Furniture

emily1004 · January 2016

I'm looking for good quality, so I will be able to keep it for years to come. Any recommendations on good quality furniture that won't cost me a fortune. Preferably, nothing I have to put together on my own. I need a place with a showroom as well. I've had bad luck ordering online. I love the furniture from Arhaus, but I just can't wrap my head and wallet around spending that much on furniture, even when it's on sale. Also, I love a lot of things about Restoration Hardware, but the furniture is really not my taste.

AprilZ81 · January 2016

Unfortunately "good quality" and "inexpensive" are really hard to do.

Are you looking for a dining room table? Bedroom furniture? Couches?

I've ordered from Rooms to Go about 7-8 years ago. I ordered a living room and bedroom set and outside of some broken drawers in a dresser (DH pushes down on them too hard) they are all in good condition still. They have been moved twice as well. They are mainly in the Southeast I belive and I'm sad I can't go there to get new furniture now because we are going to be in the market for some soon.

I've also had decent luck at Ashley Furniture, but they also sell some cheap stuff so be careful.

hoffse · January 2016

Look for galleries that sell Henredon, Stickley, Drexel, Thomasville, etc. Those brands might be out of your price range, but odds are if the gallery carries those brands they will have others that are also very nice (but maybe not quite as expensive).

I actually grew up in the town that had one of the largest furniture galleries in the southeast. Literally it was warehouse after warehouse of furniture all in one huge complex. You could spend all day there. People from Chattanooga and Atlanta would shop there. I didn't realize how unique it was until I moved to Bham and faced similar problems in finding good furniture.

Also ask around and see if there are places that sell good antiques. We have a few places where the owners have just piles of furniture, but there are some seriously cool things buried in the heap if you can tolerate searching for it. H and I went to one place this weekend (in between his trial prep) and found some narrow antique church pews that we are thinking of buying for our living room to provide some extra seating along a really long wall. They were only $200 each and would provide a wow factor.

Xstatic3333 · January 2016

I've had my best furniture shopping experiences at a large New England chain (Jordan's, just in case you're in the area). It's all "forever furniture," so nicer than Ikea, but with a good variety of price points from entry level to luxury. As we've been slowly replacing our Ikea stuff, that's where we tend to go. The salespeople there are incredibly knowledgeable without being pushy. Are there any large chains like that in your area? We can't furniture shop online either, though I do like to use websites for advance research.

In a world where money is no object, we would get our furniture at Crate and Barrel. I love, love, love their style, but most of it is a little too expensive for us. We did buy two pieces there, on sale, with some of our wedding gift money, and have been very pleased with the quality in the two or so years we have had them.

julieanne912 · January 2016

I had a sofa made by Klaussner that I was pretty happy with. I bought it at a local store in Chicago, but if you go on Klaussner's site they have a store locator. It was almost 10 years ago but it was around $1500 for a 10 foot long sectional sofa with chaise. I only got rid of it because I was moving cross country and it would have taken up a lot of space on the moving truck and in storage once I got to my destination. Wish I still had it though.

I agree that looking at maybe a local store or local chain might be your best bet. The store I purchased from in Chicago was called Roy's. Around here in CO there is Woodley's, their stuff is nice.

I also agree w/ the suggestion of Crate and Barrel, if that's in your price point (it's cheaper than Restoration Hardware and Arhaus, but still not cheap).

julieanne912 · January 2016

Another suggestion might be to look for good used furniture in the brands like hoffse suggested, or Ethan Allen. Even if the fabric may not be your style, the bones of those furniture makers are excellent, and you can pay to have it recovered.

