I'd have to make my own furniture if I expected any company to extend their warranty like that. Sorry!

can you post a picture?

I wouldn't expect any courtesy from any company today, although I've had no problems myself. They buy cheap crap, push it as high end and that's the end of the relationship. A year is a pretty good warranty. Three years? Unheard of!

The chairs were guaranteed for 1 year and the unraveling happened in year 3. I think the 25% was a nice gesture. I bought similar chairs (absolute dupes) for my island, they are probably about 1/2 S&L price. I do not think their items are of superior quality and although i like their style I shop around.

Loved this piece, wouldnt drop $4,300 on it. Duped it myself for less than $500 and a trip to ikea.

Another problem is that people have become more opportunistic. I believe that your chair disintegrated and unraveled on its own, but they have probably received plenty of claims were people abused the chairs and claim that they had nothing to do with the damage, which is probably why they have the one year warranty.

I have bought a mirror and lighting from S&L and not had any issues with the products.

Arrogant? Is that a mirror reflection you’re seeing? You have a way out of line and unjustified entitlement mentality here. If you want a 10 year warranty on something, then find that and buy that. Don’t have ridiculous expectations of something 300% out of warranty being given a service under an expired warranty.

They didn’t even have to respond to you at all. But they did. And offered you a concession. That’s actually pretty good customer service.

Maybe there is a local repairperson you can call? In the future, you should know that anything beyond a year warranty is rare (especially from retailers) and that you should inspect your furniture thoroughly for defects immediately after delivery.

Some of the furniture in my house has a lifetime guarantee. Everything from that shop is well made, locally, with solid wood and using old time joinery.

The place we buy from charges a lot for a dining/kitchen chair, upwards of $1k each depending on wood species chosen.

But if you are buying a chair with a one year warranty, you cannot expect it to last a lifetime. its going to fall apart eventually.

Your chairs are rattan, not bamboo. Rattan can be readily repaired DIY or by a pro. Soften rattan with linseed oil periodically to prevent splitting, and keep your chairs out of intense sunlight and ultra dry air.

I always wonder what people think when they buy from Restoration Hardware or Pottery Barn. Their catalogs are BEAUTIFUL, but do they sell anything that's isn't venerred particle board?

Furniture used to be made to last forever. ‘Heir’loom quailty, you handed it down.How many people have pieces form at least their grand parents? How many pieces of solid beautiful furniture do you find on the marketplace and 2 nd hand shops? For the most part, the vast majority of furniture is made in china, flat packed and shipped over here. People now (and im speaking generally) want current and cheap. People are obsessed with whats in now, not in classics. Look at instagram and Utube.There are people making a ton of $$ influencing ’the lifestyle’ that not many can afford, hence flat packed cheapness. How many posts have we seen that ask for help with fitting in a 19(whatever) dining set into their 2020s home? Theres always the paint it answer. If it werent for guilt, the easy answer is buy new and what fits with your home. Even the high end stuff if built with ’fillers’ like particle board to save some money. I have a mix of things, the cheap stuff is generally the super trendy stuff. It is what it is guys.

I would never order from S&L for the simple fact I would bet a ton of their stuff in made in Asia and in my experience any wood made in Asia never stnads up weel. As for this situation I have to gree the warranty was 1 yr that is all they were responsible for to offer a discout on another chair was good customer service IMO. I beleive still you get good quailty if you shop not looking for the best price always

Thank you all for your comments and for allowing me to vent my frustrations - especially in the heat of the moment! So many of you had helpful advice - thank you. I wasn't aware of their 1-year warranty when I bought the furniture nor when I wrote to customer service so that part was a surprise to me but not to many of you more experienced furniture buyers. Quality furniture (of which Serena & Lily isn't!) is worth spending money on - and those manufacturers will often stand behind their product. If you know of any that are exceptional in quality and customer service (albeit at a higher price point), please share your good experiences here!

I had excellent customer service from Room and Board. I got a full refund for returning a bed, even though it had some (very slight) damage to it. Pickup was free and they did all of the work. But I was well within the warranty.

FWIW, that bed was not flawed, just a boneheaded design decision on their part (that was impossible to detect in the showroom model). But they still let me return it! I 100% would shop there again.

Most furniture today is "disposable". Which is sad but it's the way of the future. This is the main reason why a lot of my furniture is from antique stores.

I'm sad to say that kitchen cabinets is also going this way. When my parents first started our company 40 years ago, we did 50% high end custom and 50% builder grade. That's all that was available. Then KraftMaid pretty much invented semi-custom....it was somewhere in between low and high....it offered standard sizes with some custom modifications and more finishes to choose from. It was a nice step up without having to go full on custom. From the 90s to about 2010 we sold a mix of builder grade, semi-custom and high end custom. Today, pretty much all I sell is low end or semi-custom. I haven't sold a higher end custom line in years!

