Pottery Barn Creates McMansions

[Martha]

Frankly, I'm just looking for affordable furniture. The prices at Pottery Barn are outrageous, while the prices at Crate & Barrel are ridiculous for the quality (or lack thereof). IKEA *used* to be a decent deal for furniture, since most of it is self-assembly, but the quality is terrible. If people are looking for self-assembly furniture, I've had good experiences with O'Sullivan, which can be ordered through different low-cost furniture stores. Getting the boxes home may be a problem, since unlike IKEA furniture, O'Sullivan stuff is *heavy*.

Furniture generally is not very well built any more. After all, the manufacturers expect you to buy something new when you redecorate. What we did was have an acquaintance of ours build us a couch and a loveseat out of oak. They will last forever. Upholstery may have to be redone every so often, but is easy because how they are designed. And the cost was less than buying from a store.

 

[FlowGirl]

As an aside, anyone notice that entertainment armoires aren't fashionable anymore?  They don't fit the 50" plasma, LCD or DLP sets being sold at the big box stores.  I always thought that entertainment armoires were a great idea, since they keep the TV from being the "center" of a room.

Lately it seems like every living room I walk into has a giant ass TV as the focal point.  One of our friends has an apartment with a gorgeous ocean view... but somehow its their 50'' plasma you notice first.  Wish more people would recognize that a television set is not an attractive piece of furniture.  There's also the issue that when someone has a TV that size out in the open, it tends to get turned on - even if its at a party where you're enjoying wine and pleasant conversation.  Annoying!

We have a 27'' in the corner that we use for watching DVDs.  Would someday love to get a larger set with a nice home theater system, but not until our lives become less active and not unless its easily hideable (armoire or rec room).

 

[REWahoo]

What we did was have an acquaintance of ours build us a couch and a loveseat out of oak.

Martha, from the photo it looks a bit like a church pew. Oh, I get it...

Greg: "Halleluhia!!!!!"

Martha: "Oh, God!!!" :

 

[cube_rat]

Martha, from the photo it looks a bit like a church pew. Oh, I get it...

Greg: "Halleluhia!!!!!"

Martha: "Oh, God!!!" :

Somehow I can't imagine bumping and grinding on Martha's couch without doing some bodily damage. Ouch!