Pottery Barn

What price range are you wanting to be in? (low, mid, high) That dictates a lot to what brands people might suggest.

The problem with most new furniture finishes is that they are a very thin sprayed on finish.

Price-wise, I figure we're looking at upper mid to high range.

nosoccermom, are you suggesting Pottery Barn as furniture to avoid or furniture that lasts well? The OP asked one question at the beginning of the thread and another at the end ... ?

I have always heard avoid Pb.

Definitely stay away from PB. When I was looking not long ago for a livingroom set, I found a TON of consumer complaints on the poor workmanship of their furniture. Flexsteel is going downhill but they aren't really in the pricepoint you are looking at anyway.

Here's a thread that may help. (realize it says upholstery but these lines usually sell everything)

Can anyone comment on Legacy Classic Furniture? There's an attractive dining set at Macys but I can't find anything about the company.

Why not keep your existing furniture and just replace the bed?

Using the word "suite" in my OP is a bit misleading. I'm keeping the armoire and a round table I use on my side as a nightstand, but want to buy the bed and, for hubs, a nightstand. Both pieces may or may not come from the same company. I just need to identify what manufacturers to avoid and which can be trusted to produce an excellent product.

Avoid Ashley anything

Found it helpful to look in the clearance section @ Macy's, where you could see damage and often really thin veneers of wood. In general, disappointed with the quality of furniture at Macy's. Am considering DR set by Hooker (that I saw at Goods Furniture in Kewanee, IL).

Yes, I meant to avoid PB. It's overpriced and poor quality.

Ahh, sorry I misunderstood. I have Thomasville bedroom furniture that has lasted well, but I don't know whether their current craftsmanship is equal.

This is a little depressing because I am looking at the PB Hudson bedroom group. I like it, and it is very hard to find a full sized bed elsewhere these days. I am not hard at all on furniture (single female with spartan habits) but I certainly don't want it to fall apart within a few years. BTW, I am moving from a house into a condo and completely renewing my furniture! Fun!

I have found hooker pieces to be attractive in design, but I would consider the quality to be fair/moderate...

we have some ethan allen, harden and henkle harris wood furniture which is well made and the finish has held up beautifully for 25+ yrs...

What do you all think about brands like Henredon and Baker?

If you are willing to go towards the upper end of the spectrum then look at Stickley and Harden. If you've got the money, don't look for what to avoid. Look for known quality in a style you like.

We bought a few pieces of Stickley furniture for are bedroom and are very happy with it. Not cheap, but they do run good sales a few times a year. I'm pretty sure it will last forever.

Jewel,

Desired to be more informed about furniture so I purchased the book, Shopping for Furniture, by Lewin, printed in 2004 The author has 40+ years in the furniture industry.

His words about Baker and Henredon:

Baker-

"One of the best. At the very least one of the top five producers..."

Henredon-

"One of the top ten producers..."

Best wishes with your bedroom furniture purchase.

~bgj

The problem, rosestink, is that even some high priced furniture can wear very poorly. That's why I'm asking what brands to avoid.

Cassandra, my husband and I puchased an entire suite of bedroom furniture from Pottery Barn two years ago. I've been nothing but impressed with the quality and it's absolutely beautiful!

Jewel - There are some manufacturers that are quality. Period. That's what you should be looking for.

Our bedroom furniture is by Huppe and it's held up great. So have the other pieces I got from Basset.

On the other hand, a round breakfast area table from an Ashley Furniture / Rooms to Go type place has been fairly terrible. We got it because we needed something to help stage our old house when it was for sale and we never really intended for it to last, but it's still been surprising how much of the finish on the tabletop has lifted. I have no clue why - we use coasters and placemats but it still came up. Too bad because it's a stylish design.

" There are some manufacturers that are quality. Period. That's what you should be looking for."

Those manufacturers would be.....?

I am not able to answer your question specifically as I haven't purchased furniture in awhile.

Like most product these days...quality is questionable even for traditionally quality manufacturers. 15 years ago I made a trip to Furnitureland South in High Point, NC to furnish my new home. I got top of the line at affordable (for me) prices and all have held up well (except for damage done by my cats). However, I have heard that those brands have shifted to out-of-country manufacturing so the quality is probably not at the same level.

