You just can't get good furniture anymore

1

10010011

Senior Audioholic
We just purchased a futon frame and mattress from a local Futon store last week. We had to wait for the platform but received it on Tuesday. This was no cheepie either. This was a Venice from Night & Day Furniture.

First I get it home and open up the box. One of the arms finish was F'ed up, the lacquer was rough as sandpaper. I took the arms back and they had one more set in stock. We opened it at the store and it was ok.

During assembly several of the fasteners broke. They were cheep potted aluminum and even the slightest stress caused them to fracture and break. So Wednesday I go back again and the guy kind of groaned and said he was sorry they thought they had gone through them all and replaced the bad hardware as the manufacturer got a bad batch from China.



So I replaced all the hardware and got it assembled. :D



The first time I tried to raise it into couch position the lock shoe snagged under a metal guide and broke off. :eek: Not just broke but pulled out of the wood.:mad:



I can not believe we spent almost $500 of dollars on this and I never even got to sit in it once before it was broken!

Today we went back to the futon store and told them that we give up and want our money back. They refunded our money and were very apologetic, I don't really blame them. The guy at the store was saying that Night & Day Furniture is top of the line in Futons. Now admittedly the Venice is mid range in their line but I expected it to last more than a day.

We did keep the new mattress and will put it on our ugly old frame that we bought at the Goodwill seven years ago for $50. It is beat up but still rock solid.
 
Last edited:
R

rnatalli

Audioholic Ninja
This is why I generally won't buy furniture unless it was made in Italy. The kicker is, that it doesn't cost a whole lot more (even with freight) than the crap they sell at places like West Elm, CB2, etc... You just need to have a good importer and be patient as stuff from Italy can take anywhere to 2-8 months to receive.
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
This is the reason we had our new couch custom made. A lot of junk out there these days.
 
Alex2507

Alex2507

Audioholic Slumlord
About a year ago we bought a Berkline sectional with recliners. The first thing I did was to turn everything upside down and re-enforce their braces and add fasteners where ever I thought it would help. I really don't mind doing stuff like that because I get the feeling that if it was done right to begin with I wouldn't be able to afford it. As it was it cost around $2,000.
 
F

fredk

Audioholic General
I remember hearing an interview with the owner of a Canadian 'manufacturer' of strollers who, after 10 years pulled his production from China back to Canada.

The increase in manufacturing costs was more than offset by the reduction in quality and customer issues.

China is still very much hit and miss.
 
sawzalot

sawzalot

Audioholic Samurai
made in the usa sounds ancient huh my parents still have a table and chairs set made in some famous chicago furniture factory with all native hardwoods and that set is rock solid with original finish it went through four boys and countless family gatherings if you turn over the table...Made in the USA is hand painted on the bottom those days are gone....
 
ParadigmDawg

ParadigmDawg

Audioholic Overlord
Yep, my couch has tags all over saying "made in the USA".

Bernhardt Furniture Company, Inc., located in the foothills of Western North Carolina, is one of the largest family owned and operated marketers of fine wood and upholstered furniture in the United States.
 
OttoMatic

OttoMatic

Senior Audioholic
Yeah, you can get good furniture, but you have to pay for it. In the big scheme of things, $500 for most pieces of furniture ain't much. You get what you pay for...
 
zhimbo

zhimbo

Audioholic General
Yeah, you can get good furniture, but you have to pay for it. In the big scheme of things, $500 for most pieces of furniture ain't much. You get what you pay for...
A good piece of furniture - if you can find some - will easily outlive you. That's worth a lot.

OTOH: Still doesn't excuse crap that can't even be put together without breaking. That's not even getting what you pay for!
 
M

MatthewB.

Audioholic General
I normally do furntiture shopping on craigslist. and here's why, sure it's used, but I have found some antique real wood furniture sold for pennies. Not that pressboard stuff either. I'm talking thick solid wood that weighs a ton and although old, a good sanding and stain and it looks brand new. Stuff today sold in stores is poorly made half composite, half wood by products not worth anything and brak real easy. But if you search craigslsit, you'd be amazed at the deals that can be found on real wood furniture. I mean pennies to the dollar. I found a solid oak (in four peices) ent center that looked brand new for 80.00 Also found a 60 year old dining table made of pure oak with two table inserts and four solid oak chairs hand carved (both just needed a real good sanding and stain) for 40.00. Solid wood headboards for 20-40.00 and so on. People get tired of this old furniture and want it gone, not realizing with a little work, how valuable old furniture can be.
 
J

jostenmeat

Audioholic Spartan
Most of my furniture has been bought at local consignment stores. Prices are excellent, and there's room for negotiating. (They have to contact seller). They will also lower prices on bulk purchases, without any need to contact seller.

Also, a lot of the items aren't even used. They are overstock items from local vendors, and thus are brand new.
 
1

10010011

Senior Audioholic
Yeah, you can get good furniture, but you have to pay for it. In the big scheme of things, $500 for most pieces of furniture ain't much. You get what you pay for...
Yeah, I know and $500 is nothing in the grand scheme of things. But I did expect $500 to get a higher quality piece of furniture then what I could have got for $100 at Wal-Mart.
 
OttoMatic

OttoMatic

Senior Audioholic
Yeah, I know and $500 is nothing in the grand scheme of things. But I did expect $500 to get a higher quality piece of furniture then what I could have got for $100 at Wal-Mart.
Oh, I didn't mean it to be disrespectful. I just meant that furniture can get expensive. Sorry, I should have phrased that better.
 

Latest posts

newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top