Crate & barrel 2 and West elm furniture quality? Pier1 ? (floor, cherry, Lowes)

[silibran]

The Pier 1 furniture that I have seen looks badly made and finished to me. I wouldn't buy it. Same for furniture I see at Home Goods.

I'd read revews of the C&B furniture before buying.

[sharonbryanpoet]

I thought the West Elm stuff looked great online, then discovered a store near me. The quality is so-so despite their upscale pricing. I like CB2's stuff, and they have good customer service. But I just reviewed dining room chairs I bought there--too uncomfortable to use, I returned them--and they approved my review but didn't post it. I rely on other people's reviews, and I think it's cheating not to publish negative ones. So beware of the CB2 reviews, I don't think they're representative.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by Wry_Martini

I wouldn't buy any furniture from Pier 1 that got more than very light/rare usage. It's not a bad place to find pieces that you'll use for decorative purposes only, though.

For example, I have a little silver bombe chest from Pier 1. It's pretty, the price was good, and it fills a small nook in my living room. But the drawers probably only get opened a few times a year. If it was in my bedroom and got heavy usage, I doubt it would last more than a year or two. Their dining room chairs seem to be okay quality, though I don't have any. I've just sat in them in the store.

West Elm's quality is pretty similar to Crate and Barrel.

I agree with this.

I LOVE Pier 1 but basically just for accent pieces. When it comes to furniture, I just don't think it's high quality. Now, that being said, I do have a Pier 1 kitchen table which has held up very nicely, as well as two dining room chairs that have also held up nicely though they don't get much use. They're very comfortable and I like that I can change the slip covers out on them.

I have a couple of occasional tables and mirrors from Pier 1 and they're great for what they are - accent pieces.

I've had good luck with rugs from Pier 1. They're not expensive and they are heavy and good quality.

But I sold high end furniture in a former life, and I can tell that Pier 1's bigger pieces just aren't great quality. They're also not expensive, so I guess you get what you pay for.

[Jukesgrrl]

I bought West Elm's popular Henry sofa three years ago. My elderly mother who has physical disabilities lives with me and she complained constantly about the sofa I had. I took her to a shopping center in North Scottsdale, AZ, that has a lot of furniture stores and told her to pick out a sofa she was comfortable with. She sat in every sofa at Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, and a couple of other places. She picked the Henry at West Elm. I ordered it in a linen-look blend in a color called Flax (I don't think they sell that exact fabric any more).
Henry® Sofa | west elm

The sofa gets very light wear (no kids, no pets, very few parties). I never sit in it because I find it to be VERY uncomfortable. It's too low to the ground for me and puts my knees in a jack-knife position. I also find the cushions to be unsupportive. So if I sit on the sofa for even an hour my back aches. Mom still likes it but she is much smaller than I am and wants soft, soft under her (pillowtop mattress, etc.) We don't have guests all that often but when we do they usually choose other seating. In spite of the light wear (it's still very clean), the fabric on the seat cushions is not wearing well. It's kind of stretched out and wrinkles obviously. Other than the cushions, I would say the construction of the Henry is good considering the price and my sofa was made in North Carolina, which I like (I used to sell furniture, so I know something about sofa construction). And I think the style is handsome. But I wouldn't buy it again.

[gentlearts]

I have not seen West Elm furniture in person, but I have seen Crate and Barrel, and it seems to be good quality. Around here, we have a Pier One, and I feel their furniture is overpriced and poor quality.
I just bought some kitchen chairs from World Market, and they are very good quality for the price ($75.@).

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

We've got some Room & Board pieces now that are utterly awesome

Want high quality?
Room & Board.
We own a lot of it.
3968 Vrain Street, Berkeley, Denver, CO 80212-2251 USA

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by jamiecta

One other thing to note about C&B is that they have some very high-quality rugs. I was looking for a modern shag rug and tried SEVERAL from multiple scores and returned them all because they either shed, or cheaped out on the material, or weren't plush enough. The one we got from them is AMAZING. We get compliments all the time and all our guests love to be on it barefoot haha.

Two furniture places to consider if someone likes C&B style are Younger Furniture and Room & Board. They both have some similar styles but are another notch up in quality from C&B, CB2, or West Elm. You pay for it but it is definitely worth it.

^^^I agree regarding Crate & Barrel and Room and Board. You can get some great deals during their
yearly big sale. I bought a CB sofa, a few months back, made in the US with a $20.00 delivery charge
and saved over $500.00 (on the sofa alone).
ps-I went to the store and the sales person was helpful in reducing certain costs.

Outlet Store Online | Crate and Barrel

[Shooting Stars]

Anyone who has worked in a moderate to high-end furniture store (I have) is going to be more discerning.

The thing about places like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel, is that while their wood furniture will be sturdy, you are sometimes paying too much for the quality. You might find similar items available at a regular furniture store at a better price. If you don't see it on the floor, ask to see the catalogs.

I worked at a high-end store in the past and one time we had a children's furniture vendor come in and make the point that many of their designs looked similar to Crate and Barrel for less, and the quality was better.

As far as upholstery, this is my real pet peeve. Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn charge as much for their sofas as a mainstream furniture store, but in the regular furniture store, you could get an eight-way hand-tied sofa for the same price. It's not that their sofas won't last, but it certainly will never feel as comfortable as an eight-way hand-tied one would.

I love Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn for lots and lots of things, but there is no reason to think they are the ultimate source or best value for furniture. Now if you see something there truly unique or on sale, then go for it. But you're doing yourself a disservice not to check out a decent furniture store too.

EDIT/CORRECTION: How funny. I just got a Crate and Barrel catalog in the mail. Evidently their Axis II Sofa Collection offers the choice between sinuous wire springs or eight-way hand-tied springs. Good for them.

[goodman3]

I'm learning more about CB2 and I am not happy. I bought a used CB2 wood bed frame recently. Assembling it was a PIA. I have assembled used IKEA bed frames and I like them much better. The CB2 frame was missing some parts so I called them to see if they can send me what I need. Their customer support is not accommodating. Apparently, they do not send parts nor are they available. IKEA on the other hand will send you whatever you need for FREE. I believe this type of service is essential for apartment dwellers bc ppl move around and will disassemble and assemble their furniture. You will lose parts at some point. So I learned a lesson here. To stay away from CB2 furniture!

[chiluvr1228]

I have a round dining table with a leaf I purchased from Pier 1 about 2 years ago after looking at numerous furniture stores trying to find a round table that wasn't glass and had a leaf. So far I am happy with it.