ClearLake Furniture Blog

September 20, 2009

Upholstery: The “cushier” side of ClearLake

Our marketing maven Sue has been bugging me to write more about our upholstery. She says people don’t realize that we also sell upholstered furniture that reflects the same quality of our custom-crafted hardwood pieces.

Maybe I spend so much time in the workshop beneath our showroom that I don’t see these pieces coming and going so quickly. I know the upholstered furniture is wonderful, even though I’m not usually permitted to sit in it because of my sawdust-covered pants.

Since Sue is also a customer, I suggested that she should stop nagging me and use that energy to write about our collection of Smith Brothers Upholstery furniture herself so I could get back to the workshop, So, here is what she gave me:

Our family purchased a new recliner from ClearLake Furniture for my 85 year-old father for Christmas. He was thrilled to get a replacement for the tired, old chair in which he has been spending his days, where he eats, watches (and yells at) the television, and snuggles his beloved poodle. I think my mother was even happier to see that old chair go to a local charity. But let me tell you about the process of getting this chair, because I think THIS is what truly distinguishes ClearLake Furniture from its competitors:

Hannah took the time to help me choose the chair and showed me the exceptional construction of both the frame and the cushions. Then she guided me through the fabric choice, wisely helping me pull out swatches that reflected the wall colors and other pieces in the living room so we could find the fabric that would work the best. She was fantastic!
Once I ordered the chair, Barbara stayed in touch and let me know when it arrived at the shop — a week earlier than expected! She went to great pains to coordinate the shipping with me.
The delivery men showed up right on time. That, in itself, is a phenomenon in these days of “we’ll be there between noon and whenever.” They were very careful with the chair and extremely friendly, even after the long day they had already endured.

ClearLake Furniture is not just a furniture maker. You are a team of highly talented professionals who make the experience more memorable!

Here’s one more compliment for you. Both my sister and sister-in-law said the recliner was so beautiful that they would want it in THEIR homes — and if you knew how picky both of these women are, you’d know this is the highest compliment!

So, when re you going to start telling the world about your wonderful upholstered furniture???

Thanks, Sue, I think you just did!

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July 29, 2009

Smith Brothers joins our furniture family.

Filed under: How to shop for furniture, The New ClearLake Blog! — Tags: ClearLake Furniture, lifetime warranty, Smith Brothers of Berne, upholstered furniture — admin @ 8:13 pm

There are a lot of comings and goings in our ClearLake Furniture showroom, particularly with our upholstered pieces, which come in on an almost weekly basis, but then disappear from the showroom with equal speed.

Smith Brothers of Berne’s upholstery has proven to be the right addition to our furniture “family”. When we were looking to expand our choices in this area, we looked at a lot of companies but none came so close to our own business mission as Smith Brothers. The quality craftsmanship, timeless designs, and attention to detail and personal service were a solid match with our own.

We looked at many companies and got a lesson in furniture buying! There is a vast difference in the construction of upholstered furniture, just like with hardwood pieces. But at least with our hardwood furniture, you can see every bit of the construction. With upholstery, you can be so easily distracted by the fabric and style that you might miss some of the simple flaws.

Here’s what I like about Smith Brothers of Berne and, more importantly, why YOU should, too:

The frames are made of kiln-dried hardwood maple to resist warping, which can occur from household humidity.
Smith Brothers’ coil spring suspension is machine-tied for maximum durability.
The suspension features an elevated front support edge for better sitting and longer life.
Each seat is individually supported and floated over the frame.
The legs are built-in so they won’t loosen or break.
The back and seat cushions are polyester-wrapped, which adds plushness and prevents the covers from slipping around the foam core.

When you’re shopping for upholstered furniture, be sure to compare these features with the pieces you’re considering. And if they can’t offer a lifetime warranty, be sure to ask why!

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