Millennials are now age 20 – 37 according to the Pew Research Poll. That is a big range, and I think you simply can’t put them all in the same box. I beg to differ. I’m going to share my personal experience because I deal with this “group” on the daily.

Let’s first talk quality before we talk more about these buyers. For simplicity, I’m going to describe three levels of construction quality that are used by the bulk of manufactures.
I also want to address the term Bench Made. “Bench made” is used many times to describe what people interpret to be the highest level of fabrication. Well, it is not. Every BS manufacture apparently now makes “bench made” furniture, so it now means nothing. IT MEANS NOTHING! Did you hear me?

To clear up some misconceptions, let’s start at the top-tier of the premium furniture scale.

Highest Construction Level

Price Range: $3500.00 and up (fabric will have an impact)

Frame Construction (Wood Species Matters):

Kiln Dried Maple Frames (or Oak). Any hardwood that has a Janka rating higher than 1000 is acceptable for top-tier furniture. For those who are unfamiliar with Janka rating, the graphic below is helpful.

Janka rating measures the strength of the wood. Many manufacturers use Alder and Poplar to cut down on material costs. However, Alder and Poplar are even softer than Pine and about half the hardness of even soft maple. Frames constructed using these species could break with one hard pounce of a rambunctious child or a less-than-delicate mover.

The term “Kiln-dried hardwood” means nothing if they don’t specify the species. If it is Poplar, we know that it is not furniture that is designed to withstand much wear and tear. That’s not to say that kiln drying is not important. The kiln-drying process prevents warping by leaching all moisture. Kiln-drying will ensure the upholstery frame does not rack or wobble.

Coils

8-way hand tied coils are used in the spring up portion of superior construction. Various size coils are packed into the frame deck to give the cushions excellent support, keep you from pitching forward, and aid in giving the frame additional strength and durability. Hand 8 Hand-tied spring suspension is not the same thing. It is a drop in unit.

Fabric and Cushions

Luxury sofas at this level feature spring down cushions that are flame retardant free give a sumptuous and healthy option. The spring coils inside the cushion base increase the longevity and keep butt imprints at bay. The soy-based foam and down wrap keep the cushion tailored and make the sit plush.

Middle Tier Furniture

Price Range: $2400 and up (If it is over $3500 it should have 5/4 plywood and 8-way hand tied coils with a high-end fabric or leather)

Furniture Frame Construction

At this level, frames are probably made of 5/4 plywood. The number 5/4 refers to the thickness in quarters of an inch. Thus 5/4 plywood is 1 ¼ inch thick. While we don’t use plywood in our furniture construction, 5/4 plywood provides a nice strong frame.

So, what’s the problem? Manufacturers use all kinds of marketing gimmicks and invented terms, like “engineered hardwoods,” to mask that they are using plywood. And that is no guarantee that they are using 5/4 plywood, in fact, many reduce material costs by using 3/4 plywood instead.

If they are using 5/4 ply, they should be shouting it from the rooftops. Sadly, this is rarely the case.

If they are using 8-way hand tied coils along with 5/4 plywood construction, it means the frame construction itself is actually very good for this furniture price range.

Coils

However, if they are using sinuous coils, that’s when we step down to a medium level. Sinuous coils are heated treated and have a shelf life of 5 plus yrs. They are subject to breakage.

Fabric and Cushions

The cushions used at this level are usually a foam cushion or a foam with a down wrap. They will break down rather quickly. They can sit nicely initially, which means when people test them out in showrooms, they might not consider the longevity. Without the coils, the life-span of the cushions is limited.

Bottom Tier Furniture

Price Range: $700-$1400 (If it is less than $700, please consider a second-hand option)

Frame Construction

Furniture at this level typically features particle board, 1-inch Plywood, or Poplar. Sometimes manufacturers will use terms like “furniture board” or avoid mentioning the frame material entirely to try to sell you easily broken furniture. A misconception at this level is the use of the word “hand-built” which does not imply quality of any sort.
These frames are also problematic in sitting level. They have a much higher level of racking. That’s annoying.

No Coils

Typically, in furniture at this level, the deck support many times used in this case, is a very quick webbing. An example of Pirelli webbing can be seen below:

Cushions and Fabric

Cushions are a low-quality foam and many times an import, making flame retardant chemicals likely. Cutting corners by using shredded foam, or lower density foam, means that in no time your sofa will look like this quickly discontinued West Elm sofa:

So, What Does Furniture Quality Have To Do With Millennials?

At KDC we construct at the highest level. To dispel even more myths about the millennial generation in this country, we’re going to be open about our demographics.
The largest portion of our buying group is 33-45 women. A considerable portion of our clients falls in the range of being Millennials. They are both designers and consumers. Is that quality driven or style? In our case, it is both. However, the style also factors in.

The popularity of Restoration Hardware is one of the best examples of this. Any given Saturday, if you visit, will notice the clear majority are in their late 20’s to 30’s. If they are shopping at RH, we know the style is a driving factor.

Nothing makes me want to pull out a bullhorn out more and start shouting run, run, RUN from here young shoppers! When buying furniture at those prices, matching the construction level and the style to the purchase price should be the ultimate goal.

