The U.S. is rich with a heritage of furniture manufacturers who started with some tools and a dream. Choosing which one is right for you will be based on personal style, taste and pocketbook.

“Shopping for Furniture: A Consumer's Guide” by Leonard Bruce Lewin offers the consumer a handy tool to take them through the process of making the big furniture buying decisions. Reviewing more than 30 furniture manufacturers, Lewin provides detailed information on which manufacturers are considered low, medium and high-end; how to distinguish good design and quality construction; why there are price differences between seemingly identical furniture pieces and when to buy versus when to walk away. Published in 1998, Lewin’s book can be found online quite inexpensively and is a worthy purchase.

When shopping for furniture, sometimes the best place to start is close to home. A quick scan of any yellow pages will produce a listing of furniture manufacturers and retailers in your geography. Some of the larger retailers may carry multiple brands, which will give you the opportunity to brand and price shop. If you are shopping for upholstered, leather or mahogany furniture (as examples), when you check out the furniture of interest, check the furniture joints and stitching. How well are the pieces put together? Do they feel sturdy? Do you see any potential flaws? Although some of these issues could be written off as wear and tear on floor models, don’t take it for granted, make sure that anything you purchase comes with a guarantee that the furniture will be free from defects.

Types Of Furniture Manufacturers

When choosing furniture, one of the most important things to take into consideration is how the individual pieces will be used.

For example, office furniture comes in a variety of materials and prices. In many cases, the heavier the furniture piece, the sturdier it will be and often, the more expensive. So, if you are looking for a desk that will see a tremendous amount of use, but will never move once it’s been placed in the room, you could potentially invest in a mid-price range desk that won’t fall apart with repeated use and will last you several years.

For upholstered furniture, if you are replacing a sofa, you may want to look into some of the newer microfibers that hold up better against stains, children and animals versus an occasional use chair that could be upholstered in a lovely silk or chenille.

Leather furniture makers can be found at different levels. The type of grain and leather will determine the price.

Wood manufacturers can be found in most every retail chain and regionally. Options range in the type of wood, finishes and quality of wood. For those who are more ecologically conscious, the growing trend toward sustainable woods has enabled some furniture manufacturers to offer eco-friendly wood furniture that looks fabulous, but they are often more expensive.