# Furniture



## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

Any ideas on furniture places? I have looked at Ikea but the problem is everything is particleboard, but the pricepoint is there. Anything with similar stylings maybe and around the same price point but better quality?


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## ZachGranstrom (Mar 11, 2010)

CB2 (owned by Crate & Barrel)
https://www.cb2.com/


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## Sny (Nov 30, 2009)

When did the C in AAAC get confused for Cheap Furniture? IKEA is absolutely dreadful. I would just hold off on buying furniture and save up until you can purchase something decent. If you want something in that mid-century modern aesthetic that's decently constructed, you'll need to save up for a while. If you can't wait, I'd try Craigslist or a consignment store or an antiques fair.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Are you redecorating your house?


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

Howard said:


> Are you redecorating your house?


Well, we're looking to buy our first house, and so we had time to kill yesterday and we went looking to get an idea on new furniture.


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## chatsworth osborne jr. (Feb 2, 2008)

*My furniture is mostly used junk, but*

I've always been of the opinion that is the upscale IKEA. Well, not always - they used to be very colonial before modernizing.

Also Stickley. Or check out the usual thrifting stores too...


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## coynedj (Jun 1, 2008)

I have had great success with garage sales. I see you're in the Twin Cities area like I am - it's a pity you mised the big Woodbury sale a few weeks ago, but I'm sure there will be others. I bought a beautiful love seat for $30 at the Woodbury sale, to give you an example. You have to be patient, but you can get wonderful furniture for maybe 10% of retail prices that way. Cruise the sales on Saturdays, when prices tend to drop, and have ready cash with you to entice sellers to drop their prices even further!


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

Buy furniture that your great-grandchildren will be pleased to inherit.


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

coynedj said:


> I have had great success with garage sales. I see you're in the Twin Cities area like I am - it's a pity you mised the big Woodbury sale a few weeks ago, but I'm sure there will be others. I bought a beautiful love seat for $30 at the Woodbury sale, to give you an example. You have to be patient, but you can get wonderful furniture for maybe 10% of retail prices that way. Cruise the sales on Saturdays, when prices tend to drop, and have ready cash with you to entice sellers to drop their prices even further!


Living on the west side, I have never really been over to Woodbury. Are the specific stores to look at?



DougNZ said:


> Buy furniture that your great-grandchildren will be pleased to inherit.


Unlike the federal government, I can't print money to cover my debts.


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## Xeiheo (Mar 2, 2010)

I too would like to chime in for some more recommendations. I need to furnish an apartment rather quickly (move in starts in about a week and I need to be up and running a little more than a week afterward!). I got nothing as is, and things that aren't delivered are problematic since I don't have transportation available. I too was not terribly pleased with Ikea's quality, and am saving it as a last resort at the moment. Any other suggestions beyond hunting thrift stores and yard sales?


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

I would second Ethan Allen. I have a number of pieces which are at least 50 years old and suffered through my teen years. They are still in perfect condition (teen dents and flourishes aside). My parents gave them to me when they downsized.


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## Pshrynk (Apr 14, 2010)

Sny said:


> When did the C in AAAC get confused for Cheap Furniture? IKEA is absolutely dreadful. I would just hold off on buying furniture and save up until you can purchase something decent. If you want something in that mid-century modern aesthetic that's decently constructed, you'll need to save up for a while. If you can't wait, I'd try Craigslist or a consignment store or an antiques fair.


I disagree. SOME of their stuff is pretty good and SOME is cheapo and bad.


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## ajo (Oct 22, 2007)

I have used Ikea bookcases for the past 20 years. I have seven of their Billy model. Their practical easy to put up and suit my needs with adjustable shelving and I will probably need another one by the end of the year the way books keep breading in our home. 

When my son was toddler we bought a table and chairs for him that is still doing the rounds of the extended family. 

As for the rest of the furniture in the house it falls into what Doug NZ said about buying things that your children, grandchildren can inherit. Now if I can just come up with spare change for a couple of these


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## blue suede shoes (Mar 22, 2010)

Sny said:


> When did the C in AAAC get confused for Cheap Furniture? IKEA is absolutely dreadful. I would just hold off on buying furniture and save up until you can purchase something decent. If you want something in that mid-century modern aesthetic that's decently constructed, you'll need to save up for a while. If you can't wait, I'd try Craigslist or a consignment store or an antiques fair.


I thought this forum is "the interchange", where we pleasantly discuss the issues of the day that are not about clothes. :icon_smile:

Try www.dwr.com for modern furniture at reasonable prices.


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

So will someone please explain to me where you guys work such that $700+ tables and $3000 bookcases are affordable? Also, will you put a good word in for me?


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## ajo (Oct 22, 2007)

brokencycle said:


> So will someone please explain to me where you guys work such that $700+ tables and $3000 bookcases are affordable? Also, will you put a good word in for me?


Sorry you would not want to be working on contract as I am, not very pleasant to be honest. Also the book cases were $99 oz don't know the US price but would highly recommend them, you can put glass doors on them.

