Buying high-quality upholstered furniture is an investment – and one we encourage our clients to make. A live demonstration I saw in the Century Furniture showroom at the Washington Design Center underscored the value of that investment. Alex Shuford, the CEO of the Rock House Farm family of brands (which comprises Century and seven other leading brands, including Hickory Chair, and Hancock & Moore) deconstructed a chair right on the showroom floor to show how a high-end piece of furniture is made. His presentation was theatrical at times, as he ripped open a lovely Century armchair and pulled out the various inner layers. But as the foam was flying, the message came through loud and clear: It pays to buy quality.
Throughout the talk, Alex emphasized the distinct differences in the materials and construction methods used to manufacture high-end furniture, as opposed to products sold by major retailers. I ran into him back in October at the High Point Furniture Market. He was excited when I mentioned our plans to do a post on quality furniture construction and readily gave us the green light to include highlights from his 50-minute demonstration, which, thankfully, I captured on my iPhone. So I will attempt to distill down the key points that are important to keep in mind as you consider your next upholstered furniture investment.
Quality Craftsmanship and Materials Matter
There are numerous components that go into manufacturing a high-quality piece of furniture. It starts with skilled craftspeople, from the woodworker building the frame to the upholstery trimmers. Beyond that, it takes a commitment to choosing the highest quality material or component at every stage of the process. There isn’t just one material or component that defines a “high quality” piece. Small, incremental differences in each component that goes into a piece of furniture really add up to a quality finished product.

Century Furniture armchair.
Understanding Density and Compression
The presentation got quite technical as Alex deconstructed the chair, layer by layer. I can’t do them all those layers justice here. Suffice it to say, there are many, and each one plays an important role. The type of foam used is perhaps one of the most critical.
Density and compression are two values used to rate foam used in upholstered furniture. Density refers to the weight of one cubic foot of foam. Values typically range from 1.4 to 2.2 pounds. The higher the density, the better. While all foam breaks down over time, high-density foam is more durable and offers superior performance. It retains its shape longer, which increases the lifespan of your furniture investment. Century generally uses foam with a density of 2.0 or 2.2
Compression, on the other hand, is the amount of force it takes to compress a cubic foot of foam by 25 percent by its original height (measured as ILD – Indentation Load Deflection). The typical range is 18 to 36 pounds but the value can go higher. This value tells you how soft or firm a foam cushion will feel. A lower value indicates softer foam with a plush feel; a higher value indicates firmer, more supportive foam. Chair backs might employ a softer foam, while a seat cushion requires a firmer foam. Of course, the ideal level of firmness for comfort and support is a personal preference so it’s always a good idea to sit in a piece of furniture before purchasing, if possible.

Importance of Eight-Way, Hand-Tied Suspension
In upholstered furniture, the springs create the foundation of the seat and make up the suspension. They play a huge role in the comfort, durability, and longevity of a piece.
Eight-way, hand-tied springs are the industry gold standard. In this suspension system, skilled craftsmen hand-tie the springs with twine in every direction – front to back, side to side, and diagonally.
The resulting web means that the springs act together as a unit, resulting in optimal flexibility, support, and comfort. Eight-way, hand-tied suspension is the longest-lasting system available and almost always used in high-quality upholstered furniture. It costs a bit more but is well worth the investment.

Solid Hardwood versus Engineered Plywood Frames
Historically, solid hardwood construction has been synonymous with high quality furniture. But multi-layer laminated plywood is gaining ground – and for good reason. Hardwood plywood offers superior strength and resilience in many furniture applications. It’s also a more sustainable product. So don’t be turned off by a plywood frame and assume you’ll be sacrificing quality.
According to Alex, Century embraces “the technology where it makes sense.” About half of its products these days are a hybrid of solid hardwood and hardwood plywood. Again, the decision comes down to choosing the best possible material for each particular product.

Creating Spaces with High-Quality Upholstered Furniture
At A. Houck Designs, we always advise our clients to invest in the highest quality furniture their budget will allow. So, we’ve specified plenty of Century and Hickory Chair pieces for our projects over the years. Case in point: We selected a set of six fan-back chairs with a metal detail from Century for this casual-dining area in our nature-inspired project in Arlington.

The family room in our eclectic Falls Church project showcases a mélange of Hickory Chair pieces, including the sectional sofa, round ottoman, and two barrel-style club chairs.

The dining room chairs hail from Hickory Chair too. The chairs – in a mix of styles and fabrics – breathe new life into the clients’ repurposed dining table.

I’m always confident specifying Century and Hickory Chair pieces because I know the combination of style and quality is hard to beat.
High-Quality Furniture is Worth the Investment
The word “trust” came up often in Alex Shuford’s demonstration. As a CEO of the largest U.S. furniture manufacturer, he wants customers to trust their commitment to choosing quality at every stage. As a designer, I want my clients to trust that I’m recommending quality furnishings that will last.
In design, we often talk about areas where you should splurge and areas where you can save. High-quality upholstered furniture is one area in which paying a bit more up front definitely pays off in the long run. You get what you pay for, as the saying goes. Well-crafted furniture will stand the test of time. If you are contemplating a big furniture investment in the near future, we offer complete interior design services to help you make the most of your purchase, from selection to placement and beyond.