cbee817 · January 2016

We have a few pieces from Pottery Barn, LLBean, and Bassett- the PB stuff seems to hold up better than Bassett, LLBean are smaller items (bedside tables, bookshelves) and our bed frame. Our dining room table and chairs are Stickley- huge investment but we'll never need to replace it and it's our favorite piece that we own. We also don't have an eat in kitchen (house was built in the 1920's), so it's used 2-3 times a day. We also have a few older pieces from family- wooden, mission style rocking chair, velvet wingback chair, tiffany lamp, enamel top table (used for my sewing machine), etc. All of our dressers came from an unfinished furniture company- they're oak and I stained them all- they're really nice and sturdy and no assembly needed. For the girls, their bed frames, bedside tables, and bench under their window are from target (Jenny Lind-like head and foot boards- comparable to Land of Nod but like 1/4 the price) and some of their toy storage is from IKEA- it works for now.. as they get older/possibly don't share a room anymore, we'll think about better quality pieces for them.

emily1004 · January 2016

I almost forgot, my bedroom furniture is old Ethan Allen. I replaced the hardware on it a few years ago and it looks wonderful. I do need a headboard. I will have to check out their showroom. I'm willing to spend a little money, but not $8K for a sectional alone. I am looking for all new furniture and rugs for the living room. Including, chair, ottoman, sectional couch, tables, 12X9 rug and two bookshelves. I would also like a new dinning room set with seating for 6. I would also need a new rug, writing desk and accent chair for the office. I am willing to go a little at a time.

jessica490 · January 2016

The stores we have with good furniture are:

Ashley Furniture

Pilgrim Furniture

Puritan Furniture

Raymour and Flannigan

I should check our Jordan's as someone mentioned above...we just had 1 open up in CT somewhere...

cbee817 · January 2016

emily1004 said:

I almost forgot, my bedroom furniture is old Ethan Allen. I replaced the hardware on it a few years ago and it looks wonderful. I do need a headboard. I will have to check out their showroom. I'm willing to spend a little money, but not $8K for a sectional alone. I am looking for all new furniture and rugs for the living room. Including, chair, ottoman, sectional couch, tables, 12X9 rug and two bookshelves. I would also like a new dinning room set with seating for 6. I would also need a new rug, writing desk and accent chair for the office. I am willing to go a little at a time.

I love Pottery Barn rugs- they're usually 100% wool and they really hold up. Patterns are nice too- nothing too crazy, but add nice interest to the room. Definitely recommend!

BlueBirdMB · January 2016

I've tried all my local and national chains at one time or another and the best luck I've had with good quality have been West Elm and Ethan Allan. It's not cheap (although I've gotten some pretty darn good West Elm sales), but it's worth the money. I also adore my Calligaris dining table and my mom has had one for years and it still looks brand new, but you have to like modern style for that.

julieanne912 · January 2016

Just a heads up, I haven't owned any West Elm upholstery but I've owned a few wood pieces and they aren't what I would call long lasting good quality pieces. I had a beautiful dining console that just fell apart after a few moves. Good quality furniture won't fall apart like that.

RosieC18 · January 2016

hoffse said:

I actually grew up in the town that had one of the largest furniture galleries in the southeast. Literally it was warehouse after warehouse of furniture all in one huge complex. You could spend all day there. People from Chattanooga and Atlanta would shop there. I didn't realize how unique it was until I moved to Bham and faced similar problems in finding good furniture.

Are you talking about Greenfront? We just bought a rug there over Christmas. They have *amazing* selection but boy it can be overwhelming.

hoffse · January 2016

RosieC18 said:

I actually grew up in the town that had one of the largest furniture galleries in the southeast. Literally it was warehouse after warehouse of furniture all in one huge complex. You could spend all day there. People from Chattanooga and Atlanta would shop there. I didn't realize how unique it was until I moved to Bham and faced similar problems in finding good furniture.

Are you talking about Greenfront? We just bought a rug there over Christmas. They have *amazing* selection but boy it can be overwhelming.