The table was another affair $2500 recycled strawberry blonde mountain ash seats 8 with ease and it was bought during a major renovation. ( i think i own it, but then the bank might think differently.:icon_smile_big:


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

You can try looking at furniture outlets.


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

ajo said:


> Sorry you would not want to be working on contract as I am, not very pleasant to be honest. Also the book cases were $99 oz don't know the US price but would highly recommend them, you can put glass doors on them.
> 
> The table was another affair $2500 recycled strawberry blonde mountain ash seats 8 with ease and it was bought during a major renovation. ( i think i own it, but then the bank might think differently.:icon_smile_big:


Understandable. I appreciate the links from people, but I said, we're looking to buy our first house in the next few months, and so money will be tight.


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

brokencycle said:


> Understandable. I appreciate the links from people, but I said, we're looking to buy our first house in the next few months, and so money will be tight.


Then buy something that will suffice but will easily on-sell. When you can afford it, up-grade a piece / suite at a time to more longer-lasting pieces.

$10,000 dining suite over 300 years = $33 per year or 9c per dinner.

Or look at it this way; if you use it for the next 40 years, it's $250 per year or 68c per dinner. The next eight generations get it for free.


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## Alexander Kabbaz (Jan 9, 2003)

DougNZ said:


> $10,000 dining suite over 300 years = $33 per year or 9c per dinner.


If that's how things get amortized in NZ, I'm moving tomorrow. No - tonight!


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

Alexander Kabbaz said:


> If that's how things get amortized in NZ, I'm moving tomorrow. No - tonight!


Bring your cute friends ...!


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## coynedj (Jun 1, 2008)

brokencycle said:


> Living on the west side, I have never really been over to Woodbury. Are the specific stores to look at?


I was referring to the Woodbury community garage sale - on one weekend, there are hundreds of sales. I took Friday off and spent both that day and Saturday cruising the sales with my kids, buying lots of silly things and a few items that were actually worth spending money on. Of course, spending the time with the progeny was the best part of it, but even with two full days we covered maybe a third of the sales.

There are a few consignment stores hereabouts, but I doubt they'd be so much better than those available on the west side to justify the trip. Have you tried Dock 86?


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

coynedj said:


> I was referring to the Woodbury community garage sale - on one weekend, there are hundreds of sales. I took Friday off and spent both that day and Saturday cruising the sales with my kids, buying lots of silly things and a few items that were actually worth spending money on. Of course, spending the time with the progeny was the best part of it, but even with two full days we covered maybe a third of the sales.
> 
> There are a few consignment stores hereabouts, but I doubt they'd be so much better than those available on the west side to justify the trip. Have you tried Dock 86?


No, we might go next weekend. We will have to checkout Woodbury Commons too. I swear there are more malls than people here...


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## RedBluff (Dec 22, 2009)

I have heard great things about this outfit.
I hope to get a new or used one soon.
https://www.americanleather.com/


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## Scotch&Cigars (Dec 27, 2009)

My apartment is currently furnished completely via Craigslist. It took a while to find things and inspect them to make sure they were up to par, but I managed to get some very nice pieces for rock-bottom prices from people who were moving or remodeling and just wanted to get rid of the stuff for more than zero.


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## PatentLawyerNYC (Sep 21, 2007)

Alexander Kabbaz said:


> I would second Ethan Allen. I have a number of pieces which are at least 50 years old and suffered through my teen years. They are still in perfect condition (teen dents and flourishes aside). My parents gave them to me when they downsized.


+1. Also, don't forget to check Craigslist. My wife and I found two pieces to complete our Ethan Allen living room for $300 (total) that would have cost us five times that at the store.


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## Earl of Ormonde (Sep 5, 2008)

brokencycle said:


> Any ideas on furniture places? I have looked at Ikea but the problem is everything is particleboard, but the pricepoint is there. Anything with similar stylings maybe and around the same price point but better quality?


I don't what range of stuff you have in Ikea over there, but over here in Ikea's homeland we have plenty of furniture in Ikea that is made from solid wood. Last year I bought a solid birch dinning table that seats ten. Weighs a ton, a beautiful piece of furniture. Maybe the oslid wood items aren't shipped to the States for some reason.


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## andy b. (Mar 18, 2010)

Earl of Ormonde said:


> I don't what range of stuff you have in Ikea over there, but over here in Ikea's homeland we have plenty of furniture in Ikea that is made from solid wood. Last year I bought a solid birch dinning table that seats ten. Weighs a ton, a beautiful piece of furniture. Maybe the oslid wood items aren't shipped to the States for some reason.


Shipping one ton tables to the US probably costs a lot. 

I'll throw another vote in for Craigslist. I got a cherry desk for free (the woman was cleaning out after her father passed on and just wanted it hauled away). And as a seller, my wife and I were getting rid of a nice solid wood butcher block kitchen table with four chairs and we just wanted it gone so we sold it for $120. There are deals out there, but if you need it tonight, you will have to pay accordingly.

Andy B.


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