When it comes to modern home decor trends, sectional sofas have become an extremely popular choice and the established alternative to the classic three-piece combination of a sofa and two armchairs. However, as they are more complex to manufacture and priced segment by segment, they often end up being more expensive than an equivalent corner sofa or traditional loveseat. So why do modular sofas come with these extra costs?
The first port of call when trying to understand why a higher price is warranted has to be the manufacturing process itself. Usually, the five key stages of the sofa manufacturer are design, frame construction, upholstery, top cover, and finishing. As each of these stages requires a very different set of skills, sofas are traditionally made in artisan workshops or mass manufacturing facilities where specialist teams work together to accomplish each stage of the process. Consequently, from concept to completion, every aspect of a sofa requires a certain investment of time and financial resources.
When it comes to modular sofas, this process must be carried out segment by segment, effectively dividing a single piece into three or four separate smaller sofa-like items. Not only does this require a higher level of performance, but it also increases the probability of defects, which in turn comes at a cost to the business. With a variety of segment options to design from corners to benches to chaise longue segments, it is also extremely important to accurately forecast demand to ensure modular sofas can be sold as a complete arrangement without excess inventory building up. to be settled at a discount.
Additional features can also make modular sofas much more expensive than conventional units. For example, many modular sofas now feature a built-in smartphone or tablet docking station that adds extra cost to the production process, as the product must go through additional security checks when sold as an appliance. Even when no extra features are included, the associated costs of a modular sofa can still add up if an expensive fabric or leather top cover is used, simply because of the greater surface area to build a sofa from three to four upholstered and segmented cutlery. In short, there are many things that can quickly increase the price of modular furniture in the blink of an eye.
However, perhaps the final reason why modular sofas tend to be more expensive is that they are normally sold on the market as a luxury product that is more suitable for large open-plan urban apartments that tend to be occupied and owned. of wealthier consumer demographics. . As the object of great admiration and excellent design, it is also worth mentioning that modular sofas are favored by many of the world’s leading furniture designers, architects and interior planners as the choice of design purists within an industry that is increasingly more plagued by a race to the bottom in terms of value.
Hopefully this quick overview provides a number of explanations as to why modular sofas always seem to be so much more expensive than equivalent units that don’t feature their unique segmented design, but are instead built as a single upholstered product in the traditional way. Of the piece.