Drexel Heritage, Vanguard, Hickory White, Hickory Chair, Sherrill, Taylor King, Pearson, Lexington. These are all worthwhile manufacturers. The Taylor King line is something many showrooms will use as their own "private label". It's a decent quality and is pretty much simple lines. It's probably going to be your best value. Lexington used to be one of the bottom of the barrel lines and has completely changed it's quality. I recently ordered several upholstered chairs for a job and was blown away by the attention to detail and the excellent quality. I was shopping price point and found them to be much higher than they used to be, but I was not disappointed. Vanguard is still considered a decent manufacturer but they have (as have most all better manufacturers) put in place their price-point lines. So you still have 8-way hand tied construction with all the bells and whistles but their tailoring shows short cuts at times. However, you still get a far better quality and execution that all the names mentioned thus far. Hickory Chair has not compromised its quality but it is, for the most part, a more traditional manufacturer. Hickory White is very decent and better priced than Hickory Chair, Drexel Heritage and Vanguard (for the most part). Pearson tends to be more transitional but I haven't specified them in decades because I had been working with a more traditional clientele until now. All the "upscale" furniture stores such as Ethan Allen, Crate & Barrel, Room & Board, Rowe, Lazy Boy, Natuzzi and Z Gallery are all pretty much the same quality. None of them are producing a fully 8-way hand tied product. Also, for the most part you can detect the quality (lack of it) in the tailoring in these lines. Welting will not be even, seams will show up where they shouldn't be and patterns don't match from top to bottom and as you turn a corner....all things that drive me nutz! There is 8 way (fully) and then 8 way...two totally different procedures. Anyway, I guess you have to ask yourself how long you plan to live with this upholstery. The fabric will wear out before the piece and then you will feel you need to have it recovered because of the quality of your investment. For me at this late date, I look at the tailoring all the way around (all the finishing touches), how it sits and I open up the cushions to have an informed opinion and if the price is right, I'll make the purchase. Hope this helps.
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