Not sure what the future looks like for the kitchen & bath industry. I've heard from friends and insiders that housing in the future will become more standardized and corporate owned. Home ownership will decline and big corporations will own all the homes and rent them out. People will have new everything when they move in because it's all so disposable. Was told by a realtor that most home purchased today are by big companies. What???? I sure hope all of this is false and doesn't come to be.

"I've heard from friends and insiders that housing in the future will become more standardized and corporate owned. Home ownership will decline and big corporations will own all the homes and rent them out."

Sounds like some of the science fiction stories I've read over the years -- corporations pretty much owning everything and the rest of us beholden to them. Unfortunately, it might come true -- I hope not as well!

Sorry for your experience- it is so frustrating that price doesn't correlate to quality anymore.

If you are looking to replace, you could check out Carrington Court- made in the US (North Carolina). I ordered two parson chairs for my office last year and they seem solidly built. I guess I can't say how they'll be in 3 years, but initial impression is good.

I'm no stranger to cheap chairs. I was gifted an expensive dining room table w/out the chairs (it had a pretty minor flaw, furniture company replaced it and told MIL they could keep the table because it wasn't worth taking it back or something so we got it for the cost of delivery- but no chairs). I didn't want to spend the money on the expensive matching chairs. I searched online and it turns out some company was selling a knock-off of the same table and chairs. It didn't say it was a knock off, per se, but the quality difference was pretty obvious compared to MIL's. But it probably cost a 1/4 of the price, so whatever.

Well, the other day I kneeled on the chair with one knee, [still standing on the other leg- so not my full weight] to pass a plate across the table the other day and something SNAPPED in the seat - I think a spring popped loose. Ugh. On another one, a chunk of the leg fell off soon after we received them. It still works but it's ugly. But, hey, I knowingly cheaped out, so I got what I paid for. I'd be super annoyed if I'd paid a premium price, warranty or no.

I'm seriously thinking about slowly replacing them with Carrington Court chairs. I actually considered using Carrington Court originally (they're not cheap, but less expensive than MIL's matching chairs), but this was before I'd bought the two for my office and didn't want to commit to a set of 8 and find out they weren't great. Maybe I'll get a "host & hostess" chair that doesn't have to be a perfect match and throw out the two broken ones.

Another vote for Room & Board . Maybe not your style, but all the wood & upholstered furniture made in US. I have two houses furnished in their products, excellent quality & unbelievably good customer service! And their delivery team is the best.

Arhaus also offers many items made in the U.S.

Artolex - just as an FYI there is a huge difference between a manufacturer and a private label retailer like Serena & Lily.

Like Pottery Barn, West Elm, Room & Board, Arhaus and many others, Serena & Lily does not actually manufacture the home goods they sell on their site. Their upholstered goods are made by Lee Industries in North Carolina, but other items may be manufactured overseas because it is less expensive. (https://matchory.com/company/serena-lily).

So what are you actually buying from the retailer? You are buying a "look." Designers spend a great deal of time, money and effort creating a "look" they wish to market to a specific type of buyer (in this case you). This may well include specifications to the manufacturer as to custom sizes, materials etc. The more customized their specifications the more you generally pay.

The retailer also insures the product against manufacturer defects (a warranty) for a set period of time, but not general wear and tear by the consumer. Right or wrong, in the US it is on you - the consumer - to read the fine print. All companies are this way.

If you are not sure how to care for your product ask before you buy or do your homework regarding the materials it is made from vs. how you live, the quality of the materials vs. the price point you wish to pay etc. Most companies want you to be happy with your purchase as returns cost them money and are generally not re-saleable once returned! Asking is free and a good company will give you the answers you seek either on the site or through customer service.

Make sure your expectations for the product match the warranty and the material it is made from. Nothing is indestructible! Nothing. (I personally love the look of your purchase, but I know my pets might destroy rattan and my seating area is in direct sun - not good for furniture in general.)

Back to warranties - the legal information regarding your rights should be in the contract you sign - if it isn't do not buy it. And you as a buyer are basically signing a contract when you make a purchase from any retailer thus agreeing to their conditions.

All of this is true regardless of what business you buy from or what you buy. I do hope you found a product that met your expectations or repaired the one you have if that was the less expensive and doable option.

These guys, right?

I've got them in my breakfast room. They're cute. Trendy. Expensive for what they are. But they're plastic and bamboo. Not exactly high quality. I've had them 4 years and shocked they're still around. I expecteded to sh*tcan them a while back but mine are still chugging away. Side note: they're uncomfortable asf. But again, cute.

@L thomas - I almost bought the counter height ones around 4 years ago - but decided to wait until I renovated my kitchen. They are really cute - but I was worried about (a) how long I’d like the ”look” (I saw them in a kitchen and, like you, thought they were cute AF), (b) if they would be uncomfortable (sounds like they are!), and (c) if they would last very long (assumed that they were probably manufactured in Asia).

Where did you purchase your light fixture? I think I might ”need” one! Thanks!

