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 parts of the furniture that may become damaged or worn out over time are easily replaceable by the customer in their own home. Replacement takes only a few minutes. No tools are needed.
Damaged or worn parts do not need to be returned. They can continue to be used until the replacement arrives and then discarded.
Over the past 10 years, requests for replacement frame components are close to zero.
Simplicity Sofas is a North Carolina Direct-To-Consumer manufacturer.
The company has sold its furniture exclusively through its SimplicitySofas.com website since 2007.
All Simplicity Sofas furniture ships unassembled and is designed to fit through 15″ width doors and stairways.
Prices start under $2000 for a sofa. Leather prices start above $3000.
A Special 10% discount is available to my Insider’s Guide blog readers.
Simplicity Sofas was awarded a $20,000 grand prize in a nationwide competition for Most Innovative American Small Business in 2012.
The company’s modular customization system allows it to create hundreds of different sofas, loveseats, chairs, sectionals, & sleepers using a small number of interchangeable component parts.
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.
Standard cushions are 2.5 density Ultracel foam.
The 2.5 density foam cushions are designed to maintain their shape and comfort for 10 to 15+ years.
There are two cushion upgrades:
- The Memory foam cushion upgrade uses the same 2.5 density foam core as the standard cushions, but substitutes a 2″ thick memory gel foam pad for the dacron polyester wrap. The memory foam simultaneously softens and strengthens the cushions.
- Spring down cushions (shown below) use top quality fabric covered Marshall coil spring units. A down & feather jacket is above and below the springs and foam. A 2.5 density foam border surrounds the fabric covered coil springs.
Foundations are high quality elasticized webbing.
This webbing is the same type used on high quality modern-style European seating, including most high end Italian leather brands. It is much more durable (and more expensive) than the cheap webbings found on lower priced Asian-made seating.
No foundation has ever failed (or sagged) since the company first launched in 2007.
Explaining 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. These 24 components account for 80% of total sales.
An additional 24 components are used for the other 20% of sales, including sleepers, which also fit through 15″ wide entranceways, but do not use any of the components found in the other pieces.
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 3 seat 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 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. All items can be assembled, without tools, by a single person, in less than 30 minutes or by two people in less than 15 minutes.
All furniture can be assembled, dis-assembled, & reassembled dozens of times with no loss of strength, durability, or comfort.
The simplest change can alter the appearance of this furniture.
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. This 88″ sofa is shipped unassembled and fits through 15″ width doors & stairways.
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 to 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.
Black legs have replaced the oak legs.
There are two new pieces – a wedge corner and bumper ottoman.
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 interchangeable 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.
Sectionals can fit through even smaller spaces than the sofas. Simplicity Sofas sectionals have been installed in attic rooms accessed through 12″ x 12″ crawl spaces with pull-down stairs.
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 Ultracel foam and Spring Down cushions have a 15 to 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 self-assembly furniture (or $2,000 sofas.)
Worn or damaged fabrics can be quickly and easily replaced for individual parts or entire pieces.
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.)
For example, the Ashton traditional sofa shown in the photo below was actually made using a skirted slipcover over a transitional Ashton sofa with metal legs and no skirt.
An identical looking sofa could have been made without a slipcover.
Simplicity Sofas slipcovers are designed to fit tightly and look identical from the front and sides. (There is a difference when viewed from behind.)
Below is one more sofa look.
The leather sofa shown below 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 the company.
Since I do not accept payment from any of the companies I write about, the 10% commission that was offered to me for referrals is available as a discount for my readers.