Stickley should be much better built. Hendredon is higher quality than many out their but is over priced for the quality that they give you. If you have other specific questions I would be happy to answer them. My eamil address is rsmit@pmbedroomgallery.com.

good luck

Bob,

Thanks for the response.

Given where I am on the learning curve, I don't know if I can come up with a more specific set of questions. Perhaps you could elaborate on you answer a bit?

For instance "Hendredon is higher quality than many out their but is over priced for the quality that they give you" .

What "quality" exactly is Henredon giving the consumer and how is this inferior to Stickley?

Thanks again.

JC

Check out both websites for a detailed description of how they make their furnishings. Travel to the stores and take a look at each piece of furniture you are interested in. Sit in the chairs. Gage the design, sturdiness, evenness of the finish and stain. If they are chairs or sofas, are they comfortable? Check the casegood drawers for a steady pull with no sticking and little play. Look at the dovetailing. If the item rocks in-store, it is probably the store's floor not the casegood. Ever notice how all the stores have carpet? That is so an uneven showroom floor will not make you think a piece of furniture is uneven. Carpet gives. Has the item been stained evenly so there are no streaks or splothes? Different wood types/colors used to assemble a piece can factor into an uneven look.

You are looking at two brands that have a very good reputation. I personally believe Stickley is a great bang-for-the-buck. I have purchased their mission style for the family room, and wing chairs and a couch in their CW collection for the living room.

Henredon does not provide inferior quality, it is just pricier than Stickley. When I want to pay a lot, I have a different pricey manufacturer I prefer. :-P

It may come down to what piece suits your taste/needs. All designers "borrow" ideas from eachother. I doubt there is an original idea left in furniture design. Maybe how these designs come togther is where the originality now takes place? How the design fits together, the beauty, functionality and price will all factor into your decision.

Good luck :-)

xamsx,

Thanks for the reply.

I forgot to point out that we have checked out all the pieces that I have mentioned above first hand. The only catch is that the Henredon and Stickly pieces are far and close to us geographically speaking, so we can't just step out to check out the Henredon pieces again.

Our quandry reminds me of shopping for high end speakers at several stores; they will all sound great, but having them side by side enables one to make a more sound decision (provided the store has them connected identically).

So in summary, 1. We like the aesthetics of thelines we've seen 2. According to what we've been able to learn, both brands seem to have good construction. So we're looking for anything else that we might use to differentiate them, something we may have missed or that "oh, everyone knows brand X has/had a problem with their X line".

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks again,

JC

"oh, everyone knows brand X has/had a problem with their X line".

Yes, that makes sense. One manufacturer may do very well with casegoods but their upholstered goods are only so-so or vice versa. AFAIK there are no known deficiencies with Stickley goods. I am unsure about Henredon.

If Stickley-Audi is close to you, take a look at them now. I just received something in the mail about a sale starting Thursday. Give your local Stickley-Audi dealer a call to find out if they have a sale going on.

So in summary, 1. We like the aesthetics of thelines we've seen 2. According to what we've been able to learn, both brands seem to have good construction. So we're looking for anything else that we might use to differentiate them,

It may come down to price. Do you like the more expensive set that much more then the less expensive set? If not, save your cash for the next purchase and buy the less expensive set.

Both manufacturers would be considered heirloom manufacturers; their goods should hold up very well from generation to generation. I sincerely doubt you will go wrong with either choice. Just make certain the placement of the set will fit your bedroom properly before you order.

JC -

From what I've read on this forum and what I've heard from the top furniture stores in my area Henredon and Stickley are both great brands and are well know for their quality casegoods. I purchaed a king size Henredon sleigh bed (from the Aston Court collection) and love it. But, like you, I also fell in love with pieces from another manufacture, in my case, Henkel Harris. I ended up buying 2 Henkel Harris commodes that I use as end tables, the Henkel Harris Rogers Chest as my dresser, and the Henkel Harris New Market Chest that is my husband's dresser. The pieces are not part of a bedroom set or suite, but they coordinat. Perhaps you could do this as well. Good luck!

