Where do UKC's buy furniture in the US?

[britty 1]

Having just moved house, I embarked on a shopping trip for new furniture. What a disaster !!! I am used to shopping at Next, M&S, Debenhams etc and can't find anything similar here in Northern Virginia / DC. Everything is either too modern or a bad replica of something from the 1800's. I managed to purchase a sofa from Thomasville but thats it! I like Ethan Allen but for all the things I need, there won't be enough cash.

Does anyone know of a store that has similar items to Next and M&S, isnt too pricey and has fairly good quality stuff? Any help would be appreciated!!

thanks

[Saddle Bronc 124]

There are some stores that sell unfinished (fully-assembled, of unfinished wood--which you can add stain to later) furniture. Those usually are excellent deals.

[featherB 1]

Ohhhhhh, Britty, I feel your pain!!

We spent four weeks searching for a chest of drawers (just something simple & nice, we're not that picky!) and couldn't find anything that wasn't utterly horrendous*! Finally we found the perfect one, in a furniture shop next door to our building (oops, should have checked there first!)... I don't think it has a website, and in any case it's mostly damned expensive - we were just lucky to walk in on the day they were selling the perfect chest of drawers at about 50% off.

Now we're after bedside tables and a bookcase... I know the kind of bookcase I want, the kind of thing you could pick up in your lunchbreak in the UK. Here? Nope, nothing doing - gaaaahhh!!

I haven't been in the store, but we have some catalogues from this place... they seem to have some pretty nice stuff, but again, a bit pricey. I quite fancy a few of the things in there, though...

I cannot WAIT for Ikea to open here - I was all excited last year because it was due to open 'in the spring'. Now it's opening, hmm, in the autumn, next spring, who knows. Bah.

(*edited to say... okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration. But several evenings/weekends were spent driving round everywhere that sells furniture within a god-knows-how-many-miles radius, and failing to find anything that was even close to what we had in mind!)

Edited June 20, 2007 by featherB

[rebeccajo 14]

Do some goggling for the big furniture outlets in North Carolina. You probably aren't that far away to even venture driving down their for a look.

[homesick_american 1]

Having just moved house, I embarked on a shopping trip for new furniture. What a disaster !!! I am used to shopping at Next, M&S, Debenhams etc and can't find anything similar here in Northern Virginia / DC. Everything is either too modern or a bad replica of something from the 1800's. I managed to purchase a sofa from Thomasville but thats it! I like Ethan Allen but for all the things I need, there won't be enough cash.

Does anyone know of a store that has similar items to Next and M&S, isnt too pricey and has fairly good quality stuff? Any help would be appreciated!!

thanks

Just go to Ikea; that's what that stuff from Next reminds me of, except it's of a slightly higher quality. Kidding.

I think what you'll find is that our style of furniture is very different from yours. American furniture tends to be larger in proportion to European furniture, and it's not because WE'RE so much bigger than Europeans...at this point we're really not...it's because our houses are much larger, hence the rooms are much larger, hence tiddly European furniture would look silly in those giant rooms.

As for the style...you're clearly shopping in the wrong stores or you simply don't like American-style furniture. If you want something more moderately priced but with clean lines, try Crate and Barrel. It's not the cheapest furniture around, but you could do a lot worse. It's sort of like limey furniture but larger.

Ethan Allen is so fuddy-duddy anyway. I had a look at their site recently and was just really turned off by their furniture. It used to be nicer. Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn are probably where we'll get a lot of our furniture from once we arrive NEXT WEEK! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Since H_A beat me to the Ikea suggestion....

In DC area, "luxuriously" Ikea'd -- one in Springfield (VA) and another in Beltsville (MD, near beltway).

[rebeccajo 14]

Here's the big North Carolina outlet.........

http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/about.shtml

[homesick_american 1]

I cannot WAIT for Ikea to open here - I was all excited last year because it was due to open 'in the spring'. Now it's opening, hmm, in the autumn, next spring, who knows. Bah.

(*edited to say... okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration. But several evenings/weekends were spent driving round everywhere that sells furniture within a god-knows-how-many-miles radius, and failing to find anything that was even close to what we had in mind!)

But Ikea is SHITE! We bought a sofa and an armchair from there....god, NEVER again. Those slipcovers never go back on after you've washed them according to the instructions on the tag. I swear to god I contemplated divorce the last time we had to put the slipcover back on the sofa. Plus, the furniture feels so cheap.

I'd rather spend a bit more and get something of a better quality. A few Ikea pieces have lasted us the 5.5 years we've been in this house, but most have not and we do not abuse our furniture. The bookshelves in particular are rubbish; that printed piece of cardboard at the back is just manky.

It all looks so nice in the catalog, but once you get it home it looks like total student furniture.

