Where do you buy quality furniture without crying?!!

[natenapril]

I want to replace both of my daughter's bedroom furniture but would like something that holds up well. I don't want to spend a fortune though! We bought Ashely furniture for them a few years ago and we are UNimpressed.

 

[starann]

About 9 years ago I got 'good' furniture from Raymor and Flannigan. I spent about $8,000 on a bedroom suite (pillowtop mattress, head and foot boards, night stand, tall dresser, long dresser with mirror) couch, oversized chair and ottoman and entertainment center.

The footboard cracked and broke, the dresses are scratched to heck, the couch is in the garage to be broken up to be trashed, the ottoman is in the front porch as I can't find a slipcover for it. I was unimpressed with how the couch held up...the slipcover wore away, the cushions got mis-shaped. Granted I have 2 small children and 2 dogs but for the amount of money I paid, I expected this stuff to last a bit longer than it did.

I have noticed the quality of how things are made, expensive or not, has gone down hill. I will NOT spend that kind of money again on furniture because I have learned that even the 'good' stuff has a short shelf life.

We currently have a hand me down couch with a decent slipcover until I can find something I like, but I can tell you I will not be buying it from a 'good' store. I'd rather spend little money on known 'junk' than big money on good junk!

 

[akcire]

For upholstered I like Sherrill or any of the brands that have Sherrill make their furniture. The stuff is made in NC and is 8 way hand tied, ie made by people who know what they are doing. Good frame construction and quality cushions equals furniture that last. My husband is a big guy and our current sofa is 6 years old and his recliners are 8+ years old and they look as good as the day we bought them. I am sure the sofa has been slept on 30-40 nights every year we have had them (fall asleep watching TV) and yet they look great.

Wood furniture for children: Vermont Tubbs, "the old" This End Up, and Canadel. I also like furniture manufactured in the Amana Colonies in IA, but it takes a while to get.

Wood furniture for adults...oh boy is it pricey but I LOVE Swedish Country. You can google them and check out their website. It is very fussy for most, but I love Gustavian furniture. If only I had an unlimited budget and the "right" house.

 

[superminnie]

Have you ever thought of building furniture to save yourself money? Before you call me crazy ( and I totally am by the way check out this website www.knock-offwood.com. I would say 80 to 90 percent of the furniture you see built on there is built by women with absolutely no building experience. It's a good way to get very sold furniture without spending a fortune at furniture stores.

 

[aggielawyer]

I would shop craig's list and garage sales. A new coat of pain will do wonders for an old dresser, and I've never like the look of bedroom furniture that all matched anyway. If you need to replace a headboard, take a look at DIY sites and consider making your own. You could even get your girls involved and they might enjoy living with something that they had a part in creating.

 

[abmitch01]

I've accepted that until the kids go off to college, I won't buy expensive stuff. With 2 kids and 2 dogs, it's just not worth it. Besides, I get sick of it after 10 yrs and am ok with replacing it. I try to buy medium quality, not complete junk but not top of the line either.

 

[LuLuO]

I would shop craig's list and garage sales.

I second craigslist and yard sales. I found DD a fantastic headboard, all wood and beautiful for $50 on CL. I saw the same headboard for over $200 on a website.

 

[abmitch01]

one place I won't do again for kids furniture is Ikea. The dresser bottoms were flimsy cardboard that fell right through to the next drawer with hardly any clothes in them. Nice looking, but total waste. THeir accesories and book shelves are nice

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

For me, the thought of used furniture grosses me out. I don't know if you have the same stores as we do, but Colders & Steinhafels are good companies. I'm sorry you had a bad experience w/Ashley Furniture. We have Ashley is just about every room. We haven't had any problems except the couples of scratches in the couch from our cats' claws.

 

[Jennifer in MI]

Can you find some locally-made furniture? My parents live in Amish country and we've bought a few pieces made there. Those are the pieces that have lasted the longest in our house. We got a china cabinet one year. It was on a HUGE sale (the guy was trying to get rid of inventory). I think we spent $1500 on it. But, this thing is SOLID!!! And, beautiful.

 

[PatMcDuck]

20 years ago, we picked out a Stanley kids furniture set. Included bunk beds that could be used as seperate twin beds, corner desk, etc. I liked that the tops of the pieces were wood-like formica.

We are still using that set! We picked it out in a store, but saved a lot of $$ by ordering from High Point Furniture Sales in NC. (they shipped it up to us in NJ) They faxed or mailed us a sheet showing all the available pieces, with measurements, and we picked what we wanted...... we have ordered this way a few times.

 

[TALB]

Have you looked at Sams Club. They get some nice sets in there and the price is good.

 

[Colleen27]

I married a carpenter. Not for the affordable custom furniture, but it doesn't hurt. We also refinish/reupholster garage sale and curbside finds once in a while, either to use or sell. Older furniture is often much better quality construction, but is hard to find in really great shape and can often use certain updates (like modern drawer glides to replace the old/fragile wood ones).

I second the recommendation to check out Knock Off Wood. I only discovered the site a couple weeks ago and we've already made a couple of things from her plans. I'm a rank amateur at woodworking, reasonably proficient with basic power tools but lazy as all get-out since I have a husband that happily handles all the building/home repairs, and even I can make nice things using her instructions!

 

[acourtwdw]

Try Overstock.com A friend of mine just purchased a beautiful bedroom set from there that wasn't over priced.

 

[sl_underwood]

I would suggest finding someone to make it. Each of my kids has an excellent system with 6 drawers underneath, a desk area built into the footboard and a shelf headboard. We found a local man who makes furniture. They were not horribly expensive, if I remember right they were comparable to many of the lower end prices at the furniture store. Plus they were made with real wood, not this partical board crap that everyone is selling. They are heavy but it suited our needs. I would also suggest estate sales. I bought a very nice antique bedroom suite at an estate sale for myself years ago and the price was amazing.

 

[abmitch01]

I don't know how old you DD is, but I try to remind myself time is flying and they won't be here forever. So I tried to get things that didn't look too juvenile, you can always make it kid friendly with accessories. Then it adapts with them into their teens, as well

 

[quentina]

I want to replace both of my daughter's bedroom furniture but would like something that holds up well. I don't want to spend a fortune though! We bought Ashely furniture for them a few years ago and we are UNimpressed.

Anywhere but Raymour and Flanagin....JUNK!!! I spent over $20,000 on their stuff and it has not held up at all. I will be lucky to get 5 years our of it. I have a 4 poster bed with 2 posters off (yep, they fell off) etc....would not recommend.

 

[holden]

We bought good furniture from Boyles in NC. They carry hundreds of name brands. We bought a Bernhardt sofa from them at a huge discount! They sometimes have free shipping too. Just find something you like at a retail store and call them to see if they carry it. They have a website too, but not everything they carry is on the website.

 

[SGMCO]

Craigslist--I have purchase vintage furniture for most of my home because
the older furniture was made soooo much better (solid wood).
I got my DS bedroom set for under $200. We've had it for about 4 years and
being all wood is very durable.

 

[wdw_girl_18]

I second craigslist and yard sales. I found DD a fantastic headboard, all wood and beautiful for $50 on CL. I saw the same headboard for over $200 on a website.

I also agree. I would go to estate sales where you will most likely find old, but good quality furniture that will last!