Hopeful

We' ve had Stickley living room and dining room furniture for 10 years and the quality is terrific. Their customer service is also wonderful at White Plains and NYC Audi locations. Friends have 2 bedrooms of furniture, in fact a whole house of Stickley furnishings, and turned us on to them a decade ago. They are timeless pieces.

I own many Henredon pieces (armoire, dresser, nightstands, chest, dining room set, wing chairs, sofa, mirror, etc.). It is all well made and has held up beautifully. I have never purchased any Stickley pieces, but I suspect that you will be happy with whichever set you choose.

I have the Henredon Cavalier line. I started buying it 2 years ago and just got my last piece 3 weeks ago. The first pieces were made and signed stateside, now it is all made in Columbia with a brass plate on the back of the furniture to that effect. The nightstand made in Columbia is inferior to the pieces made here, although the difference is subtle. I had to refuse the last piece because of dripping stain and dried glue in places where you could see it. On the large chest the keyhole hardware was crooked (my husband fixed it). I do love the look however but now I wish I had purchased it all at one time while it was still made here.

Wow, Salimander that is distressing news. While Furniture Brands makes no secret of having several foreign plants for Thomasville and Broyhill production, I did not realize Henredon is also one of the brands with casegoods being manufactured overseas. Does anyone know if they are also outsourcing any Drexel Heritage or Maitland-Smith pieces?

xamsx,

I'd be the first to admit that I'm a total noobie as far as furniture goes, but here's what I've learned:

1. Sadly, Stickley has a plant in Vietnam "focusing on new collections for Stickley, including Madison Square and Antiquities by Stickley" (From their English Oak .pdf catalog).

2. A sales associate at Boyles told my wife and I that the Hickory Chair chairs we were looking at were made in the Phillipines (not sure about the table).

3. A Stickley dealer that I have been working with also carries Maitland-Smith. I believe (don't quote me) that he said these were made "overseas" whatever that means...

JC

Maitland Smith is made in the Phillipines. The company was started by Paul Maitland-Smith who was the pioneer in developing furntiure manufacturing offshore. MS is beautiful furniture and is unique. But the quality compared to like-priced competitors is lacking.

As to Stickley vs. Henredon, I would let your own tastes and price be your guides. Either brand will be very durable, but neither one is the best you can buy. If the furniture form Stickley and Henredon is top dollar, you may want to consider other brands assuming you find the style you like.

Not to confuse your choices more, but three to consider would be Henkel Harris, Waterford and Statton. I believe all three stil manufacture their furniture in the US.

As to judging quality, I think the number one thing a consumer can do is to remove a drawer box. Carefully. Look at all sides for construction quality including the back of the drawer. See if the drawer is dovetailed in the back as welll as the front. Look for dovetail joints that are perfect. If you look across a variety of price ranges, you will quickly notice a difference.

Henrendon is a good manufacturer. Also try Marge Carson.

I'm looking for a bedroom suite currently, and have confirmed with Henredon designer that the Oxford Classics collection is made in the Phillipines by their sister company Maitland Smith. The four poster bed is almost the same price as the Stickley version, and Stickley is still made in the U.S. I suspect that the Stickley is much better made. I have also looked at Henkle Harris in the past month and their pieces are made in Winchester, VA. Their finishes would be hard to be beat. I examined the drawers and the finish inside as well as outside. Beautiful! Hope this is helpful to everyone furniture shopping.

Bought Henredon bedroom set in 1999 to include king sleigh bed, dresser & armoire. We have moved a few times, and each move have been reminded the expense of moving the HEAVY hardwood furniture is worth it, because of the quality. Needless to say, on this latest move we had damage to the armoire. Along with the damage, we switched to a flat screen t.v., and decided to destroy what was left of the armoire. My husband took a circular saw to the armoire only to discover it was not only NOT hardwood, but was particle board with a veneer cover. For years we felt so proud to have spent literally thousands on this "beautiful" set, to discover it was no different that the cheaply made overseas furniture. I look at the plaque displaying the inspection date when the piece was manufactured and I get angry all over again. If you want a beautiful, quality, hardwood piece, you are better off going to a small local craftsmen where you can see the artisan pieces and witness the quality construction. Otherwise, be aware you will be purchasing nothing different than what you would get at IKEA, perhaps with more color selection. Sad...