Ikea is GREAT for some things, though; I love getting plates and cutlery from there because it doesn't matter if you abuse it; it's so cheap to replace. I also have some kitchen items from there that have stood up pretty well, though I prefer those OXO good grips ones, or gadgets from Williams Sonoma which last forever.

[britty 1]

Ohhhhhh, Britty, I feel your pain!!

We spent four weeks searching for a chest of drawers (just something simple & nice, we're not that picky!) and couldn't find anything that wasn't utterly horrendous*! Finally we found the perfect one, in a furniture shop next door to our building (oops, should have checked there first!)... I don't think it has a website, and in any case it's mostly damned expensive - we were just lucky to walk in on the day they were selling the perfect chest of drawers at about 50% off.

Now we're after bedside tables and a bookcase... I know the kind of bookcase I want, the kind of thing you could pick up in your lunchbreak in the UK. Here? Nope, nothing doing - gaaaahhh!!

I haven't been in the store, but we have some catalogues from this place... they seem to have some pretty nice stuff, but again, a bit pricey. I quite fancy a few of the things in there, though...

I cannot WAIT for Ikea to open here - I was all excited last year because it was due to open 'in the spring'. Now it's opening, hmm, in the autumn, next spring, who knows. Bah.

(*edited to say... okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration. But several evenings/weekends were spent driving round everywhere that sells furniture within a god-knows-how-many-miles radius, and failing to find anything that was even close to what we had in mind!)

Oh FeatherB you have made me laugh !!.... Its sad but nice to know that other Brits are in the same situation. When I bought a house in Essex, I basically spent an hour at Next, half an hour at Matalan, and 15 minutes at DFS (they only had two nice sofas so it was an easy decision), and basically had furnished my entire house on a Saturday afternoon. Thanks for the link - they did have some nice bits there and they have a store 7 miles from me so Im off there tomorrow for a look (and hopefully a purchase). My USC husband doesnt understand and thinks Im being too picky! I thought I would never get over the "this isnt bread its cake" saga when I first came here but that pales into insignificance now....... Thanks so much and Ill let you know how I get on !

Thanks to the other posters too for the info - much appreciated.

[britty 1]

Here's the big North Carolina outlet.........

http://www.furniturelandsouth.com/about.shtml

Thanks Rebeccajo !!

[Disco 0]

My fiance liked this place when he came to Chicago.

http://roomandboard.com/rnb/

Pricey as well but as HA said Americans do EVERYTHING SUPERSIZED.

Never been here but try this place

http://www.eurofurniture.com/

Edited June 20, 2007 by Disco

[Mags 112]

Try to look in your local stores, I can't emphasise that enough. I had a real problem here with sofas and finding one that was of my liking. There just doesn't seem to be very many of those huge, sink in and disappear sofas like you get in the UK.

Most of our furniture is local. This way we keep the community going and don't have to go far. We tend to buy handmade, wooden, specially crafted stuff that you can stain yourself. We live in a really old house, so Ikea's furniture would just look stupid and rather naff.

Our fridge, freezer and washer and dryer came from the little electrical appliance shop 3 minutes from here. Because we are so local they deliver for free. The same for our sofa, end tables and coffee table - came from the furniture warehouse up the street. Again, delivery is free. Price wise we haven't paid over the odds. Because they wish to stay competitive and in business, they are reasonable in price. I'd rather pay $30 more than an online price if it means a local gets a commission (rather than some unseen superstore). We live in a small town and keeping people in business here is important to me.

Anyway, the point of this post (if I can remember it) is that you should look locally, don't be put off. You may be pleasantly surprised at the odd bargain and gorgeous piece of furniture.

Edited June 20, 2007 by mags

[featherB 1]

I cannot WAIT for Ikea to open here - I was all excited last year because it was due to open 'in the spring'. Now it's opening, hmm, in the autumn, next spring, who knows. Bah.

(*edited to say... okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration. But several evenings/weekends were spent driving round everywhere that sells furniture within a god-knows-how-many-miles radius, and failing to find anything that was even close to what we had in mind!)

But Ikea is SHITE! We bought a sofa and an armchair from there....god, NEVER again. Those slipcovers never go back on after you've washed them according to the instructions on the tag. I swear to god I contemplated divorce the last time we had to put the slipcover back on the sofa. Plus, the furniture feels so cheap.

I'd rather spend a bit more and get something of a better quality. A few Ikea pieces have lasted us the 5.5 years we've been in this house, but most have not and we do not abuse our furniture. The bookshelves in particular are rubbish; that printed piece of cardboard at the back is just manky.

It all looks so nice in the catalog, but once you get it home it looks like total student furniture.

Ikea is GREAT for some things, though; I love getting plates and cutlery from there because it doesn't matter if you abuse it; it's so cheap to replace. I also have some kitchen items from there that have stood up pretty well, though I prefer those OXO good grips ones, or gadgets from Williams Sonoma which last forever.

