My father had a hideous wing chair that my Mother had reupholstered numerous times. The mahogany hand rests, legs, and side rails were all deeply carved, worn, and scratched. The chair was purchased in 1942 and in 1980 they moved into an apartment. The chair needed to be reupholstered and was not on their moving list. Neither my wife nor myself thought the chair was worth the effort. My parents were not wealthy, but they purchased a chair that could have gone on to the next generation. In a careless moment, I threw away 40 years of family history.

Superficially, finding a good looking and comfortable chair is easy. "Showroom appeal" is the goal of every manufacturer, but not every manufacturer builds long lasting comfort and strength into their products. There are no secrets or short cuts to building a sofa or chair that will last. So what should you look for?

The frame should be made of hard woods. Inexpensive, composite products like plywood, particle board plastic, and soft pine will not endure. Thinly padded frames will increase fabric wear. Sitting on a sofa arm is a good test for sufficient padding.

The springs can be "S" wire or better yet coils, but not of nylon webbing. Over a hundred years ago upholsterers connected coiled springs together with cord. This technique is called "eight way hand tied" and is the best system of all. Look for a spring edge on the front rail of the sofa. A spring edge adds to your seating comfort and helps keep the cushions in place.

The cushion cores must be layered and wrapped white foam. Unzip cushion casings and look. Optional down and feathers (75% and 25%) cores are much better, but will require fluffing. Foam back cushions will not last.

The cost for this type of sofa, between $800 and $1200.

Since 1902 Norwalk has been building custom made upholstery product in Norwalk, Ohio. They offer over 500 styles that can be upholstered in over 1,000 leathers and fabrics. Custom orders are delivered to your home in about 35 days. Their products have a Limited Lifetime Warranty that can be serviced by over 300 dealers.

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