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Will Simplicity Sofas Really Last Forever?

By Jeff Frank

What is the best quality sofa for long term durability?

I just threw away a sofa I bought 5 years ago and paid over $2000 for.

I should have thrown it away two years ago.

Recently I read somewhere that Simplicity Sofas makes sofas that last forever – for the same $2000 I paid for a piece of junk 5 years ago.

How is that possible? Or is this just another case of false advertising?

Answer:

Simplicity Sofas furniture really is designed to last forever.

Sofas and sectionals are custom built, one piece at a time, with top quality materials. The workmanship is superb.

Designs are simple, but the quality of both materials and workmanship is better than many brands priced far higher.

All Simplicity Sofas furniture is designed to fit through 15″ width doors and stairways.

Simplicity Sofas is a North Carolina Direct-To-Consumer manufacturer.

The company has sold its furniture exclusively through its SimplicitySofas.com website since 2007.

Prices start under $2000 for a sofa. Leather prices start above $3000.

A Special 10% discount may be available to Insider’s Guide to Furniture blog readers.

Simplicity Sofas’ patented modular customization design won the $20,000 grand prize in a nationwide competition for Most Innovative American Small Business in 2012.

Hundreds of different sofas, loveseats, chairs, sectionals, & sleepers use a very small number of interchangeable component parts.

80% of all products sold can be produced from only 24 interchangeable components.

Some individual components can be found in dozens of different end products.

What makes Simplicity Sofas furniture last longer than other higher priced brands?

The concept is simple. The execution is not.

Simplicity Sofas begins with the best quality, longest lasting materials available.

Frames are solid oak.

Simplicity Sofas is one of the last furniture manufacturers still using solid oak frames for all sofas & sectionals.

The company has made its own frames and cushions since 2017.

Since frames are a critical part of overall durability, great care is taken to maximize sturdiness & stability.

For example, the grain pattern of each individual oak panel runs in the direction that provides the greatest tensile strength.

Simplicity Sofas Solid oak frame

Standard cushions are 2.5 density Ultracel foam.

Cushion upgrades include Memory foam and Spring down constructions.

Memory foam cushions substitute a 2″ thick memory gel foam pad for the dacron polyester wrap in the standard cushions, simultaneously softening and strengthening the cushion.

Spring down cushions (shown below) uses top quality fabric covered Marshall coil spring units.

A down & feather jacket is above and below the springs and foam.

The foam border surrounding the fabric covered coil springs is 2.5 density, overall a major upgrade from the 1.8 density foam found on most top quality Spring Down cushions.

cushion
Spring down cushion

Foundations are high quality elasticized webbing.

No foundation has ever failed since the company first launched in 2007.

Pirelli webbing
High-quality webbing attached to a solid oak frame.

Simplicity Sofas has received a 10 rating for both quality & value in 65 Best Sofa & Sectional Reviews.

Explaining the Simplicity Sofas patented modular design concept.

Hundreds of different furniture pieces can be created using a small number of interchangeable, replaceable component parts.

24 interchangeable components (5 arms, 7 backs, 7 bases, 3 cushions, 2 legs) can be combined to make hundreds of different sofa, loveseat, chair and sectional combinations.

The photos below show how this small number of common parts is used to create hundreds of different furniture designs.

The first picture shown below is a green modern style Lorelei full size sofa with a flared arm and cylindrical metal legs.

Lorelei green sofa with metal legs by Simplicity Sofas

The green sofa shown above is assembled from 7 different interchangeable, replaceable component parts including:

1) Lorelei style left arm

2) Lorelei style right arm

3) Full-size (80″) back

4) Full-size (80″) foundation/base

5) Back cushions

6) Seat cushions

7) Legs

The sofa is shipped unassembled. Assembly takes less than 30 minutes. No tools are needed.

All furniture can be assembled, dis-assembled, & reassembled dozens of times with no loss of strength, durability, or comfort.

Lorelei blue sofa with tapered oak legs by Simplicity Sofas

The simplest change can alter the appearance of this furniture.