Dalton, GA - carpet capital of the world (yes, really). The carpet/flooring industry there supported some pretty good home decor and furniture businesses for many years.

kmurphy2131 · January 2016

Xstatic3333 said:

I've had my best furniture shopping experiences at a large New England chain (Jordan's, just in case you're in the area). It's all "forever furniture," so nicer than Ikea, but with a good variety of price points from entry level to luxury. As we've been slowly replacing our Ikea stuff, that's where we tend to go. The salespeople there are incredibly knowledgeable without being pushy. Are there any large chains like that in your area? We can't furniture shop online either, though I do like to use websites for advance research.

In a world where money is no object, we would get our furniture at Crate and Barrel. I love, love, love their style, but most of it is a little too expensive for us. We did buy two pieces there, on sale, with some of our wedding gift money, and have been very pleased with the quality in the two or so years we have had them.

on the off chance you are in the area OP, I will second jordans furniture. something to look at if you aren't in the area is if anywhere has an outlet to their store. Jordans has an outlet area in their regular stores and its amazing - we got a couch that was custom made for someone who changed their mind and it is a huge sectional that was cheaper than ikea!

JoanE2012 · January 2016

We've bought all of our furniture at non-chain stores. The quality is probably middle of the road. I don't need top of the line, especially for seating - I find that if it's well used, it will get worn eventually - and for me, I'll probably want something new in 10 years anyway.

I have had good luck with rugs at Crate & Barrel, both in quality and MM. I found a 9x12 on sale for $999. Bought it, and a week later it went on clearance for $499. Called up and they refunded the difference. It's one of my favorite rugs.

Xstatic3333 · January 2016

jessica490 said:

The stores we have with good furniture are:
Ashley Furniture
Pilgrim Furniture
Puritan Furniture
Raymour and Flannigan
I should check our Jordan's as someone mentioned above...we just had 1 open up in CT somewhere...

It's a lot of fun. In addition to furniture, most of them have attractions of some sort. The one near where I used to live in MA had an IMAX Theatre (where you have to walk through the furniture showrooms to leave at the end of the night) and the one in RI has some sort of laser show. A few of them give out free popcorn and Mardis Gras beads at the door. It's a genius marketing attempt that has totally worked on us-make it a fun place for kids to be, and create reasons for young adults to go before they are in the market for nice furniture to create positive associations for later. If we're near by one, we'll honestly just go to walk around and browse even when we're not in the market for furniture.

kmurphy2131 · January 2016

Xstatic3333 said:

jessica490 said:

The stores we have with good furniture are:
Ashley Furniture
Pilgrim Furniture
Puritan Furniture
Raymour and Flannigan
I should check our Jordan's as someone mentioned above...we just had 1 open up in CT somewhere...

It's a lot of fun. In addition to furniture, most of them have attractions of some sort. The one near where I used to live in MA had an IMAX Theatre (where you have to walk through the furniture showrooms to leave at the end of the night) and the one in RI has some sort of laser show. A few of them give out free popcorn and Mardis Gras beads at the door. It's a genius marketing attempt that has totally worked on us-make it a fun place for kids to be, and create reasons for young adults to go before they are in the market for nice furniture to create positive associations for later. If we're near by one, we'll honestly just go to walk around and browse even when we're not in the market for furniture.

the one near us has trapeze classes & a "jelly belly" factory. it's the weirdest things..but yup, we have gone to jordans for the experience even when not looking for furniture

Xstatic3333 · January 2016

kmurphy2131 said:

Xstatic3333 said:

jessica490 said:

The stores we have with good furniture are:
Ashley Furniture
Pilgrim Furniture
Puritan Furniture
Raymour and Flannigan
I should check our Jordan's as someone mentioned above...we just had 1 open up in CT somewhere...

