Research the manufacturer & that is where you will find the information about the construction of the frame or is 8 way hand tied. The retailer has no control over that & if the sales person is inexperienced you could be given incorrect information from them.

I agree with Elite Interiors. Manufacture websites offer a ton of up to date information about their products. Any experienced sales person should be able to answer any of your questions about the products they sell. Carolina Custom Furniture is a small furniture manufacturer located in North Carolina. From what I have seen in their showroom in High Point,NC their furniture is considered medium high end. There are many retailers that offer free delivery and no tax in CA. I would advise checking out any company through blogs, social media and the BBB to make sure they are conducting business on the up on a day to day basis. Solid hardwood frames are always the best but make sure they are kiln dried and knot free. This will give you many years vs if they are not the life of the frame will not be a long.

I live in Texas, and last year I purchased a leather sectional from Maple's Leather Furniture. I dealt with the owner, Zoe, and she was very nice. The sectional arrived within 8 weeks, right before Thanksgiving 2014. The Delivery company they used was excellent, I was a bit worried since I have read quite not so good reviews regarding the delivery company (D&D Delivery), but I was thoroughly impressed with them, Two guys came and actually carried the heavy sectional from the side curb (where they parked) to my townhouse (a corner unit). I would have allowed them to park right outside my townhome. Anyways they unwrapped everything, and threw all packaging materials away, left my house spotless. They also made sure my right arm facing chaise is connected properly with the 3-seater sofa.

Now about the quality. The leather is very thick and soft, exactly to my preference. The chaise is wider than most chaise, the seating area is 36" wide, excluding the arm. The 3-seater sofa is exactly 25" wide and 21" deep (not including the back cushions). This part I love it.

Now the cons (nothing major but I would want to mention it for the sake of honest review).

There seems to be exposed stitches all around, nothing loose (YET) but it is visible. I immediately contacted Zoe and she said not to worry about it, don't cut it, and since it's double looped/stitched, those stitches should not come off.

The back of the leather sofa, there are 3 vertical stitching line that do not align. Not a deal breaker, just want to point it out. Since I cover the back of my sofa with a throw, it's not visible at all.

Lastly the one that worry me the most is there are a few spots on the sectional that the leather dye/finish/coloring have seem to come off, so there are lighter white spots that are peeking through. You will see in my pics. I am pretty sure there are ways to fix this, I have emailed Zoe with my concern and I am still waiting for her to reply. I will post an update once I hear from her.

All in All, this sofa is a great quality, I researched many companies, looked at countless sofas, and read through zillion reviews before finally deciding on Maple's Leather Furniture. I am glad I chose it.

If you would like me to send you the pics, please provide me an email address.

Good luck.

I am not familiar with the current lines that Maples carries, but I can tell you this. Their service is beyond reproach. You can feel confident in having the same great customer service a decade after the sale. I have. I purchased a sofa from them online in 2006 and still enjoy their service. Good luck!