For example:

The blue Lorelei sofa shown above substituted tapered oak legs for the cylindrical metal leg shown above.

This one small change has changed the couch from contemporary to transitional styling. (Not a particularly impressive change.)

But see what happens when only two other component parts are substituted.

The next photo shows a Simplicity Ashton full size sofa.

Of the 7 original component parts used for the Lorelei sofa above, 3 parts have changed:

The right and left Lorelei style arms (shown above) have been replaced by Ashton style arms. (See photo below.)

Two of the back cushions (which are curved to fit over the wide arms) have been changed.

The full-size foundation/base, full-size back, seat cushions and legs are all identical to the Lorelei sofas shown above.

Ashton three seat sofa with skirt by Simplicity Sofas

Changing 3 interchangeable component parts and adding an optional skirt has:

Changed the style from contemporary/transitional to thoroughly traditional.

Increased the sofa length from 80″ to 88″.

Adding a few new interchangeable component parts results in a highly versatile modular sectional.

Lorelei 8 seat sectional by Simplicity Sofas

The Lorelei style arms on this sectional are exactly the same as in the green and blue sofas pictured above.

The cushions used on the arm and armless seats are identical with those used on both the Lorelei and Ashton sofas shown above.

The sofa back and base component parts have been replaced by shorter sectional base and back components.

There are three new pieces.

Black legs have replaced the oak legs.

The wedge corner piece uses an additional 4 component parts that were not used for the sofas.

The bumper ottoman uses an additional 2 component parts.

Using modular components offers other design advantages.

The sectional is ambidextrous. Armless pieces can be moved around so that either the left or right can be the longer side.

Sectionals can have an unlimited number of seats.

Additional seats can be added at any time.

Styling can be inexpensively modified by substituting different legs or alternative arms.

Sustainable, renewable furniture requires component parts that can be quickly & easily replaced in the home.

Because all styles and sizes are part of a single unitized design, no parts are ever discontinued or unavailable.

Fabrics are a special case and are addressed below.

Simplicity Sofas’ modular furniture system is designed for repeated assembly and dis-assembly.

Hand tightened fastening hardware allows the furniture to be quickly assembled, dis-assembled and re-assembled dozens of times with no loss of strength or durability.

Individual arms, backs, bases and legs are securely attached, but easily removable for transporting or replacement.

In mid-range seating, cushions are replaced more frequently than any other sofa part.

Simplicity Sofas starts with the highest quality cushions.

2.5 density foam and Spring Down cushions have a 15 – 20+ year lifespan for most people.

Cushion covers and cores are designed for easy removal and replacement without professional assistance.

The cushion cores are encased in a down-proof fabric ticking beneath the fabric covers. They slide easily when being removed.

Extra-large, heavy duty zippers go all the way across the cushion back and part way up the sides.

Zippers are hidden inside a sewn pocket. This is another example of high-end quality not normally found on furniture in this price range.

Worn or damaged fabrics can be quickly and easily replaced for individual parts or entire pieces.

Individual replacement parts can be upholstered at the factory and shipped to the customer.

Damaged or worn parts do not need to be returned.

They can continue to be used until the replacement arrives and then discarded.

When fabrics are discontinued or not available, the entire piece can be recovered in a new fabric, which fits over the old fabric.

Tailored, fitted slipcovers are available for all Simplicity Sofas furniture.

Slipcovers are designed to fit over the original upholstery.

Worn out, stained or damaged fabrics can be completely covered over so that the furniture looks brand new again.

Furniture lifespan can be extended by alternating two completely different looks (with and without slipcover.)

Below is one more sofa look.

The leather sofa shown is made using the same back, base and cushion components as the other sofas pictured in this article.

Only the arms and legs are different.

Disclosure: I founded Simplicity Sofas in 2007. I do not currently own any part of Simplicity Sofas. I do not receive any payment or compensation from Dimarmel, Inc., the company that owns and has manufactured all Simplicity Sofas furniture since 2017.

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