Thats quite a spread on brand quality in that list! At the risk of sounding like a broken record here on the forums, here's the best (not the cheapest, you indicated you were looking for the BEST) that I've ever come across that fits your description of what you are looking for and is 100 % made in the USA in leather or fabric. (see link)

The best mechanisms in the industry are simply Leggett and Platt. If thats important, look for their label on the sofabed metal framework, it will be in the form of a hologram to prevent copying of their brand logo.

A good sleeper will not feel like it has a frame under the seat cushions when sitting on the piece, and yet when folded out to use as a bed you should not be able to feel any of the metal underframe support through the bedding.

Duane Collie

Here is a link that might be useful: City Sofa Sleeper 90

Duane,

Thank you very much for your prompt response!

I did find in your other musings that Hankock & Moore are fantastic. So out of my list above, and I realize that some of those are crap from reading their own sites and threads on this forum, does anything compare to H&M quality?

Should we persist in trying to find a sleeper with a chaise or will it not be a sturdy, quality piece?

As for Leggett and Platt, do they make their own sleepers or just manufacture the mechanism for other brands? If other brands, which ones?

All this shopping around is giving me a serious case of the blues because there is so little of quality any more! And I still need an entertainment center and dining room furniture. In these current circumstances, I'm going to end up broke in an insane asylum!

Whoops! I missed the part about the chaise attached to the sleeper. To my knowledge, no one makes anything like that. The sleeper mechanism needs an arm section on both sides to bolt into because there is a lot of stress on the frame when it opens/closes. With a chaise it can't have that frame to tie into, so thats why you don't see things like that in the marketplace, there is nothing to bolt to on the one side.

Leggett and Platt is a supplier of metal mechanisms, they don't make their own upholstery pieces, but you will find their components in most the upper tier brands of furniture.
They offer lifetime warranties on most all their mechanisms, so if one wears out or breaks (happens more often in recliners than sleep sofas) they replace them. I only carry lines of motion furniture with L&P mechanisms in them, and thats one of the first things I ask a sales rep about.

There are some good brands in your list (Southwood, Taylor King, etc) and some not so good ones as well (Ashley, Lane, etc), but its difficult to really rate them all without putting some serious effort into studying internal construction components and method of assembly.

Quality is still out there. Quality at cheap Costco-like prices is not. FYI, my core customer base over the past 20+ years has not been the wealthy, as they all use decorators. Its folks in the middle to upper-middle class base that buy one or two high quality pieces a year and are willing to wait until they afford the good pieces. So they don't complete their decorating as quickly, but they tend to shop with me year after year and when I walk into their homes I'm sometime taken aback at how nicely furnished it is with pieces they purchased from me that I had long forgotten about. Over ten to fifteen years, they have accumulated great pieces. Not saying thats 'the way' but it is one way to go.

Duane Collie

So stick to hardwood, kiln-dried frames and look for L&P mechanism.

What is engineered hardwood? I searched your great Furniture 101 thread but could not find the info. Some companies use that for their frames. Good? Just ok? Stay away?

Engineered hardwood is a term given to a special form of hardwood plywood, that passes specific strength and durability tests to be used in furniture making.

While its certainly strong (and less expensive than solid wood) there are a couple of reasons some makers do not use it. One is that by nature it requires a lot of glue and adhesive to keep all those layers together, and typically that kind of glue is formaldehyde-based, i.e, toxic outgassing. That bothes some, others say its of little concern. Another reason some don't care for it is that it cannot hole screws as well as solids, and they can loosen over time.

Some makes like Flexsteel use Engineered Hardwoods extensively, others may use just small pieces of it where there is a lot of load-bearing on the section, but it doesn't require screws or lags to hold a main structural component.

I prefer hardwood frames myself, but I have to say I've had no customer complaints on pieces that use ther laminates.

Duane Collie

I'd go with a Jaymar. Built right, great sleeper options.

Actually, American Leather does a sleeper sofa with chaise in a "queen plus" size. See link and check out their spec sheets.

Here is a link that might be useful: American Leather Sleeper Sofas

The only way I can envision this (chaise / sleep sofa combo) is to have it as a modular unit to get it in the home, then hook it up. That means a sectional unit. I did find this however which works on that kind of concept (see link)

-Duane Collie

Here is a link that might be useful: Sleepers wtih sectionals

It isn't the manufacturer of the sofa but the mattress that is important. I have a Kingsdown sleeper mattress in my Pearson sofa. It is a spring mattress and very very confortable.

We purchased an American Upholstery sleeper sofa for many of the same reasons that you listed - we wanted something "transitional" in style and that had a "normal" sized mattress. We have not yet slept on the mattress, but are pleased with the feel and construction of the sofa.

Crate and Barrel sells the queen plus sofa sleeper with chaise. Macy's also sells at least one of the sleeper sofa models. Of course, you can find other local retailers on their website.

Hope this helps!

Thank you all for your feedback and advice.

