably best to have either an upholsterer (which can be expensive) or a foam shop do the work. You can get any grade of foam for less than going to an upholsterer. This is something I've been contemplating for my RH sofa. After all this time I feel like I'm sinking into the thing when I sit down. I want to get foam cushions wrapped in high grade batting. That should take care of the problem until I save enough for a new sofa. Oh, and I'll NEVER get another 3 seat sofa. I always end up sitting right in between those darn cushions. I'll have one long seat cushion made for the sofa seat (2 for the back).

Oh Boy... I have an 8ft Damask down cushion sofa, and lemme tell ya - it's a royal comfy spot, but it's some work too. I have to fluff the cushions every day to keep em full. Patrick (the other one) is absolutely right about the foam/down combo!

I bought the 92" Preston sofa about 6 months ago and I just love it. Had to wait 2 months to have it covered with the chenille Vantage fabric, but it's sturdy, looks great, and is extremely comfortable.

I loved dealing with R&B, too, by the way. They called me twice while I was waiting just to let me know where the sofa was in the manufacturing process, and gave me a week's notice and an exact 4 hour window for when they would deliver. I would definitely buy from them again.

RH's furniture in general is very frequently supplied by the same workshops and small factories that make moderate- to high-end, semi-custom furniture. So RH's furniture is often very nice and the upholstered stuff is no exception.

That said, it's not really a bargain. The same furniture is available for the same or sometimes lower pricing from the same little workshops that make the stuff... and you get a lot more options for customization.

It's worth asking who the manufacturer of the piece is (when I wanted to do this, I called corporate, said that I wanted to look at COORDINATING pieces by the same maker, and got a number in a jif.) Then you can decide if it's worth it to buy directly from the maker or from RH.

...If you buy from the maker, you might get a far, far better price, and/or you can customize to get exactly what you want. And you're giving the biz to the Little Guy! The only drawbacks would be shipping, waiting (which you might do anyway), and canoodling over fabric samples and the like.

On the subject of RH, I was looking into buying a dresser. They also seem well-constructed and hold A LOT, with 11 drawers. I also like the fact that the drawers are constructed from cedar. The price is high, especially when I have bought everything else in my apartment for a bargain on CL. Before dropping $2000+ on a dresser, I am curious to know if anyone knows a place that offers the same for less, or is this just what you pay for about this quality?

Oh. and good advice on the cushions, I was wondering what to do about mine...

i have a sofa with down wrapped cushions (from a local little store that is now out of business) and its the best purchase i ever made! i've had it now for maybe 3 years and although its more "lived in" the cushions are still great.

I'm in love with the RH Addison Leather Sofa. My husband - being Mr. Cheapo wants me to try and find a similar style sofa for less money. I've searched high and low and can not find a similar style. Does anyone have any suggestions. I'm so in love with that style!
Thanks

The leather sofas at RH are really fabulous. The leather ages quite nicely, too.

As an additional note, I called RH to see if I could get replacement cushions and they said that there is no way for me to do this unless I want to send back the entire couch or buy a new couch. They were very nice about it but didn't offer any suggestions. I have had great luck with them so far so I don't think this will taint my view of the store. I am going to bring the cushions to an upholsterer for a layer of foam to go in the down. I have had a bit of a problem with the feathers poking through so am also going to add another layer of muslin to help protect my bum.

I can't imagine that replacement cushions are necessarily a great idea anyway; they might not match the original upholstery, between dye lot and wear/fade. It might work on a very new sofa. Otherwise it comes down to looking at recovering or very tailored slipcovers. What I would do with the smushed down cushions is just have foam cut to fit them.

