What Makes a Quality Sofa? A Guide to Choosing the Right Custom Piece

When you’re shopping for a sofa, the options can feel overwhelming. From styles and fabrics to comfort and durability, there’s more to a premium sofa than meets the eye. At Candace & Basil, we specialize in building custom sofas from scratch in-house, which gives our customers the opportunity to control every detail — from the frame and suspension to the fabric and finishing touches.

Here’s a breakdown of what really matters when you’re investing in a high-quality sofa.

1. The Frame: A Strong Foundation

Every great sofa starts with its frame. A well-built frame ensures durability and longevity, keeping your sofa looking and feeling sturdy for years.

• Look for solid hardwoods (maple is the gold standard).

• Frames should feature corner-blocked joinery for added stability.

• Avoid softwoods, particle board, or stapled construction — these will compromise durability.

When we build frames in-house, we use only hardwood construction techniques, guaranteeing a solid foundation for your custom piece.

2. The Suspension: Seat Support That Lasts

The suspension system is the unseen mechanism that provides support to your seat.

• Sinuous Springs: A heavy gauge (minimum 12-gauge) non-sag system with close spacing and anti-creak clips is the standard for quality sofas. Properly bound, these springs can last for many years.

• Coil Springs: Found in many luxury sofas, a coil system (often with webbing or an 8-way hand tie) provides even greater longevity and a more balanced, resilient seat.

At Candace & Basil, we let you choose — whether you prefer the reliability of sinuous springs or the superior comfort of coil springs.

3. The Cushions: Comfort Meets Longevity

Cushions make the difference between a sofa you love for a few years and one you love for decades.

• Foam Density: A high-density foam (minimum 2 lb per cubic foot) ensures long-lasting durability. Firmer foams last longer, while softer foams offer initial plushness.

• Premium Wraps: Many high-end sofas feature a down-feather wrap or a down-alternative blend around the foam core. This adds a plush, luxurious look and feel.

• Back Cushions: Premium sofas use down or down-alternative fills for superior support and longevity compared to standard poly-fill.

Because we build every sofa to order, you can select your cushion fill based on your comfort preferences.

4. The Design: Style and Comfort in Harmony

The overall shape and size of your sofa matter just as much as what’s inside.

• Seat Depth: Ensure your sofa has a comfortable seat depth that suits your body type.

• Seat Width: Aim for seats at least 23 inches wide for proper comfort.

• Customization: With us, you can adjust shapes, dimensions, and layouts (sectional, loveseat, chaise, etc.) to fit your exact space.

5. The Upholstery: Performance and Detail

Fabric is where design meets function. High-quality upholstery not only looks beautiful but also performs well in everyday life.

• Performance Fabrics: Look for cleaning codes with a “W,” abrasion resistance above 40,000 double rubs, and a pilling class of 4 or 5.

• Finishing Details: Premium sofas show craftsmanship in hidden areas:

  • Padded outside backs (no raw wood feel).

  • No springs detectable by hand beneath the cushions.

  • Clean, precise stitching that follows the contour of the frame.

  • Specialty details like top stitching or baseball stitching that add character.

At Candace & Basil, our customers can choose from thousands of fabrics and finishes — ensuring both performance and beauty.

6. Environmentally Friendly & Safer for Your Home

A true premium sofa should not only be beautiful and durable, but also safe for your family and mindful of the environment. At Candace & Basil, we carefully choose materials that meet strict health and sustainability standards:

• FSC-Certified Hardwood Lumber — responsibly sourced wood that ensures sustainable forestry practices.

• Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Textiles — fabrics tested for harmful substances, safe for you and your home.

• CertiPUR-US® Foam — cushioning free from ozone depleters, heavy metals, and harmful flame retardants.

• OTC-Compliant Non-Toxic Adhesives — safe bonding agents with low VOC emissions.

By building our sofas with these certifications in mind, we create pieces that are not only long-lasting, but also healthier for your home and better for the planet.

Why Custom Matters

When you buy a custom sofa, you’re not settling for “close enough.” You’re choosing exactly what you want:

• Frame material and joinery.

• Suspension system.

• Foam and fill types.

• Fabric and finishing details.

• Size, shape, and layout to suit your space.

Because we build everything in-house, we have maximum flexibility — and you get a sofa that reflects both your lifestyle and your design vision.

Experience the Difference

There’s so much that goes into picking the right sofa — and shopping at the right place, with knowledgeable experts, makes all the difference.

We invite you to visit a Candace & Basil showroom to see and feel the difference for yourself. From the frame to the final stitch, our custom sofas are built to last and designed just for you.

Contact us today for a custom quote or stop by one of our showrooms to begin building your perfect sofa.