Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

We can't really afford much and they seem to have the least expensive stuff. But will it last ? Doesn't have to last forever but at least like 5 years. What do you ladies think?

ETA: Thank you!

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

IKEA really depends on what you buy from there. You should take a look at the furniture and how it's constructed. Some stuff is very flimsy and other stuff is pretty decent.

C&B seems to be a step up in quality from IKEA. I bought a coffee table and book case from them and am very happy with them.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

We have bedroom furniture from Pier 1. It seems very well made and sturdy. I love the set we got and they have lots of sales so you can save a lot. Crate and Barrel stuff didn't seem all that inexpensive to me. IKEA is hit or miss.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

Personally, I hate ikea with a passion. So I would avoid it at all costs.

Crate and Barrel has a less expensive line (more like Ikea) and a more expensive line. I have a bunch of pieces from the more expensive line. I actually love them and think they are made really well. They are made much better than the Pottery Barn furniture.

Pier One has a different style furniture. Its definitely better than Ikea. But you may have trouble furnishing a whole house from Pier One.

This is what we did when we first moved in together a four years ago. I did not want to waste money buying furniture and then eventually replacing it with nicer stuff. Instead, I bought a few really nice pieces a year. I bought pieces that were expensive, but ones that I loved and would stay with me. So now that we have our first house, all those pieces look great. I could have bought a lot of furniture from Ikea, but it would have only been temporary.

Sorry for the unsolicited advice.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

I have my living room end tables & coffee table and bed frame and side tables from Crate and Barrel. Like you, we didn't want to spend a fortune on furniture (and I'm glad we didn't because our tastes have changed a lot!). They are fine. They are metal with glass and are very sturdy. We've had it for 3 yrs now and are in great shape.

We purchased an office desk from Ikea and that is fine too. It's very sturdy and still looks great.

I would suggest making sure that you can physically see and touch what you are going to buy and make your decision based on that.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

we got our bedroom set at pier 1 and did not pay over 15oo. we love it and the wood is solid.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

I agree! I've had very bad experiences with Ikea- the furniture literally fell apart! Crate and Barell and Pier 1 seems to be higher quality.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

Try www.furniture.com they are online and show all the furniture that Seamans and Levits sells. We bought our LR stuff there (couch and love seat) for just $748. I found a coffee table and 2 end tables (a 3 piece set) on there today for $237!

Also, try www.overstock.com We bought our enire bedroom set from them for just $800 and no tax and free shipping!

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

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Posted by kelleherkm

Try www.furniture.com they are online and show all the furniture that Seamans and Levits sells. We bought our LR stuff there (couch and love seat) for just $748. I found a coffee table and 2 end tables (a 3 piece set) on there today for $237!

Also, try www.overstock.com We bought our enire bedroom set from them for just $800 and no tax and free shipping!

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Wow! That's awesome!

Thanks for the tips, ladies!

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

Good luck!! Oh - I was in Ikea tonight with my sister and she bought a kitchen table, 2 end tables and a coffee table and it all looked like good stuff. Oh plus she got 12 glasses and a toilet bowl brosh LOL all for $240

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

Pier 1 and Ikea have good quality wood, I like Pier 1 better because Ikea stuff falls apart and you have to put EVERYTHING togethr. You open and box to a dresser and there are 100 screws, 100 bolts, etc, it really suc*s! That's why they can afford to sell it so cheap. Crate and Barrel is definitely a step up, I'd rather buy from Pottery Barn.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

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Posted by am470

This is what we did when we first moved in together a four years ago. I did not want to waste money buying furniture and then eventually replacing it with nicer stuff. Instead, I bought a few really nice pieces a year. I bought pieces that were expensive, but ones that I loved and would stay with me. So now that we have our first house, all those pieces look great. I could have bought a lot of furniture from Ikea, but it would have only been temporary.

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This is what I have been doing, as well.

But I do have a few cheaper pieces also. Some pieces from Ikea (ick!) that I needed to get started when I moved into my place. When I moved into this apartment 3-1/2 years ago I didn't have a stick of furniture. I got a wall unit from Ikea which isn't bad. A table that rotates to a bigger one that is OK, and a dresser that I HATE more than life itself. (It is not coming with us when we move.)

I've also borrowed a couple of pieces from my parents to hold me (and now us ) over until we have a house.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

I don't have Pier 1 or C&B furniture, but we do have Ikea bedroom furniture (I bought it for my bedroom at my parents house a four years ago and then DH liked it so much he bought a few pieces of the same collection and when we got married, our furniture did too ) With Ikea, I have found that it depends on whether or not it is real wood. I am a fabric/material snob, so I didn't want pressboard dressers. I found one of the few solid pine collections they had and love how they have expanded on it. It has held up nicely these past few years and survived the moves from our parents' homes to our condo without falling apart.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

Our bedroom set it IKEA from when I first moved out. The bed is ok and has held up well (3 years & 2 moves) but the dressers have been a nightmare. The solid wood (pine) furniture holds up a lot better than the pressboard. We also have some small peices from Crate and Barrel and that is MUCH better quality.

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

IKEA is good for temporary solutions...like apartments, but for a home, I'd buy better quality.

I've had bad experiences with Ikea- the furniture is made so poorly, it literally fell apart!

Re: Any feedback on Ikea, Crate and Barrel, and Pier 1 furniture?

My past experience with IKEA furniture was not too good. I bought an entertainment center from them for $100 and it sank within 6 months...My tv use to sit on an angle because one side of the wood just sank in.

You have to watch what you buy from there...Most of their furniture really isnt that cheap in price either.

If you are looking for quality but you dont want to pay that much, try Seamans...Danielle and I furnished our whole apartment for under $4,000...including a mattress....Thats not bad...and we got really nice, plush furniture.

If you goto Seamans, try the one on old country road..>Ask for Frank Cusa...He was our salesman and let me tell you...He was very nice, not pushy and all and he really helped us out.
Scott