I don’t mean to say that Millennials don’t care about quality. Much of the problem is retailers are very clever at using confusing terminology or being downright dishonest. I uncovered a retailer using a glossy picture of someone 8-way hand tying a sofa, but listed on the fabrication document was sinuous coils. Another little trick is listing 8-way hand tie on one frame, but then 90 percent of the other frames are sinuous coils. It can be very deceptive.

A sofa with an Alder frame and sinuous coils shouldn’t be $3500 or more. That price point just does not match the construction quality.

A plywood frame and sinuous coils should not cost $5000-7000. But there are brands out there that charge those prices. They think they can charge it because of the name of the brand and it isn’t Chanel. Just sayin’. That sort of sofa should retail in $2000 range.

If a sofa costs less than $700 retail price, I think you may be better off looking at second-hand options. The exception would be a deeply discounted deal of a lifetime sale item. If that is the everyday price point, it is junk, plain and simple. I can’t imagine what chemically infested pile you’d be bringing into your home.

Ok, that’s all. Happy upholstery shopping!

PS. Plenty of Millennials do care!

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Before:

My Suggestions:

Bedding is from Macys, lamps from Target, Night stands Pier One, and art from Art.com.  

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 Here is the pillow I did for my client.  It is in the color Summer.  Looks so much better in a professional photo. 

I absolutely think you can do curtains in this fabric.  I would limit  additional patterns, layer various textures in the other furnishings, and keep the space edited.  Here is an example of some pinch pleat panels in Lilith Summer.

 

I say go for it.  I think it will be fun!

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This reader has painted the trim and doors in her house ivory.  She likes it everywhere but the bathroom due to the white toilet, sinks, and tub.  She is going to repaint the room and wants to know if she should just ignore the white or should she paint the trim and door?  Her husband is completely opposed to re-painting the trim.  She is thinking of using  charcoal for the walls and in the past has used burgundy as the accent colour (she is from Canada, hence the spelling of colour).   I think I get to be the tie breaker. 

This is the room before

Here are my suggestions:

 Just ignore the white tub and toilet.  I think you need to replace all the burgundy accents with a new more spa like palette.  Put a roman shade over the tub and look for a fabric that has both white and cream in it.  When you put art in a bathroom, make sure it isn't anything valuable, the humidity will damage anything precious. Add polished nickel accessories for some shimmer.  Charcoal paint is an option, but doing the bath in the spa blue would be even prettier.  Lastly, consider installing frame-less glass for the shower enclosure instead of a shower curtain.  It is pricey option, but you get a lot bang for the buck.  Hope this helps and keeps the peace between you and your husband. 

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You can see why this narrow 13' by 22' is difficult.  This is one of the reasons I suggest straight arms, depths of no more than 36", and tight backs (no loose box cushions) on sofas, if you aren't decorating your dream house. They give you flexibility in various spaces without giving up comfort.  You can also see in the photo, they have a very large TV to accommodate.  I think it would be impossible to use the current furniture in the space effectively.  Hopefully, it can be re-purposed to other areas of the home.  I suggest splitting up the group too.  I know it is cost effective to buy multiple pieces in a group–the key is too separate them in your house.  For example, you could use the loveseat in a sitting room of a master bedroom, the sofa in a family room and the chair and ottoman in a library for reading.  This is what I would suggest for this room.

When you have long rooms you need to divide the space to accommodate several functions.  In this case, I put the behemoth (not in a bad way, I like to see my HD as much as the next person) TV on the largest wall of the room.  In this room I have designed a TV watching space and a library/game table space.  I think a sectional or the existing sofa and a free standing chaise would be a better fit in this space due to the size and entrance placement.  Adding bookcases at the end will diminish the narrowing effect a bit.  When your ceilings are low, you can always hang the curtains just below the crown to visually expand the space.  If your existing curtains are too short for a new space, just add a wide band of fabric to the top or to the bottom.   Hope this helps.  

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Hi, Re-doing kitchen to include new cabinets, gunstock oak flooring, stainless appliances. What color countertop do you recommend? Should I get something med/dk brown quartz or keep it lighter. The kitchen cabinets are Maple–Cream Glaze (Cream colored or off-white with just an almost invisible lighter cream/white glaze). The flooring, unless you talk me out of real hard wood for a kitchen floor, will be gunstock oak-see attached. I've had people tell me not to put real wood in a kitchen, so…that's still up in the air based of further advice. Wall color and dinette color/material, I will try to figure out once I get a handle of what to do for counter top. Thank you so much! 

I will definitely not talk you out of real wood flooring.  I prefer it to be eco friendly… made of reclaimed wood or wood that has been sustainably forested.  I have test driven every type of  kitchen flooring  in my 8 military moves.   I love wood the best.   On to the counters.  I like to keep the counters neutral and devoid of any specific color, especially if you are considering a move in the future.  FYI, the inquirer, prefers Black to Brown.  With that in mind,  I have given her a few options.