I love the au concept! Unfortunately, the darn thing will not fit through my door without being taken apart and my husband refuses to watch that again!

It seems that we have found what we want in style and quality at Jensen Lewis in NYC. They offer a Cerrito sleeper with a chaise. This company supposedly manufactures its products in the US using hardwood, kiln dried frames (I have serious trust issues! - LOL).

Here's the link to their site: http://www.cerritofurniture.com/about.htm

And here's the link to the store site showing the style of the sleeper we like: http://www.jensen-lewis.com/product.php?pid=00000961

It will cost about $3900 for 103" sleeper/chaise and take about 6 weeks. Is this a good deal?

Should I upgrade to the blend down cushions or is that not really an upgrade?

Any one have any experience with Cerrito furniture? I would hate to spend this kind of money for crap. :(

Thanks again! This is such a great forum!

P.S. Jaymar uses engineered hardwoods - I'm scared of that.

One more thing...

Is Carter Furniture any good? They claim to use solid hardwoods for the frames which they manufacture in their own plant in North Carolina.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carter

The Jaymar frame is hardwood. Plywood might be used in areas not part of the core frame, but I think that's mostly on reclining units. Possibly on the front rail of a sleepr also. Anyways in over 15 years of selling their products we've never had a frame go bad. In customers' homes I've seen horrible sofas by "respected" brands like Drexel and Emerson. Jaymar is a brand to seek out, not avoid.

Carter makes a very good product. We used to sell them, including their sleepers, until our businesses went in different directions.

At your suggestion, I checked out the Jaymar site again. They do not provide a dealer locator. How am I supposed to find who sells their product in NYC area? Why does it seem like a secret?

Many furniture companies do not list their dealers on their web sites to prevent customers from calling around for the best price. I personally don't agree with that policy, but that's the way it is.

I happen to know of a most excellent Jaymar dealer you can contact about that sleep sofa, and he will ship to you in NYC via white glove service. Oster Furniture in Morton Grove, IL. Ask for Steve. He contributes to this Garden Web forum from time to time (wink), contact info from their web site.

-Duane Collie

Here is a link that might be useful: Oster Furniture

Duane,

Thank you for the link and the offer.

I did some more googling and managed to find a store that carries Jaymar (as well as Carter). Turns out, it's the same store where I saw that Cerrito sleeper sectional. I have to go there again to take a closer look at all three. So I went from no options to three. Decisions, decisions! Which one should I choose?

Okay, I think we found our sleeper sectional.

Just checked out the Tyler model by Carter: hardwood frame, made in the US. The bed mechanism had an L&P sticker on the frame so even though I did not see the hologram, I'm guessing it's not a fake. Right?

I can get th queen sleeper for $975 and chaise for $665 plus tax, handling and shipping.

How does this sound to you guys?

Here is a link that might be useful: Tyler Sleeper Sectionl by Carter

Sounds like a really good deal, I'd take it.

After much research and bugging you guys here, I placed the order for the sectional sleeper with chaise. I chose the Tyler model from Carter. The total came to $2,029 with grade C fabric. I chose the standard mattress and cushions but I am looking into how much more the HR foam cushions are - I was so overwhelmed last night I forgot about that! I saved over $1,000 over retail. I should receive my sectional in 8 to 10 weeks.

I would like to thank all of you for your suggestions and expert opinions. You have been tremendously helpful!

Have a great weekend!

My Tyler sleeper sectional from Carter arrived on Monday - weeks ahead of schedule! (It wasn't due to ship until June 12th.)

It looks great, the fabric is really nice and it feels very comfortable so far. I haven't slept on the mattress yet, only laid down on it.

The only issue I have is that when I opened the sleeper again (after the delviery people left, of course), I noticed that the black fabric that's used as backing has "disconnected" inside the back and is partially hanging down in one corner but can only be seen while opening the bed. How can that be fixed? Should I do it myself (meaning, should my husband do it) or call someone?

Dear NYC LOVER,
When I read your original posting asking for advice on a sleeper sofa/chaise I was happy to see it was the exact same thing I am looking for- style, size and everything! It's funny because I actually just came home from Jensen Lewis where I found the Cadet by Cerrito. It is the one I like the best, but it is just so expensive. I saw one at Macy's- Portofino by Max Home for only $1200. It seems comfortable and has a great flip-flop chaise so you can switch sides, but I am scared of the quality and I can't find much information about it online. I wonder why some couches are close to $4000 and others are only around $1000.
I am very curious to know why you chose the Tyler by Carter. Did you see it at Jensen Lewis? I looked at it online and love the look, but what are the dimensions? I couldn't tell from the website. It seems like it might be 117" with the chaise. I can't go over 110." Also, you mentioned you saved $1000 over retail. How? Do you know if it is possible to find the Cerrito sofa online for less? I must decide soon if I should just buy the Cerrito or keep looking.

Here is a link that might be useful: Max Home sofa