Getting a new loveseat should be an exciting adventure that ends in a long-lasting treasure. However, sometimes buying a new piece of furniture feels like a massive gamble. If you bet on the wrong piece of furniture, you may end up with a piece that falls apart before the year is out. Here’s what you should look for before making that living room purchase.
A Durable Frame
A poorly-built piece of furniture usually has an inadequate frame that won’t hold up even to normal wear for very long. That’s why you need to find out as much as you can about how the frame is constructed and the quality and thickness of the frame materials. If you buy your furniture online, look for a piece with a frame that has been rigorously tested to meet government standards. Proper testing can show if it’s durable enough to stand up not only to the home environment but also when it’s being transported to your home or when you move.
Great Corner Construction
Furniture corners tend to take a lot of abuse. They get bumped easily when you’re rearranging your living room, for example. Look for a loveseat that has the best corner construction, which can include gluing, blocking, stapling, and in some cases, using interlocking panels.
High-Quality Upholstery Materials
Nothing says low-quality furniture like upholstery materials that fray, tear, or are poorly matched. Whether you choose a 100% leather loveseat or a piece upholstered in soft fabric, the quality is important. Make sure fabric upholstery starts with materials that are preapproved for wearability against AHFA standards. From there, you need to be sure the manufacturer carries through with match-cutting of stripes and patterns as well as securely attaching the upholstery material to the frame.
Supportive Seating
Soft cushions may feel great the first day your furniture arrives. However, if they don’t have good support, they won’t be comfortable for very long. Some of the best support features to look for in the seating areas include thick hardwood seat and back spring rails and cushions made of great quality foam. Coil seating construction makes the furniture even more durable.
Well-Applied Details
Have you ever seen a piece of furniture that looks fine until you notice the details? Maybe the brads are put on crooked or the stitching is uneven or loose? Even though the furniture may endure for a few years, these poorly-applied details detract from your enjoyment of it from day one. And, if the details aren’t right when you get the item, they’re only going to get worse with time. So, look for precise, even stitching, solidly-applied trim, and other details that look good from the start. When you do, they’ll continue to enhance the furniture for years to come.
Choosing styles and fabrics can be fun when you’re getting a new furniture item. Yet, it pays to give some attention to the more serious side of choosing the furniture that you hope will grace your home for years to come. When your high-quality, durable furniture arrives, it’s just the beginning of the long, happy years you’ll spend enjoying your new loveseat.
