Fabric isn’t really on the inside….But, It is probably the single most important factor that determines if your sofa stays or is replaced! If your sofa is 15 years or older, there is a good chance it was in a plaid, stripe or floral print. Patterned fabrics hid use, soil, and stains for many years. Lots of times it was hard to justify changing a couch because it still looked like new! Many stores now carry imported sofas and furniture with imported fabric on them... The Ame

El Ran Furniture is proudly made in North America. Founded in 1967, El Ran specialized in reclining furniture. Today, this family business is managed by the second generation. Until 1979, El Ran manufactured only one type of product, the reclining chair. In 1980 they introduce reclining loveseats and sofas on the market. Today, El Ran is a leader in the industry and offers a complete range of reclining chairs, loveseats, sofas and many other options. With over 150 collections

The Inside Story Design in a room is very important….but just as important is the quality of the pieces that you use in your room! One of the main pieces that we will look at is the support system of the Sofa! You are only able to see about 20% of the sofa as the other 80% is hidden inside the fabric! Yes, we want it to look good, but the inside is very important as it is the reason something will give many years of comfortable use, or live a short life of problems! There

Sofa Construction There are so many components to a sofa, but probably the most important part is the frame. Because the frame holds all the parts together and takes the brunt of the use, it needs to be put together well to last. Today well built frames are made from 1 1/4″ laminated wood that is made up of many layers of kiln dried wood. They place the layers with the wood grain going in opposite directions so it eliminates expansion and contraction of the wood pieces. Th

What can you imagine when you look up at a tree? As I am returning to Michigan after attending a Hardwood Furniture Market, I am thinking about a couple of conversations that I had with some of the craftsmen. This market specializes in all American built furniture pieces which are crafted one piece at time with heirloom quality. Each piece is made to your specific sizes, woods species and stain color which makes it a unique piece of art! As I spoke with one of the owners, he

The Investment Difference We have talked about the inside of an upholstered piece and many of the differences in how a piece of furniture is made. Knowing what to ask about construction is the first step to getting a piece that will be a good investment and will give you many years of use. If you get a couch on sale for $499 and you have problems with the frame or the fabric is getting shiny...you may need to replace it within 2 years. That sofa cost you $250 a year, and p

You love to shop, but do you know what you are looking for? Shopping for a sofa can be easy and fun, as long as you know a few important features to look for! So in my next few posts, I will give you some inside information! First, just knowing if a couch is made here in American or if it is an import will give you some great understanding as to the quality you are purchasing. If it is an import, it is probably available only as you see it, or possibly available in one other

There is a distinct difference between the the American-made sofa and inexpensive imports. Why? To inexpensively import sofas overseas, they arrive in crates unassembled. Assembly takes place here on shore. The product is made to be shipped and assembled vs. made to stand the test of time. The American-made will have a solid wood frame, and the manufacturer will make sure that the wood is a hard wood that has been dried to the correct moisture level so that the frame wil

Your Sofa, Your Way When you need your seating to be comfortable, stylish and suitable for your interior décor, visit sofa retailer, TriCity Furniture. We are experts in custom sofas and couches. We can help you plan a beautiful custom sofa that will meet your every need in your space and with your family. Other retailers may lead you to believe that custom furnishings are out of reach for most budgets. This is simply just not true. There are custom styles to fit almost ev

If you haven’t figured it out yet….one of the main reasons that imports are a bit less is due to the amount of labor involved in making the couch. Imports have a lower labor cost because the employees are willing to work fo a much lower wage. Many times those workers receive $30.00 a month and the job includes food and a place to live, and that is a much better life than they may have had! So, unless we are willing to work for a bowl of rice, American products will cost a bit