As far as those cedar-drawer dressers at RH - aren't they yummy? Fiance and I were in the store a few weeks ago, and I was really impressed when I pulled out a drawer and it had a velvet-lined jewelry tray in the top. But the thing is, cedar isn't going to provide effective protection against moths etc for very long without retreatment (sanding, oiling, something like that). It loses its effectiveness after a year or two. I don't know that I'd pay that much money for a cedar-drawer dresser when I don't think the protection is much more effective than that of replaceable cedar blocks, and when cedar chests (admittedly ugly), are so comparatively cheap (maybe $200-300). The dresser sure is beautiful and distinctive, though.

Here's some details on the cedar (scroll down to "cedarwood oil"):
http://www.wingnet.net/~organicsol/organic.htm

I am also in love with the Grand Scale Roll Arm Sofa, chair and ottoman at RH. However, the choices of leather are very limited and I don't like any of them. I checked Mithcell Gold's website and that style is not available. Pottery Barn and William Sonoma make it but it is not as deep as RH's and PB's comes in fabric only...not leather. Domicile will custom make it for you, but I prefer to see the finished product 1st rather than having to custom make something and not know what the outcome is going to be. If anyone has any ideas to where else I can get something similar...please let me know.

One place that is a great alternative to RH and PB is a place called Newport Furnishings http://www.newportfurnishings.com/. My husband and I have purchased seceral pieces from them for anywhere from 30-50 percent off the retail prices. For many items, they order from the same manufacturer and even have the same fabrics to choose from. We purchased their Mission style chest for 900 dollars less than RH, It is very well constructed lined with ceadr, etc... The best thing to do is to go with pictures of what you want. They can then immmediately help you to find what you'd like. If U don't know what you want, you can flip through catalogs looking for styles you like. They have samples from many lines in stock so you can check out quality. Unfortunately they only have about 10 stores. Luckily there is one in Mpls where we live.

Does anyone know the manufacturer for the RH leather sofas?

I have the reincarnated MG sofa now named for the Sophia collection. I have begged and pleaded for a location to purchase additional slipcovers and replacement cushions. I as well have had no success in getting results from RH, Crate & Barrel or PB. If I am going to have to replace the cushions thru an upholsterer as well as the slipcover, I think I might try a different manufacturer and purchase an entirely different sofa. Although...I will always have slipcovered furniture. I love being able to wash them and enjoy clean furniture, like clean sheets.

If you are looking for a sofa identical to the Lancaster at RH, simply go to www.ComfortSource.com and look at the Dale series under Luxury leather. It is manufactured in Canada with the same 8-way hand tied springs, full analine leather etc. at about 1/2 the price. It measure 94x48x39 which is the only one I have found with the same depth. You are can also order a leather sample from their website. Very nice staff and a pleasure to deal with.

The actual manufacturer of the Lancaster Collection is the Old Hickory Tannery in North Carolina. There is a copyright on that particular sofa but you can get a catalogue from them through a dealer if you wish. The manufacturer for the Maxwell collection is Richter Furniture in CA which also will not sell to public or designers. Good luck!

I will be ordering my Dale collection within the next month!

Buckles,
Looking at also purchasing the Dale couch from ComfortSource.com. after longing after the Lancaster for quite some time. Wondering if you have recieved yours? What do you think of it? What color did you order? A blind purchase of a leather couch makes me nervous. Would love to hear your feedback and experience with the company. Look forward to your reply. THank You!

I too have shopped at Newport Furnishings. They just recently opened a store in the Detroit area. They carry the same great styles and quality of the other big box stores, but they were able to save us 40% on our sofa.

The Lancaster Sofa at Restoration is a great sofa, very comfortable and looks great after years of use at my home. I would be dubious about buying leather without being able to see it in person. There are a lot of games that can be played with the inside construction. At least buying it with Restoration you are protected if something goes wrong. One of the cushions was not quite as full as the others and it was taken care of right away.

Who knows with some of the internet companies. Being able to go in an sit in it myself makes all the difference -- you know what you are going to get.

Kristen can you tell us the name of the manufacture company, I called corporate and they wont say. Thanks

I am looking into the DALE sofa from comfortsource.com as well...any news on anyone who went through and bought one? I'm ordering the leather samples today! It seems like it's too good to be true, though, as I'm in love with the RH lancaster...