In the classic options, I've given her a Sensa granite and marble.  Sensa Granite has a long term stain protection built into it so that it doesn't have to be sealed. When I choose granite, I look for the color of the elements going into the kitchen within the stone.  For example,  I look for the tone of any wood or the color of the appliances.  I like it to have a little silver shimmer if the appliances are stainless.   Marble is a classic, sophisticated choice.  Beware, however,  marble does stain rather easy.  Some like the patina this creates over time.  I currently have marble in my kitchen.  If it is sealed, you can get most stains out.  I don't mind the character.  If you have little kids or lean type A, this is not the counter surface for you. 

There are some really awesome new eco friendly options out there too.  I have shown two Ceasarstone options which are made from 17 – 35 percent recycled glass and quartz.  For performance and function is doesn't get any better than quartz.  It is stain resistant and doesn't require sealing.  It is heat, scratch and chip resistant too.  The last option is a high constrast, surface from Eco.  This is made from 75 percent post-industrial recycled raw materials.  It too has all the attributes of the Ceasarstone.  The Black makes this a dramatic choice.  My three favorites are the Marble, Chocolate Truffle and the Black.  The marble is dressy and beautiful.  The Chocolate Truffle has every color element of the kitchen in it.  It has Silver for the appliances, a warm Russet for the tone of the wood, Cream for the cabinets, and a hint of Black.  You just can't go wrong with Black counters and Cream cabinets.  It isn't for everyone, but I like the drama.  I  can't wait to see what the reader chooses.  What would you pick?  I'll be joining Paula Grace for Timeless Tuesday and then for real martinis Thursday night. 

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Hi Kristin,

Wondering if you have any favorite fabrics that would look good with yellow golds, greens and reds. I need some inspiration and your design style is just amazing! Thanks, Julia

As a matter of fact, Robert Allen just sent me some new fabric books containing their new Lifestyles Collection.  In the Dockside book they had some great  fabrics in that color palette.  I threw the swimsuit and starfish fabric in because I think they are fun, although not applicable for all.  

Robert Allen Corn Maize

Robert Allen Recliner

Robert Allen Sea Lace

Robert Allen Diamond Cable

Robert Allen Sally's Shells

Robert Allen Granny's Quilt

 
 
 Robert Allen Swimsuits

Robert Allen Lilith

I recently just finished a project for a client that I've worked with for over three years.  The Lilith fabric was the inspiration we used for the jumping off point.  This was the last room in their home for me to decorate.  I'm featuring the before and after of that room on Monday's post so be sure to check it out.  The little swatch doesn't do this fabric justice so I'm showing the finished pillow to illustrate how pretty and happy it is.  I am surely going to miss working with this family. They have been great clients.  I think they have given me more referrals than any other client.  How do you say "thanks" to that?  So, thank you thank you Heather, Brad, Ainsley, and Preston.  Look for the sun room Monday it turned out awesome.

 
Much better in person huh?

I hope one of these fabrics inspires you, Julia. 
 

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Place them approximately 4-6 inches away from the headboard edge and the light height can be determined by your preference.  It is important to note whether you read laying down or sitting up.  The light needs to be high enough to shine on your reading material.  As a guide  line, if the bottom of your light is about 24 inched above the top of the bed that should work. 

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HC first starts with a kiln dried 1 1/4 in hardwood kiln dried frame that has been glued, screwed, and doweled in each joint.  They use 3-4 dowels instead of the industry standard of 2. 

Notice how they shape the frame instead of using padding which shifts over time.

8 way hand tied coils add support that will last for years.  Cheaper methods employ no-sag springs or just one size coil.  It was truly fascinating to watch them tie the coils. They were really fast, I got exhausted watching them.

Time to get some padding, cushions, and upholstery. I won't put upholstery in a clients house unless it has pocketed spring coils inside the cushion.  This is another way some manufactures will skimp to keep the price down.  With out the springs, a dacron wrapped piece of foam will start to break down fast.  I've had spring down cushions last 16 plus years.  HC Spring down cushions are standard.  Nice!

How about some fabric?  Not only does HC stock lots of fabric they will COM too.  COM is an acronym for Customer's Own Material.  I will be honest.  I COM almost everything.  Fabrics are not created equal and I need to know the rub test numbers.  Wyzenbeck in a rating system on fabric durability.  30,000 double rubs is considered heavy duty.  I have many in my repertoire with 100,000.  What can I say.  My clients have kids and pets.  That doesn't mean you have to give up the pretty though.  There are many durable, stain resistant fabrics that look sumptuous.  Again, this is yet another place where companies can really cut costs by using inexpensive fabric.

Nail head trim is done one at a time at Hickory Chair.  Some of the imports and less expensive furniture brands use a strip of nails where only every fourth or fifth nail is real and tacked in.  The ones in between are faux nails.  It is way less labor intensive, and the strips are cheap.
  

Almost done and ready to ship.  When that much labor and attention to detail is applied to each piece you know you're getting  quality, long lasting furniture.   I hope that explains why there is a price difference to upholstery.  There are so many ways to cut corners.  The old adage holds true.  You get what you pay for.  I hope you find this helpful when you head out to buy your next sofa.  I'm joining Met Monday over at Between Naps on the Porch .  Jump over and see amazing transformations.

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