For what an upholster would charge you can probably buy a new sofa with the cushion shape that you want.

Ditto both chispa & Norwood comments.

The back cushion should follow the curve of the arm, and probably did when the sofa was new. A Henredon sofa is very good quality--have you sat in it? It will cost a fair amount to purchase fabric (probably around 20 yards) and pay the labor to reupholster it. BUT if you like it, and you have a good upholsterer, it will be a better quality and last longer than a similar quality purchased new today. And you will be keeping something from going to a landfill :)

Diana, the way the back cushion doesn't follow the arm bothers me as well. They are asking $1,250 for it so it's a bargain compared to new but not a great bargain if I have re-upholster and rework the back cushion.

Personally I'd never buy any upholstered piece unless I was going to have it stripped and reupholstered. Wouldn't want to take the chance that it harbored bedbugs :(

I think the curved back and arm may feel off with a straight sided cushion. Flip cushion and see what you think.

Either the back cushions are freestanding, in which case, what is the structure behind them? Is it curved like the cushions? Or do the cushions jut out beyond a square frame?

The other possibility is that the back is foam attached to the structure/frame and the whole thing is upholstered together. From the pic, my guess is the latter, but it's hard to tell. In that case, to change the curve, you might need a carpenter to build a new back for the sofa, depending on how it is framed.

Further, the cushions have piping. To square them off, the upholsterer would need to carefully pick out and preserve the piping, otherwise, you're looking at all new fabric. Picking out the piping is a tedious, time-consuming job, if you need to preserve the fabric to reuse it. So, in the best of worlds --- freestanding cushions with the curves jutting beyond a square frame (not something I'd think is a particularly good bet, but certainly might be possible) , I suspect you're looking at more money that you expect.

This is how the back cushions should look:

If I purchased it I would definitely reupholster it. I don't want to do it if it would look wonky to to have the upholsterer make the back cushions look more structured.

I suspect the current cushions are knife edge, I "think" the box version would work and look better.

I sent the seller some questions, we will see if he replies.

Believe it or not, I sent a sofa just like that to my upholsterer. It is a 30+ year old Baker, two-cushion, with rolled arms and back cushions that curve over the arms. The back cushions were knife-edged and I told him I wanted box edge cushions. He is going to replace the cushions with sturdier filling--dacron wrapped foam as opposed to the down and feather that squooshes down as you look at it. I actually sent him that photo as well as this one, to make sure he understood exactly what I want:

And once you add a down-filled decorative pillow you won't see that area.

That loveseat on FBM is worth tops $400

I agree with Beverly that it is overpriced on Marketplace. I'd definitely try to get the price down at least to $800. Even that is a lot imo. Used nice stuff is still used.

What I don't love about that sofa is the large wide arms. These days I prefer the look of narrower arms and a larger sitting area. I also like cushions to have a box edge and piping.

I recently ordered a pair of Hickory Chair sofas with this arm. Still "traditional", but an updated streamlined look.

Chispa, I know the arms are not considered stylish but they work for the way I sit and the way I like to relax on the sofa. The arm in your picture would dig into my rib cage and I wouldn't be able to stretch out and rest my head on it. And DH can't sit in a low sofa. We have to choose function over form.

It's a classic rolled arm. Easy for reclining with a pillow. They are not nearly as large as some arms we see today.

I think this sofa has seen better days. I would not invest that much in it. I just dont see how it can be worth it unless you really, really are in love with it. I think the cushions look sad and lumpy.

Cushions can be replaced. It's the frame and the construction that's important. Older sofas from reputable manufacturers have hardwood frames that can withstand reupholstery numerous times. New seating from overseas and sold online are definitely cheaper because they are made with inferior materials and workmanship.

I always wonder about used farric furniture that you cannot see in person and honestly $ 400 would be my top offer . I agree if well made and you can afford to upholster and it still beats going shopping I guess do it. I would never buy a sofa I have not sat on.

Do you already have an upholsterer you work with? If so, send them the pic and ask if they have ideas on whether or not the curved frame can be tamed. Good upholsterers are true woodworkers and depending on how the sofa is constructed, they may be able to bring it in.

If you like the arms but don't want them to be quite as voluptuous, they should be able to tame that too. I had a used Baker from EBay and my upholstered was able to change the arms.

I don't think that sitting on the sofa matters as much as checking it out by tugging the arms and seeing how the frame lifts off the ground. An upholsterer can tighten those things up, but if it is a flimsy frame, it's not worth reupholstering. (Given this is Henredon, I suspect it is a good fram.) An upholster can change how a sofa sits. (Though if it is too deep or too shallow that is a problem.) .