Tips for Buying A Recliner - Chair
Buying Furniture
When we first started looking for a recliner for my husband they all looked pretty much the same to me. I wasn't fond of them, but I wanted him to be comfy and our sofa had died a sudden and mysterious death. I think kids jumping on it might have had something to do with it's demise, but they won't confess.
So, off we went to look at recliners. After a miserable experience with furniture from the local chains, we decided to go to a family-owned store in our hometown. The store is small and had few display models, but we were able to order one. Here are a few tips we learned along the way.
Size matters. Our living room is quite small and one of those lumber-jack sized recliners just will not fit. So, we were able to order a smaller one. However, when our son-in-law, who is six-foot four and built like a linebacker, came to visit, we all had quite a laugh at how inadequate the recliner was for him. So, think about not only your available space, but the size of the person who will be sitting in it most of the time.
Quality construction. We went with a well-known recliner brand and it's held up amazingly well. It still reclines and goes back to a sitting position with ease. Cheaply made chairs won't hold up as well. The materials used to build them are usually low quality that breaks easily or bows.
Upholstery. We have pets and although we loved the beautiful fabrics covering the chairs we looked at, we knew this was not an option for us. So, we went with leather. This has been a good choice for us as the pet hair doesn't stick to it and it's easy to keep clean. A fabric upholstery can be a deal breaker as even though the chair is built well and lives forever, the fabric becomes soiled and smelly and cleaning it is costly and labor intensive. Little ‘accident's can really finish a chair off if the stuffing under the fabric gets saturated.
One thing we aren't too happy about and I don't know how to find this out ahead of time, but it's something to think about. Although the structure and the upholstery are holding up very well, the material they stuffed it with is ‘gone'. Instead of the cushy, comfy chair we started out with, we have a Flintstone model. It's hard as a rock as we're sitting on wood with leather covering.
Larger furniture stores have their own trucks and can usually deliver quickly. Smaller stores must rely on independent trucks to deliver. This can be a problem as we waited for weeks for our chair. Apparently, trucks carrying special-order items are often given a back seat to trucks filled with large orders. We were having a party and were getting quite nervous about whether the chair would be here in time. After a number of calls to the store owner, the chair was finally delivered, by the owner and his son on the day before the party. So, keep in mind that special orders do take time, sometimes a long, long time, to make their way to your home.
Color is also important. We joke that we buy stuff the same color as our dogs, so the fur doesn't show so much. The leather solved that problem. Think about how the color of the chair will work with the rest of the room. That trendy hue may seem very appealing, but trends change quickly and many folks are still haunted by colors that were ‘in' and ‘out' way before the furniture was worn. A neutral shade is a better choice, you can always perk it up with trendy throw pillows.
The best thing to do is take your time, measure your space and the person most likely to sit in the chair. Consider your lifestyle when choosing a fabric and color. And be patient if you place a special order.