Interesting and good to note. I do like how their stuff looks, but their furniture and most of their other items do not match the style of my house. So I have never seriously considered them. My furniture is a hodgepodge of brands, but mainly Room & Board, Mitchell Gold and Caracole with a preference to the latter two brands. I would say most of items are pretty decent. I do have some leather kitchen counter stools and leather living room chairs from Williams Sonoma that I LOVE.

The only one that I am not in love with is a cloth loveseat in my husband's office. It is from Room & Board. I did not think it would be used that much but it is. I always have to flip all the cushions to keep it "neat looking". If I ever replace it, I would probably go for tight back one piece leather option.

If I were looking for furniture today, I would also consider Arhaus and Bernhardt. I almost purchased my patio furniture from Arhaus, but ended up going with Room & Board for a slightly more modern look.

@dmac1108

It’s from rejuvenation :)

Some of my furniture comes from a one man woodworker in MN, but a lot is Stickley. The one man shop is obviously the most intimate customer service you can get as I could phone or email the person actually making the furniture. That can be good or bad as you have to deal with a personality and delivery times can be long and variable. His prices were less than I'm seeing on that Serena and Lily site. Their prices seem ridiculous for what they are offering, although I can't find construction details. With Stickley the service really depends on the local store that you are buying from and I worked with a very nice sales person who was organized and on top of all the options. Quality has never been an issue. Delivery, a few years ago, was usually 6 to 12 weeks. I don't know what it is now.

The internet has made it easy for us to buy things but it can also be used by companies to put distance between them and customers if they want. The more old fashioned way of physical shopping often gave you someone to complain to in person.

I think a good rule of thumb is that if a company makes it less than obvious where and how the furniture is made then simply move on. This will eliminate a lot of companies, and that's probably a good thing. Good furniture is made all over the world and a company should be anxious to share how they make their furniture.

Here is a picture showing some the the furniture I've acquired over the years. The sideboard is from the guy in MN, the sofa and chair are Stickley, the coffee table and side table are from Vermont Furniture Design and the rug is an old Couristan. In all cases I can report good service and quality.

I'm a room and board fan also. I have 3 homes furnished with their stuff. Some of my items are well over 10 years old and look great. I have never had an issue with thier customer service. Some of their sofa's are partially down filled which is great for comfort, but if you want something that looks tailored all the time I would opt for their firmer options (which they also offer). Its mainly the back cushions that can sag with a loose filling. On my down sofas I simply regularly flip the back cushions so they don't take a saggy set.

I have the counter height natural rattan ones, and you are right. They immediately started falling apart. I am pretty pissed, as they are around $350 a chair.

Serena & Lily upholstered furniture is made by Lee and pretty good quality. (The same is true for some Pottery Barn upholstery - look for Made in America.) But you pay a lot more than you would for the same sofa if you bought from Lee through a designer. Everything else, you really need to consider (1) what materials it's made from, (2) where it is manufactured and (3) price point. I wouldn't expect rattan from a chain store manufactured in Asia for $350 to be super high quality. I wouldn't expect wood veneer to be super high quality. This is one advantage to working through a designer who has unlimited to-the-trade options - the quality and pricing of retail furniture is a really bad value proposition. You have to pay the decorator - often a lot of money - but it may even out if you're not replacing furniture constantly.

To Jeff Meeks:

Stickley furniture is pretty much in it's own catagory as far as wood from a large company is concerned. Your room looks amazing! I have been looking at furniture recently, since I own most vintage and antiques, and very little is of quality for the long run at most any price point. I love that sofa and your simple shades.

I have the same bar stools and they almost immediately started falling apart. The very first time sitting in them they gave a dry brittle sound to them. My daughter has the white ones and has had no problems but the natural rattan ones are crap for the price that they cost.

In March, I bought 7 of their Larkspur sconces. Two of them have shades that are now splitting, just 7 months later. They offered 15% back, no exchanges or returns. The lousy part is, I spent $8k with them just this year, absolutely will never buy from them again.

I realize this is an old thread, but I'll share my recent positive experiences with 3 different companies:

- 5 new bar stools from Article - arrived very well packaged and in perfect condition

- New dining table and 8 chairs from Crate & Barrel, arrived in perfect condition and the delivery / set-up guys were very polite and careful

- New console table from Room & Board. We actually had to decline the first and the second deliveries due to some finish issues, but the 3rd is perfect. They were very prompt about sending a new one, and very apologetic about the first two being less than perfect. They seemed to really want to get it right.

Furniture is so expensive that I understand when people are frustrated (and angry!) with items that are low quality and can't be returned.

@chicagoans it's nice to report on good experiences with those companies, but this thread is not about good delivery and condition upon arrival. Its focus is on furniture that is not durable over time despite the price.

^ that is helpful @chicagoans - FWIW we bought a chest from Ballard Designs and I was dreading it - came packed up SO nicely, arrived before they said it would, and was in perfect condition - 10/10 all around

Just adding an additional warning based on a recent experience. The quality is cheap garbage and customer service is a joke. You will pay high-end prices for amazon or wayfair quality… except those companies have good customer service for when things go wrong. i would never buy anything from this company again.