Handmade Sofas

Making Sofas

• Making handmade furniture requires skilled craftsmanship. Sofa frames should be custom-made, according to the website of the George Smith company, an international manufacturer of handmade sofas since the early 19th century, as well as “hand-jointed and built to exact specifications.” The steel springs are hand-tied, and boar bristle is used as the main stuffing material covered by cotton padding. A hand-sewn muslin pad secures the whole before being covered by hand-cut and stitched fabric.

Building the Frame

• While the frame of a sofa is fairly basic, it determines the final shape and style of the piece. Quality handmade sofa frames are crafted from prime, seasoned beech or birch wood. If the frame makes use of hardwood, the board should be kiln-dried to remove the moisture and prevent future warping. The baseboard should be a minimum of 1 1/4 inches thick to avoid squeaking when in use. The frame of a handmade sofa should be five-legged, with four corner legs and a fifth in the center of the piece that are built into the frame, instead of screwed into it.

Springs

• A spring system made up of S-type coiled steel springs running from front to back is standard in a quality sofa. In handmade models, the springs are made from heavy steel hand-tied into wide bands of interwoven jute webbing, in eight positions. This provides balanced weight distribution for maximum comfort.

Stuffing

• Handmade sofas are stuffed with boar bristle or similar material to cover and cushion the springs. A combination of cotton and feathers is spread in layers over the entire frame to provide comfortable padding. At George Smith, craftsmen then hand-stitch a muslin pad into place to secure the padding and provide a base for the upholstery.

Upholstery

• A variety of upholstery fabrics can be used to cover the sofa, according to the buyer’s specifications. Whether the handmade sofa you choose has leather, suede, velvet or raw silk, check that the stitching is even and the piping lines up correctly. If the sofa uses patterned fabric, the pattern should flow across the whole piece, seams should be located out of sight and the same fabric should be used throughout.