Investing in a bespoke sofa or chair is a luxury purchase that requires careful consideration. We want you to be happy with your new furniture for life, so now is the time answer any questions that might be holding you back.

Here’s a list of our customers’ most common queries. It’ll guide you through the entire process of buying bespoke furniture from The Original Chair Company, from picking a sofa to delivery and aftercare.

Read at your leisure, and if your question isn’t listed below please let us know.

We’re a small, friendly team who love getting to know our customers better.

Before you order

Why should I buy from The Original Chair Company?

Simply put: beautiful, supremely comfortable furniture that’s built to last is our speciality.

Hardwood frames, triple dowelled joints, coil springs, horse hair stuffing — these small details set quality, durable furniture apart from mass produced pieces.

Frames and joints are screwed and glued for maximum strength and durability. The horse hair stuffing protects the front edge springs. And hardwood is more durable and environmentally friendly than synthetic materials.

All our furniture is made in Britain by skilled artisans. Once you sit in a luxurious, sturdy chair made by a master craftsman there’s no going back. Plus, you can feel secure knowing that your furniture won’t go tatty after a year. In fact, it’ll look brand-new for decades.

Can I try your furniture before I buy?

Yes — trial the Original Chair Company’s quality furniture at our UK showroom. Be warned, one taste of luxurious comfort will spoil you for life!

If you aren’t local our ‘take to you’ service let’s you test most of our sofas and chairs at your convenience.

Simply call us to book an appointment.

Can I sample fabric?

Of course! To get a sense of whether a fabric is right you need to see and feel it.

Our Fabric Studio contains hundreds of fabrics from designer companies. Get in touch to request samples or visit our showroom in person.

Find us at The Original Chair Company, Unit 62G, Perth Airport Business Park, Perth, PH2 6PL.

Are your fabrics hardwearing?

Our fabric is exceptionally hardwearing. We swear by the Martindale ‘rub test’ which measures the durability of a fabric. Anything below 10,000 won’t sustain heavy use (mass-produced fabric falls into this category) and is best kept for decorative purposes.

Our upholstery has a rub test score of 20,000. This means our sofas and chairs can withstand everyday use without wearing down.

What about stains?

Stains and spills are part of life, but they can ruin the look of your luxury furniture. That’s why we choose to work with fabric companies who offer ‘stain resistance’ as well as ‘performance fabric’ for daily indoor and outdoor use.

In our inspiring studio you can see and feel up close the latest fabric collections, from big name designers to boutique companies. Our experts are always willing to advise on the best fabric to suit your lifestyle and taste.

I need my whole lounge designed but I don’t know where to start. Can you help?

Of course — our free interior design service is available to anyone who purchases our furniture.

Homes should be comfortable and practical, but they can also tell a story about the person who lives there. Using decades of interior design knowledge, we can help you create a beautiful, bespoke home filled with function and personality.

Our founding member Kate will often be the first point of contact when designing your living space. Contact us to discuss your free interior design consultation.

Can I talk to someone before I order?

Absolutely! We’re a small, passionate team with an in-depth knowledge of all our products. Give us a call — Sarah or Moira will be happy to answer any of your questions.

Do you have a catalogue with prices?

Our full catalogue (with prices) is available to browse online.

Can I read customer testimonials?

Our clients have very high standards! We consider ourselves lucky to have received lots of glowing reviews from satisfied customers across the UK.

You can read all our testimonials here.

I have an antique sifa I’d love to restore intead of buying new. Do you offer a re-upholstery service?

Yes, re-upholstery is another speciality of ours. We work with expert craftpeople to lovingly restore beloved family heirlooms or freshen up antiques with new backs, seating, and modern fabric. Inherited furniture comes with special memories; breathe new life into a cherished piece and give it pride of place in your home.

We can arrange a collection and delivery (included in our quote) or you’re welcome to bring your furniture to us.

Guide prices are:

Dining chairs from £135.00

Armchairs from £540.00

Sofas from £745.00

Tailoring furniture to your taste

Can I customise the size of my furniture?

Yes!

Most of our sofas come in three sizes:

• 2 seater (medium sofa)
• 2.5 seater
• 3 seater (large sofa)

Different models are built in different sizes. Many come with optional matching chairs and footstools.

However, we can also take specific measurements from your room and build furniture to your exact space and personal comfort. All our furniture is made by hand so any adjustments to standard frames will cost an extra 10%.

Accompanying footstools can also be tailored and to size.

If you’d like a bespoke size please fill in the enquiry form on the product page and we’ll get back to you.

