Moving to the U.S.A.
Jul 29th 2011, 5:06 pm
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 8,106
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
There are roughly three ranges of furniture at Ikea.
1) cheap/student - made from spit and sawdust, not expected to last, keyword is "foil".
2) mid price - will last a while particularly if you don't try to move it. Keyword is "veneer". Example, a well constructed Billy bookcase, we actually managed to move ours twice and after a bit of tlc is still looking ok. We had some ace movers but I think we were lucky on that one.
3) upper end - usually solid wood.
1) cheap/student - made from spit and sawdust, not expected to last, keyword is "foil".
2) mid price - will last a while particularly if you don't try to move it. Keyword is "veneer". Example, a well constructed Billy bookcase, we actually managed to move ours twice and after a bit of tlc is still looking ok. We had some ace movers but I think we were lucky on that one.
3) upper end - usually solid wood.
Jul 29th 2011, 5:53 pm
#18
Septic Sprout
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 7,993
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
There are roughly three ranges of furniture at Ikea.
1) cheap/student - made from spit and sawdust, not expected to last, keyword is "foil".
2) mid price - will last a while particularly if you don't try to move it. Keyword is "veneer". Example, a well constructed Billy bookcase, we actually managed to move ours twice and after a bit of tlc is still looking ok. We had some ace movers but I think we were lucky on that one.
3) upper end - usually solid wood.
1) cheap/student - made from spit and sawdust, not expected to last, keyword is "foil".
2) mid price - will last a while particularly if you don't try to move it. Keyword is "veneer". Example, a well constructed Billy bookcase, we actually managed to move ours twice and after a bit of tlc is still looking ok. We had some ace movers but I think we were lucky on that one.
3) upper end - usually solid wood.
They simply haven't invested in the basic infrastructure to provide good service (or any kid of service, really), which is the bit I found particularly offensive as a paying customer who discovered this after the fact. It really is a case of give us your money, now sod off.
Jul 29th 2011, 6:17 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 4,525
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
Look around for counpons and discounts too... for example Bed, Bath and Beyond often have coupons for 20% off a single item, sign up for Kohls email they have discounts of upto 20% off everything you buy. If you plan on buying big items cooker, fridge etc sign up for a Lowes movers discount, you will only get 1 10% off coupon but you can buy more at ebay. $2 for a 10% coupon is worth it if you are getting 10% off a $1000 fridge.
If you see something onsale but the store has sold out or it is a distance to a shop Walmart & Target price match with competitors.
If you see something onsale but the store has sold out or it is a distance to a shop Walmart & Target price match with competitors.
Jul 29th 2011, 7:21 pm
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
The problem is the after-sales service will still be shocking even if you stump up for the good stuff. I felt like a right tit for giving them the best part of 6 grand when afterwards they wouldn't even post me a couple of dollars worth of hinges when it was their fault I didn't have them in the first place.
They simply haven't invested in the basic infrastructure to provide good service (or any kid of service, really), which is the bit I found particularly offensive as a paying customer who discovered this after the fact. It really is a case of give us your money, now sod off.
They simply haven't invested in the basic infrastructure to provide good service (or any kid of service, really), which is the bit I found particularly offensive as a paying customer who discovered this after the fact. It really is a case of give us your money, now sod off.
Jul 29th 2011, 8:06 pm
#22
Septic Sprout
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 7,993
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
Jul 30th 2011, 12:10 am
#23
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 13
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
IKEA and Craigslist is not going to work for my wife. Are there any fine furnature stores in the Denver area that anyone could recomend? She will be here in a weeks time
Jul 30th 2011, 12:13 am
#24
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Jul 30th 2011, 12:18 am
#25
Banned
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 13
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
You must be kidding. We will be living in Genesse, not Fairplay
Jul 31st 2011, 3:05 am
#26
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: From a beautiful part of Scotland, now in Colorado
Posts: 265
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
If you like more traditional, go for Woodleys, Lazboy (both have several stores throughout the state), or American Furniture Galleries in Colorado Springs. American Furniture Warehouse is everywhere and predominantly sells bulky, old-fashioned stuff cheap, but it does have the odd gem. There's also the Great Indoors, in Broomfield and at Park Meadows, Denver - it's part of Sears and has lots of appliances, some furniture, and does curtain poles, decorative accessories, bathroom fitments and the like.
Things like curtains I have struggled to buy - if your windows are big it's tricky, but Overstock.com, Bed Bath and Beyond and JC Penney are not bad. It's also worth looking in places like Target, Kohls and TJ Maxx Homegoods.
Jul 31st 2011, 3:10 am
#27
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: From a beautiful part of Scotland, now in Colorado
Posts: 265
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
We bought mostly Ikea stuff when we arrived - in fact we furnished most of our house with their crap that, 6 years on, creaks, squeaks, wobbles, flakes and just generally all needs fixing and/or replacing. We also found their after-sales customer service worse than abysmal when we had issues (it's another reason why their prices are so cheap).
Because of the latter, I now avoid them like the plague. Lesson learned - you really do get what you pay for.
Because of the latter, I now avoid them like the plague. Lesson learned - you really do get what you pay for.
Jul 31st 2011, 4:45 am
#29
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Vermont
Posts: 3,264
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
Not that frequent them myself being poor and they're rather twee for my tastes if I wasn't, you could try Pottery Barn or Ethan Allen, they're national chains. Or like Bob suggested Williams and Sonoma or Crate and Barrel.
Jul 31st 2011, 10:25 am
#30
Septic Sprout
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 7,993
Re: Moving to the U.S.A.
Interesting - we have Billy bookcases which have survived 10 years and 2 house moves, including the transatlantic shipment and still look great. They've fared much better than the expensive bed which is the same age but is going to need replaced as a matter of urgency as it now kills every bone in my body
Our one saving grace of our utterly horrible creaking Ikea bed is that we splashed out and got a Tempur Pedic mattress as I have a bad back. That was the best investment we ever made. Often if you have a shit bed it's a good mattress that can save you. (Similarly a great bed with a shit mattress isn't going to be any good).