We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
Apr 9th 2010, 4:59 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: East Bay Area, CA from Hampshire UK
Posts: 88
We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
Well we have been here 5 days now, internet is up already. Kids have made some friends in our road which is great (an empty house with lots of space for running around seems to be a big attraction!)
had a few days exploring and joining costco filling the cupboards and purchasing a few kitchen items. We took the kids on a hike yesterday, the weather was great, views were stunning and we are loving the location here (still very much in holiday mode!)
Need some recommendations for furniture places in the East bay area, somewhere kind of equivalent to Habitat, John lewis sort of thing, don't want to spend a fortune but not quite Ikea either. Also we would like to get a breadmaker but nowhere seems to have much choice so where online is good for electrical items?
thanks
Niccy
had a few days exploring and joining costco filling the cupboards and purchasing a few kitchen items. We took the kids on a hike yesterday, the weather was great, views were stunning and we are loving the location here (still very much in holiday mode!)
Need some recommendations for furniture places in the East bay area, somewhere kind of equivalent to Habitat, John lewis sort of thing, don't want to spend a fortune but not quite Ikea either. Also we would like to get a breadmaker but nowhere seems to have much choice so where online is good for electrical items?
thanks
Niccy
Apr 9th 2010, 5:04 pm
#2
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Silicone Valley
Posts: 1,730
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
Amazon I have found to be really good for furiture, I HATE dark wood and most of the furniture stores seem to have nothing else! Lots of choice on amazon I got all the glass/chrome I needed from there, lots of free shipping and no tax deals too.
Breadmakers, Bed Bath and Beyond or Target or again Amazon.
Breadmakers, Bed Bath and Beyond or Target or again Amazon.
Apr 9th 2010, 5:10 pm
#3
The Kwisatz Haderach
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: North Wales
Posts: 8,080
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
I second Amazon for electricals, I got the kettle and bread maker and crock pot all from there.
You might want to check out www.craigslist.com for some pieces of furniture, I find some very unusual, not very American (ie dark wood heavy) furniture on there. I was admiring a really cool looking leather couch from Scandinavian designs just the other day. for only $300. and a formal dining set 6 chairs and a table in honey color for $200. Worth a look.
You might want to check out www.craigslist.com for some pieces of furniture, I find some very unusual, not very American (ie dark wood heavy) furniture on there. I was admiring a really cool looking leather couch from Scandinavian designs just the other day. for only $300. and a formal dining set 6 chairs and a table in honey color for $200. Worth a look.
Apr 9th 2010, 5:11 pm
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
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Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
You can check out the Home Depot Expo in Pleasanton which has very nice housewares (usually upper end so can be expensive) but sometimes you can get things on sale.
Usually Target, Walmart, JC Pennys, Sears, or Macys for your normal shopping.
Usually Target, Walmart, JC Pennys, Sears, or Macys for your normal shopping.
Last edited by Michael; Apr 9th 2010 at 5:15 pm.
Apr 9th 2010, 5:19 pm
#5
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Silicone Valley
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Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
I second Amazon for electricals, I got the kettle and bread maker and crock pot all from there.
You might want to check out www.craigslist.com for some pieces of furniture, I find some very unusual, not very American (ie dark wood heavy) furniture on there. I was admiring a really cool looking leather couch from Scandinavian designs just the other day. for only $300. and a formal dining set 6 chairs and a table in honey color for $200. Worth a look.
You might want to check out www.craigslist.com for some pieces of furniture, I find some very unusual, not very American (ie dark wood heavy) furniture on there. I was admiring a really cool looking leather couch from Scandinavian designs just the other day. for only $300. and a formal dining set 6 chairs and a table in honey color for $200. Worth a look.
Apr 9th 2010, 6:20 pm
#6
Wondering if...
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Clarence, NY
Posts: 1,214
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
If you have an empty house and need a lot of furniture to fill it, haggle!
We started that way, and took a long list to a small number of furniture places. Once the salesman was on the hook for a growing sized order I started talking discount. Ended up with a blanket discount amount over and above any existing sale prices or offers. Made sure it applied on all visits, so could then furnish rooms at our own pace.
