Quality Furniture
Author
Discussion

UpTheIron

Original Poster:

4,058 posts

292 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
I'm about to move into a new place with Mrs UTI and her two kids... so furnishing the place needs to take a slightly different tack to what I am used to - it needs to be child proof (although I am as bad as them, especially when in a mood!).

Anyone got any good recommendations for living room, dining room and office/study furniture?

- Leather sofas
- Wooden dining table
- Hard wearing, contemporary office/study furniture
- A decent double sofa bed (to live in the study)

Or do I just go down the Ikea route for some of it, and treat it as disposable?!

Blakeatron

2,556 posts

197 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Have it made, I know someone that could help...

Or look with your head - buy things made with solid timbers (especially table tops) stay well clear of flat pack with twist turn connectors, if its got a flimsy back it will be rubbish, if the drawers have got cheap runners or flimsy bottoms they will break.

John lewis items are generally a safe bet - although they do sell some questionable items. Dont spend a fortune though as yours tastes will change, and things will get wrecked.

Or a cheaper option - is there a second hand/charity furniture depot near you? Thw one near us is crammed full of decent wooden furniture.

Road Pest

3,123 posts

222 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Auction houses sometimes have furniture outlets. I picked up a pair of John Lewis bar stools for £20 at one in Leicester.

miniman

29,464 posts

286 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
We've got a massively sturdy dining table from John Lewis which is solid wood legs with a stainless steel wrapped top. It is paint, cake, ketchup, ice cream, beans, biro, glue, felt tip pen and pretty much everything else under the sun - proof. You just wipe it down and polish it with Windolene.

driverrob

4,837 posts

227 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
These people http://www.qualityhouse.co/ made us a whole load of solid wood stuff (one room oak, another room mahogany) when we moved into this house 18 years ago. It all still looks as good as new now.
They even made me a bespoke sized cabinet:
a few years ago and used one of the original sideboard drawers to ensure a near perfect grain and colour match.

RichyBoy

3,745 posts

241 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Costco had all that last time I was there.

Pulse

10,922 posts

242 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
Perhaps not what others would count as 'quality', but some of our solid oak furniture is all from Oak Furniture Land. It is fantastically made, solid, and fantastic looking.

Our furniture in the living room is not so well made, and was more expensive! They were from Neptune Classics. I'd avoid them at all costs - utter rip off. All solid wood, and really great looking, but poorly designed and/or manufactured.

I am quite the fan of solid oak though. Happy to provide photos of what to expect if you'd like.

zaphod42

58,177 posts

179 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
Road Pest said:
Auction houses sometimes have furniture outlets. I picked up a pair of John Lewis bar stools for £20 at one in Leicester.
Could you share the name of the auction house? Anyone have a list of good northern/midlands ones?

Road Pest

3,123 posts

222 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
zaphod42 said:
Could you share the name of the auction house? Anyone have a list of good northern/midlands ones?
Gattsbys is the one I went to in Leicester.