I agree with Senor Pepe above...there are a lot of ways to hide the construction quality of furniture beneath the cover. 8 -way hand tied frames are the best quality in the market, but these also can be 'faked 8 way hand tied' with less expensive units that are pre-manufactured and dropped in to the sofa frame. True 8 way hand tied is done piece by piece in the factory by trained craftsmen.

It is easy to say that a sofa is comparable--but without a guarantee to ship the thing back if there is a problem, you are stuck when it arrives on your doorstep. Who is Comfort Source anyway -- never heard of them...? Restoration I have heard of and has stores all over.

has anyone received the dale sofa from comfort source? how is it? did it meet your expectations? how different is it from restoration hardware's lancaster sofa?


e.mcguire

I just got the Maxwell leather sofa and loveseat from Restoration Hardware and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love them. They are made by RichterDesigns and the cushions are now foam wrapped in down so they don't "bottom out"...ugh..sooo nice.

I just looked at the Comfort Source site and I just don't get the "warm fuzzies."

The cushions on their sofas are pure foam, and trust me - after spending an arm and a leg on an Ethan Allen sofa with what I thought were high grade foam cushions, my back is killing me and the couch looks like crap.

I love a deep sofa, and I'm toally in love with the RH Maxwell sofa but I'm a bit nervous about the depth. It's very deep at 45 inches. Is it uncomfortable to sit in or is easy to get used to?

It's one very expensive piece of furniture, and spending that kind of cash on a sofa scares me to death. I'm the kind of person who replaces her sofa every few years as a means of giving her LR a new look.

Will I love it forever?

I'm wondering if anyone purchased the dale sofa as well? i have a restoration hardware lancaster sofa and i love it but now i want a sectional but i dont want to spend that much at Restoration hardware!! Opinions on the Dale sofa??

In my search for the Restoration Hardware Maxwell leather sofa I found that before Restoration took the style to Mitchell Gold, that it was made by Richter Designs. We found a dealer in the San Diego area (Solana Beach) called homeloft: http://www.thehomeloft.com that had it. They call it the Mavericks, but it was the Maxwell, with the same deep seats and Brompton Cocoa leather. We got it for around $3200 which was still better than $4500 at Restoration Hardware.

I almost bought something online, but am one of those people that would absolutely have to sit on it.

I'm in Canada and can't seem to find who is the manufacturer of the Dale series here. Does anyone know? I'd prefer to buy it before it goes over the border and I pay the duty to get it back over here! All of your comments have been incredibly helpful - THANK YOU all !

A little late to the party, but am in the market for a new leather (sleeper) sofa - have recently moved into a large loft space, and my ten-year old PB Manhattan sofa is on its last leg.

I'm curious: JWaters, are you pleased with your Mavericks sofa purchase from Homeloft?

I really like several of R&B's new leather sofas, and the prices are so much more reasonable than RH. I have two R&B upholstered armchairs with no complaints thus far. But how can you _not_ love RH Maxwell? :)

did anyone find out the Canadian manufacturer of the Dale sofa from Comfortsource.com? i love that sofa, just want to do some more research on the company before buying.

THANKS!

I have been looking for a look-a-like version of the Lancaster Leather Sofa from Restoration Hardware for a long time. I don't care how good it is they are just charging way too much. I found a look-a-like that looks good on CascoBayFurniture.Com. Same leather, down cushions, eight way hand tied made in NC for a lot less. Has anyone purchased this sofa?

I was searching for a cheaper version of the Lancaster sofa and loveseat for months. I finally found SofaCraft.org while searching and received the furniture about 2 weeks ago. I am EXTREMELY pleased! The quality and craftsmanship are superb. And the price was less than half what I would have paid at RH. I think they make all of the styles from RH (both upholstered and leather). You should check them out. I have never found a company with lower prices for the level of quality.