If you are furnishing a house you have a lot of haggle power....
We started that way, and took a long list to a small number of furniture places. Once the salesman was on the hook for a growing sized order I started talking discount. Ended up with a blanket discount amount over and above any existing sale prices or offers. Made sure it applied on all visits, so could then furnish rooms at our own pace.
If you are furnishing a house you have a lot of haggle power....
Apr 9th 2010, 6:53 pm
#7
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,172
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
Amazon/Bed Bath and Beyond/Crate and Barrel/William and Sonoma/Arhaus
Apr 9th 2010, 7:38 pm
#8
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: North Charleston,SC. born in Stockport,UK.
Posts: 10,109
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
If you have an empty house and need a lot of furniture to fill it, haggle!
We started that way, and took a long list to a small number of furniture places. Once the salesman was on the hook for a growing sized order I started talking discount. Ended up with a blanket discount amount over and above any existing sale prices or offers. Made sure it applied on all visits, so could then furnish rooms at our own pace.
If you are furnishing a house you have a lot of haggle power....
We started that way, and took a long list to a small number of furniture places. Once the salesman was on the hook for a growing sized order I started talking discount. Ended up with a blanket discount amount over and above any existing sale prices or offers. Made sure it applied on all visits, so could then furnish rooms at our own pace.
If you are furnishing a house you have a lot of haggle power....
Apr 10th 2010, 2:07 am
#9
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Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Hong Kong, mostly.
Posts: 5,214
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
If you are in the Bay Area you need to check out an electronics store called Frys. http://www.frys.com/ac/storelocator/index.jsp
Frys is where geeks go to shop when they need solar panels, paint ball guns, remote control video cameras and, of course, every type of computer part and component known to man.
However, they also sell stuff for your average family, from washing machines to hair dryers.
But I would recommend Amazon as well. And if you are about to embark on a mega-Amazon shopping spree--WAIT--investigate first Amazon Prime. You pay $80 every year and you get free 2-day shipping for the year. If you plan on spending more than $80 a year on shipping, then this is really something worth considering (many folks have it and use it for daily items like toothpaste, paper towels, razors, etc. You can even set up a subscription so it sends it automatically every few days).
The other thing worth mentioning is Amish Carpenters. Many Amish communities hand build fine furniture. Not sure how many are out there but worth a gander in the phone book.
Frys is where geeks go to shop when they need solar panels, paint ball guns, remote control video cameras and, of course, every type of computer part and component known to man.
However, they also sell stuff for your average family, from washing machines to hair dryers.
But I would recommend Amazon as well. And if you are about to embark on a mega-Amazon shopping spree--WAIT--investigate first Amazon Prime. You pay $80 every year and you get free 2-day shipping for the year. If you plan on spending more than $80 a year on shipping, then this is really something worth considering (many folks have it and use it for daily items like toothpaste, paper towels, razors, etc. You can even set up a subscription so it sends it automatically every few days).
The other thing worth mentioning is Amish Carpenters. Many Amish communities hand build fine furniture. Not sure how many are out there but worth a gander in the phone book.
Apr 10th 2010, 4:40 am
#10
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: East Bay Area, CA from Hampshire UK
Posts: 88
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
Thanks some great advice. We went to Dublin today and found a great ex-display sale in one of the stores were we got a few things. Amazon prices look a lot better than Fry's for breadmaker etc so thanks for that too.
Getting there slowly! at least we don't have to eat on a picnic blanket on the floor anymore
Getting there slowly! at least we don't have to eat on a picnic blanket on the floor anymore
Apr 10th 2010, 12:46 pm
#11
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,605
Re: We're here! quick qu's household items/furniture
Fry's is very cool but there's one thing to bear in mind: Don't ever buy any customer returns, no matter how good a deal it looks. It has been alleged that, when a customer brings back a faulty item, it's as likely to end up on the shelf as "returned for cosmetic reasons" as it is to go back to the manufacturer....