What fabric can I choose from?

Pure linen, plush velvet, and real leather – our fabric studio offers hundreds of inspiring, high-quality fabrics in different textures and prints.

Our favourites are from Colefax & Fowler, GP & J Baker, Mulberry, Sanderson, Ralph Lauren, Ian Sanderson and Linwood. Please check out their own websites for wonderful inspiration on using their latest fabric collections. We’re also excited to be working with Fermoie, a new fabric range from founders of Farrow & Ball.

The best way to choose a fabric is to see it in person. However, we also offer advice via email, phone, or FaceTime for those who can’t visit the showroom in person.

If you would like complimentary fabric samples, just ask.

Can I customise the legs of my sofa or chair?

Everything at The Original Chair Company is customizable, right down to the castors.

Choose your preferred wood finish, from dark brushed walnut to warm teak, and customise castor colours in luxurious gold or contemporary chrome.

What cushion fillings can I pick from?

We have several options for cushion fillings:

Duck Feather and Down

True luxury – the softest sit we offer! Cushions require daily plumping and weekly turning.

Hollow Fibre

A firmer sit than feather. Cushions require weekly turning and plumping.

Soft foam

A very soft and bouncy cushion with a more tailored finish. It’s a good alternative to feather, requiring less maintenance with one weekly turning..

Featherlux

A large piece of foam surrounded by a pocket of feather on the top and bottom. Featherlux offers the feel of feather but a firmer sit and less maintenance.

Fibrelux

A large piece of foam surrounded by a Hollow Fibre wrap. Gives a firmer sit than Featherlux with a smoother look. Fibrelux requires the least maintenance, although we still recommened plumping.

Where is your furniture made?

Our furniture is made in Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire. Long Eaton is famous for handcrafted furniture. The area has a long history of upholstery, ever since the railway’s train carriages needed upholstered seating! Upholstery skills in this area have never diminished with expert knowledge of the craft maintained through the generations.

Do you offer a curtains and blinds service to complement my furniture?

Yes we do. When you’re updating your lounge or bedroom often the window dressings need a makeover, too. This can be a technical process so we often visit a client’s home to determine the exact style and size of window dressing needed.

Our curtain and blinds services are provided by an experienced, independent team who we’ve worked with for years but we provide the fabric as part of our service to you.

After you order

How ling does the furniture take to make?

Around 8-10 weeks.

As soon as your furniture is ready we aim to deliver it as quickly as possible. Once the courier company collect your furniture from us please allow 14 working days delivery time.

Need furniture immediately? Our showroom is full of ready-made upholstered sofas, chairs, footstools, and headboards. We also provide an array of beautiful scatter cushions and accessories ready to buy.

Delivery information

Where do you deliver to?

We deliver anywhere in the UK. As part of our service we can offer delivery prices and timings that suit you.

We also offer international delivery via shipping companies.

Can I choose my delivery time?

Yes, we can arrange our couriers to arrive at a time that suits you. If you’re unable to be at home for the time slot selected please contact us so we can let the couriers know and arrange a new time.

How do I get the furniture into my home?

We offer local and UK national one or two person delivery. The delivery team take the furniture into your home and ensure it’s correctly positioned.

After your furniture arrives

How do I look after my new furniture?

Our bespoke furniture will see you through many years. However, there are little things you can do to keep your new furniture looking its best.

Regular turning and plumping of cushions will ensure your comfort.

For velvet sofas, brush the pile with a soft bristle brush. This maintain’s velvet’s touchable soft texture! Finally, hoover once a week to remove any dust, hair, or crumbs.

Leather is also surprisingly low maintenance. Simply hoover with a brush attachment, wipe down with a microfibre cloth, and treat every 6-12 months with a leather conditioner.

What if I change my mind?

We hope you’ll be happy with your beautiful, bespoke furniture. However, if you find any fault with the furniture you can return it to us to replace or repair free of charge.

Upon delivery please inspect the furniture for any damage or deficiencies. It is the client’s responsibility to ensure suitable flooring appropriate for furniture with castors. To our best intention all bespoke furniture should be made to the correct dimensions as stated on our website. However a 3cm tolerance is generally accepted with our suppliers due to the individual build of each piece.

All bespoke furniture (designed to your specification) is made especially for you: it is not held in stock. Products that are made especially for you may not be cancelled by you, either before or after delivery. For any other cancellation a 30% cancellation fee will be charged and any money paid out by The Original Chair Company in connection with the order will also be charged.

These conditions in our terms do not in any way affect your statutory rights.