Yeah... you do have a point. I must confess that I've only ever really admired Ikea's furniture from the distance of the website/catalogue, rather than actually buying any (ok, so I've been there with friends and they've got some decent stuff which seemed to last ok, but I agree the quality can be, uh, questionable), but I was hoping I'd be able to find some half-decent stuff there. Is it really all that bad? (I guess I don't need to ask after the description of your bookshelves!) I got all the stuff in my last place from Habitat (oh, how I miss you, Habitat bed :( ), but I thought Ikea might just be the place to go if we want to find reasonable-quality stuff that's actually going to be in stock anytime during the next decade! Perhaps not, though...

But ohhhhh yeah, Ikea bargain kitchen stuff, plates, cutlery, glasses, vases, all that stuff... plus the £5 lamp that I bequeathed to my mother when I left - THAT is what Ikea is great for!

(And as for OXO Good Grips... my boxes arrived from London on Friday, complete with assorted Good Grips kitchen utensils. I think my poor husband thought I must be insane, to import a potato peeler all the way from the UK... and yeah, I know you can get that stuff here too... but I like that stuff! )

[featherB 1]

Try to look in your local stores, I can't emphasise that enough. I had a real problem here with sofas and finding one that was of my liking. There just doesn't seem to be very many of those huge, sink in and disappear sofas like you get in the UK.

Most of our furniture is local. This way we keep the community going and don't have to go far. We tend to buy handmade, wooden, specially crafted stuff that you can stain yourself. We live in a really old house, so Ikea's furniture would just look stupid and rather naff.

Our fridge, freezer and washer and dryer came from the little electrical appliance shop 3 minutes from here. Because we are so local they deliver for free. The same for our sofa, end tables and coffee table - came from the furniture warehouse up the street. Again, delivery is free. Price wise we haven't paid over the odds. Because they wish to stay competitive and in business, they are reasonable in price. I'd rather pay $30 more than an online price if it means a local gets a commission (rather than some unseen superstore). We live in a small town and keeping people in business here is important to me.

Anyway, the point of this post (if I can remember it) is that you should look locally, don't be put off. You may be pleasantly surprised at the odd bargain and gorgeous piece of furniture.

Yup, looking locally seems to have worked for us - I'm in love with half the things in the shop NEXT DOOR, I'd buy half the shop if I could afford it. It's an absolutely massive place on all four (or is it five, I forget?) floors of a huge downtown building - I hadn't realised initially that they were using more than the ground floor (full of uber-modern weird-looking sofas and things that didn't appeal that much at all) and C. had warned me that it was 'really expensive', so I'd not even bothered going in... then I wandered in one afternoon, found the chest of drawers of my dreams (mysteriously reduced to a price below those of the crappy flimsy ones in Target) and... yeah, I'd like EVERYTHING there, please. They now have me on their mailing list and sent me a postcard about some special discounts this week... hurrah!

As for what you said about the 'huge, sink in and disappear' sofas..... mmmmm, that is what I'm after! Finally I'm living in a place with enough space to fit in the perfect sofa, and I can't find one! C. fancies one of those sectional, modern things, but... noooooo, I want the kind of sofa you can live on, damn it!!!

I also agree completely about being more than willing to pay extra for something from a local business rather than some giant online place (I would never buy furniture online without seeing it unless it was really, really, really cheap, anyway - you never know what it's really going to be like 'til you've seen it!), but... not double the price, which seems to be what we'd have to pay in some of the places round here.

[homesick_american 1]

Yeah... you do have a point. I must confess that I've only ever really admired Ikea's furniture from the distance of the website/catalogue, rather than actually buying any (ok, so I've been there with friends and they've got some decent stuff which seemed to last ok, but I agree the quality can be, uh, questionable), but I was hoping I'd be able to find some half-decent stuff there. Is it really all that bad? (I guess I don't need to ask after the description of your bookshelves!) I got all the stuff in my last place from Habitat (oh, how I miss you, Habitat bed :( ), but I thought Ikea might just be the place to go if we want to find reasonable-quality stuff that's actually going to be in stock anytime during the next decade! Perhaps not, though...

But ohhhhh yeah, Ikea bargain kitchen stuff, plates, cutlery, glasses, vases, all that stuff... plus the £5 lamp that I bequeathed to my mother when I left - THAT is what Ikea is great for!

(And as for OXO Good Grips... my boxes arrived from London on Friday, complete with assorted Good Grips kitchen utensils. I think my poor husband thought I must be insane, to import a potato peeler all the way from the UK... and yeah, I know you can get that stuff here too... but I like that stuff! )

We bought Ikea furniture for this house in 2001 and while most of it is still here, it looks knackered. I wouldn't waste money on Ikea furniture except for the odd piece that has held up well. It's cheap and even worse, it LOOKS and FEELS cheap.