Shopping for furniture can be exciting, as it provides an opportunity to customize your living space. However, it can also be frustrating and stressful—for example, many people worry about paying high-end prices for what is actually cheap, low-quality furniture. Our team at Wolfgang Interiors – Furniture, Draperies & Design has extensive experience in assessing and choosing fine furniture, and in this article, we’ll go over a few ways to recognize genuinely fine furniture.
• Material – One thing that sets fine furniture apart from cheap stuff is the materials used to construct each piece. For example, wooden pieces will be made of real, high-quality wood instead of imitation materials like laminate or particle board. Similarly, upholstered furniture will use genuine leather or high-end fabrics, as well as dense foam for the cushioning.
• Construction Techniques – Another way to recognize fine furniture is to look at the techniques used in its construction. When looking at wood furniture, examine how the pieces are joined together—ideally, you want something made using traditional joinery and not something hastily nailed or screwed together. Similarly, when examining upholstered furniture, look carefully at any visible stitching to make sure it was done with care.
• Production Scale – A third thing that sets a fine furniture shop apart from its competitors is the scale of its production. If a manufacturer is cranking out hundreds of identical armchairs, it’s probably not the place to find truly high-end pieces. Instead, look for smaller shops where the craftsmen put care and attention into each detail.