It's a lot of fun. In addition to furniture, most of them have attractions of some sort. The one near where I used to live in MA had an IMAX Theatre (where you have to walk through the furniture showrooms to leave at the end of the night) and the one in RI has some sort of laser show. A few of them give out free popcorn and Mardis Gras beads at the door. It's a genius marketing attempt that has totally worked on us-make it a fun place for kids to be, and create reasons for young adults to go before they are in the market for nice furniture to create positive associations for later. If we're near by one, we'll honestly just go to walk around and browse even when we're not in the market for furniture.

the one near us has trapeze classes & a "jelly belly" factory. it's the weirdest things..but yup, we have gone to jordans for the experience even when not looking for furniture

Ha! I hadn't heard of that one but sounds fun. Glad we're not the only ones :-)

BlueBirdMB · January 2016

julieanne912 said:

Just a heads up, I haven't owned any West Elm upholstery but I've owned a few wood pieces and they aren't what I would call long lasting good quality pieces. I had a beautiful dining console that just fell apart after a few moves. Good quality furniture won't fall apart like that.

Really??? I have a kitchen table that we've moved with 4 times and it's perfect! We also have dining chars and 2 upholstered chairs and they've also held up beautifully!

jessica490 · January 2016

Xstatic3333 said:

jessica490 said:

The stores we have with good furniture are:
Ashley Furniture
Pilgrim Furniture
Puritan Furniture
Raymour and Flannigan
I should check our Jordan's as someone mentioned above...we just had 1 open up in CT somewhere...

It's a lot of fun. In addition to furniture, most of them have attractions of some sort. The one near where I used to live in MA had an IMAX Theatre (where you have to walk through the furniture showrooms to leave at the end of the night) and the one in RI has some sort of laser show. A few of them give out free popcorn and Mardis Gras beads at the door. It's a genius marketing attempt that has totally worked on us-make it a fun place for kids to be, and create reasons for young adults to go before they are in the market for nice furniture to create positive associations for later. If we're near by one, we'll honestly just go to walk around and browse even when we're not in the market for furniture.

Wow, that's crazy!

emily1004 · January 2016

Wow! Thanks everyone! You all gave me some really great suggestions. Can't wait to go shopping this weekend. I looked on the website, and we have a store in the Midwest that is a lot like Jordan's, minus the IMAX. It's called Art Van, I was just a little hesitant because their sales tactics are extremely pushy. Also, the owners is a real piece of work. But they have some nice pieces for a reasonable price.

julieanne912 · January 2016

BlueBirdMB said:

julieanne912 said:

Just a heads up, I haven't owned any West Elm upholstery but I've owned a few wood pieces and they aren't what I would call long lasting good quality pieces. I had a beautiful dining console that just fell apart after a few moves. Good quality furniture won't fall apart like that.

Really??? I have a kitchen table that we've moved with 4 times and it's perfect! We also have dining chars and 2 upholstered chairs and they've also held up beautifully!

Yeah it was a little disappointing because it was something like $700... which I know isn't a ton for case goods but it should at least last longer than something from Ikea for half the price. I do have a white lacquer parsons desk from there that is fine. It's starting to just have wear and tear from use, but white lacquer isn't exactly something that will last a long time unless you don't touch it LOL! It was a bear getting it delivered because of the lacquer as well... it showed up damaged 3 times before I finally just decided to deal with the damage (nothing major, but still noticeable).

Maybe stuff like tables and dining chairs are fine because they are more simple construction than a console/buffet thing like I had.

NicA617 · January 2016

I'm chiming in with my first post (HI!) after lots of lurking & finally making a username.

Just this morning i was thinking how much I HATE our furniture. Most of it came from Jordan's, it either hasn't held up, wasn't designed well, or is kind of cheap. i wish i'd prioritized & bought a few quality pieces here & there -- rather than everything at once when we bought our house. Here is a suggestion: Craigslist. i was just looking (b/c i'm thinking of selling some stuff & buying again now that i know what I really want) & there is some NICE stuff at bargain prices. I wouldn't buy a used bed/sofa, but things like a table, nightstand, dresser -- i'd have no problem getting used. If you love P.B, C&B, W.E -- take a look.

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