With the appearance of professional expertise, you can easily use some telltale signs to quickly determine if furniture is or is not well made.

The following are some quality indicators to keep in mind when shopping for furniture.

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Fabric furniture is made up of very basic parts: frame, springs and padding, cushions, and fabric or leather. A high quality frame should not wobble, creak, or sag when the furniture is lifted—an easy test to conduct in-store. The entire frame should be well padded so that you can’t feel springs or hard places when in use. High quality cushions are comprised of the densest foam for less wear, so check for foam density numbers on the tagging or with your sales representative. Aside from basic construction, a high quality upholstered piece of furniture uses a thick and tightly woven fabric. With leather pieces, the most high end leather is typically aniline, made of the same thick grain pieces across the entire furniture frame.

When shopping for wood furniture, the type of material is most important. High quality pieces are generally made from deciduous trees like oak, maple, teak, or walnut. These are hard woods that will resist cracking if they have been properly dried and treated during the furniture making process. Additionally, wood pieces should fit together well. Wobbles and creaks literally “squeak on” a poorly made piece. Also check that drawers or hinged doors open easily and close without jamming. Finally, a wood piece’s finish is telltale; look for smoothness with no cracks or bubbles. Using these tips, you can easily identify well-made furniture without relying on a possibly deceiving brand or price tag. Learn more about woods used in furniture.

Insider Tip- It is safe to assume the quality of the piece on display in a store will be reflective of that delivered to your home. Comments made by a salesperson that “it is just a floor model” or “yours will not be like that “should be a red flag. Learn more ab out what to expect from a furniture salesperson.

Insider Tip – Ask that your salesperson explain the quality features of the item and why these features are important. Find a furniture store in your area.

Failure to plan is the most common furniture mistake. Be sure to check out the  wide selection of furniture space planners, color wheels and furniture templates available from Furniche.com