So, what I'm hearing is that Pottery Barn, Macy's, RTG, and Ashley brands should be avoided. Hooker is a toss-up. Thomasville, Baker, Henredon, Stickley, and Harden are known to be excellent ....but could have changed in the last few years. It's a starting point in my search!

How about checking out consignment stores? In my city there are some stores in old affluent neighborhoods that have lots of high-end furniture in a very good condition. Truly an old time quality, and most styles tend to be classic traditional or upscale modern, like authentic Scandinavian teak furniture. The prices aren't cheap, though. I also came across some unique pieces brought by original owners from Europe or Asia. High end consignment stores are picky about what merchandise they are willing to accept, so no Ikea, Ashley or Dania there!

Jewel,

From the book referenced earlier in the thread:

Thomasville - "A big, well-done line of excellent wood and upholstery."

Stickley - "Stickley is what fine furniture making is all about. Uncompromising quality and unquestioned status as one of the country's finest wood furniture producers."

Harden - "Very good product...good attention to quality."

Hooker - "Medium priced. Excellent value. A good buy."

~bgj

IMO, any good quality furniture made now is very expensive. For that reason, I prefer to buy antiques, where you can find a better value. Of course, you will not find an antique king size bed. I'd spend the majority of your money to get a nice bed, and buy an antique table or small chest for the nightstand.

My favorite furniture company is Room and Board. Not sure if that is your style though. We have lots of furniture from there including our bedroom furniture which has lasted about 15 years and still going strong both in style and quality.

Avoid anything from Raymour & Flanigan store. Don't buy from stores in the mall (except department stores that carry a variety of brands). Ethan Allen today is not the EA of old. Do shop at better furniture stores, again that carry a variety of brands. I have had great luck with Hickory Chair and Sherrill brands. They are no more expensive than PB but miles above in quality.

Cassandra: it is very hard to find a full sized bed elsewhere these days." Actually, EBay and consignment stores are loaded with full-sized beds by great makers because no one wants them anymore. I keep saying for all single females: Give the Queen beds to your kids or put them in the guest rooms and get a fullsize for yourself. Plenty of room, and makes your bedroom look huge.

In our master BR we have antiques, Baker, Hooker, a bespoke Dutch secretary of scrubbed pine, and a sofa from Ballard Designs. Guess which one will wear out first....if you guessed Ballard you're right, lol. It was made somewhere in Ohio but is very obviously not as sturdy as our other furniture but we bought it mostly for our dogs so I'm not that fussed. I would recommend a mix of styles and manufacturers for a more organic look.

If you have a chance, take a look at Ethan Allen. We purchased this for our Master BR, and couldn't be happier with the style and quality.

Ditto Pottery Barn. Quality is bad - it doesn't last. I've had success with Ethan Allen.

Can anyone comment about buying furniture from Safaviah?

The best advice is do some research on construction, where the material used to build is sourced from, and upholstery quality. There are very high quality pieces available at all price points, some available through a network of smaller furniture dealers and mom and pop shops, and others more mainstream, and ultra premium custom retailers.

Generic words like high end, most expensive, top brands, in reality have little to do with quality of the finished piece, and the value it offers at the given price point.

Much has changed in the furniture industry in the last 20 years. Asian sourcing of raw materials has had a real impact on end quality. The brand names that once represented the very best are no longer what they were. Many have been swallowed and bought by huge multi-national manufacturers putting a label (name brand) on products made with cheap imported material with a final assemby point of USA.

Case goods and real hardwood furniture with meticulously crafted wood working skill is rare these days. What you find is a nice looking piece made with engineered asian imported wood, topped with veneer which doesn,t last. Thomasville is owned by a conglomerate and not quite what it used to be. Pottery Barn does not manufactuer there own furniture, so quality and value can not be guaranteed. Stay away from department store furniture, same thing.

Decide on a budget first then shop for quality pieces within that framework. Stay away from the chains and box retailers and stick with smaller furniture dealers and retailers. You might be surprised. I like companies like Smiths, Marshfield, Lancer, Flexsteel to name a few, keeping in mind these are not ultra high end or designer. But they do offer exceptional quality and and value. Companies like Best Home Furnishings offer some incredical value/quality on a modest budget. A high priced sofa isn’t built any better and won’t necesarrily perform or last any longer than one at a reasonable price, providing there is quality and value! Thats for you to decide, your budget, and what price point you are shopping.