Design on a Budget

Finally someone has figured out how to offer a high-quality, American-made sofa at a value price.

By: Beth Newcomb
Date: 03/05/2010
We’ve all heard the saying, “You get what you pay for.” Browse the showroom floor of any chain furniture store for a sofa and the meaning behind that phrase becomes glaringly apparent. A sea of imports with appealing designs belies the fact that beneath substandard fabrics and scant foam cushions are frames with staples and glue.

These sofas are not designed to last, and the prices reflect that purpose.

Better furniture, on the other hand, typically boasts quality frames, complex support mechanisms, thick cushions, and fabrics sturdy enough to take the user into the next decade—and beyond.

You might get what you pay for, but what if you cannot afford to pay a lot?

Dimitroff’s Furniture & Design has about 20 new answers to that question.

The landmark shop, located in Bath, and owned by Nick and Pat Dimitroff, recently added Next Generations by Harden to its offerings. Pat, the store’s resident design expert, says the value-priced line offers all of the design appeal today’s discriminating buyers are looking for—at hundreds less than its high quality counterparts.

“Harden Furniture is an American manufacturer of what I consider to be the absolute best sofas,” she says. “They have eight-way hand tied springs, solid wood frames, and luxurious fabrics with a higher thread count.”

In response to demand in the marketplace, Harden has introduced Next Generations, a compilation of the company’s most popular designs, available in roughly 200 different fabric choices. There are also about 20 different chair styles and one sectional style. The difference between a “higher end” Harden sofa and one from the Next Generations line? About $800.

“You’ll pay less for one of these sofas, but you aren’t sacrificing one bit of the quality,” she assures. “If you want to call 200 fabric styles on 20 sofa options limited, they’ve limited the choices to certain options. By streamlining the ordering process, these sofas are able to be manufactured in a less costly fashion, with the savings passed on to the consumer.”

And if the last of the winter chill has you longing to update your living space, on a budget that’s still in a deep freeze, Pat says investing in custom pillows is an ideal way to make a change.

“For just a few dollars you can entirely alter the look of any room,” she reveals, noting that Dimitroff’s carries hundreds of different fabrics in its “Fabric Gallery,” with an equally impressive number of trims. The Next Generations sofa pictured above comes with five pillows. You can achieve the same impact by scattering different sizes of custom-made pillows across a sofa that you may already have.

“Buy the fabric and I’ll tell you how to make the pillows, or we can have them made for you,” she offers. Design services at Dimitroff’s are offered for just $85, which is then credited to your purchase.
“Tell us what your budget is and we’ll help you make choices that work within those guidelines,” she adds. “You don’t have to spend a lot to make a big impact.”

And with spring just around the corner, Pat suggests that now is the time to consider the design of your outdoor space. “We carry different lines of outdoor furniture in all price points,” she says. “We’ll come out and measure, help you determine what you need, place the order, and then store it for you at no charge. That way, when the warm weather finally hits, you won’t have to miss a minute of it.”

Dimitroff’s Furniture & Design is located at 981 Ghent Road, near I-77. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. You can learn more at  www.DimitroffsFurnishings.com.

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