Cheap furniture

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Thanks bones, despite my disdain for Ikea furniture (esp the manual labor), they seem to have the least expensive of those square-style shelving.

I think I'll wait for the Expedit replacement as your link says they have rounded corners and are more scratch resistant. I want to put this in one of the kids rooms.
 
Been looking for a chair to put in our master bedroom (or in our family room).

Saw this at Cost Plus World Market:

iipsrv.fcgi


It was $180 at the time, which was okay but not cheap enough for me to get it. Then it went on clearance this week for only $99 so I got one. I had to assemble it but it was just putting in the 4 legs. Pretty good chair for only $100... and IHO wide enough.

It also comes in 5 other colors, pink, blue, yellow, orange and green.

140712_LindseyChairs_489666_489667_489669_489671_0714_HRR_99.jpg
 
Are these pretty comfy?  I tend to not like rounded backed chairs because my back is not rounded :)
Any strong scents after assembly?

Flat back is better for me. 
 
So after decades... we've finally bought something at Ikea.

Trying to create a clean simple study area for the kids so we went for an all white long Linnmon desk with an Alex drawer box. Something like this:

linnmon-alex-table__0199907_PE358592_S4.JPG


But we used the double wide table top and square legs (which were $10 each vs $3.50 for the round ones... boo).

We paired it with a white Kallax 8-cube unit (which was surprisingly easy to assemble):

kallax-shelving-unit__0243994_PE383246_S4.JPG


Added 4 cloth storage bins from Target (on sale for $11):

14488780


... and now the kids have place to study and put all their stuff.

Assembling the table/desk and drawer box brought back memories (not really good ones) and yes, there was missing part... but it turned out pretty good. I think it was about $260 for everything.
 
I must've forgotten my past horrible experiences with Ikea.

picked this up recently for the little one

malm-desk__0148190_PE306481_S4.JPG


Had to make two trips because the box is too long for my car with the car seat in the back by 2 inches.  Dropped wife and kid of at home, rip out car seat, drive back to CM for a cheapy desk.  I was pretty frustrated by then.  Ikea dude that was holding my box wasn't that friendly as well.  All they had to do is say yes, no problems.  Instead they made me feel it's so hard just to leave a flatbed with a box on it in the corner behind their counters and make sure no one else takes it within the 30 minutes that i'll be back for it. 

Anyways, took about 2 hours and a sore lower back to put the thing together.  Surprised by how solid it is.  They got these huge cam locks now, it was tricky to put together as it requires more finesses than the regular cam locks.  No missing parts, like Legos for adults, minus the awesome.  Most important of all, no nauseating fumes.  Maybe they improved?  Or the white pieces are less fumey?  The last Malm drawer i purchased stunk for days, but it was the brown/espresso color.  Would I buy Ikea again?  No, unless I have a more suitable truck/minivan.  Price is great but taking up time and increasing frustration is something I will gladly pay more for delivery.

But memories will fade, and I'll probably buy another cheapy furniture from Crapkea and endure all the frustrations again.
 
You should have sent up the IHO signal... the IHOmobile would fit your desk, a shelf and then some.

I also noticed there was no smell... or that my smell from sweating to put the stuff together overwhelmed it.

They have the box style shelving units like the Kallax at Target but they don't look as good as the Ikea ones. I like 'em... and better yet.... the boss doesn't mind them... although now she claims the setup was her idea. :)
 
Meh. It still looks like crap quality, though.

Ikea's New Furniture Assembles in Minutes Without a Single Tool

"Ikea has made buying furniture as easy as picking up milk at the corner store, but as convenient as the company's flat-pack approach to selling desks and shelving is, the assembly part can still be a pain. Its new living room line, though, uses specially-designed wedge dowels, allowing the pieces to be assembled using only your bare hands. Magic...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL4EwWniaTk
 
eyephone said:
I don't get it, why do you get cheap furniture that last a year or two?
Click to expand...

My last microfiber sectional was from Wickes (bankrupt now) and it lasted almost 10 years.  Still comfy, just want something new.  Cheap doesn't necessarily mean short lasting.  I just don't see the return with expensive furniture. 
 
irvinehomeowner said:
Try this place:

www.furnishingamerica.com

There were some items there I found much cheaper than surrounding stores.
Click to expand...

Been there 3 times in the last two weeks, still haven't bought anything.  If you're there to browse, good luck and bring a cold drink, it gets stuffy in there.  If you know what you want (i.e. Just came from the Macys/Ashley's showroom and got the SKU numbers) FA is a great place to go.  I vowed never to go back to FA unless I know exactly what I want.  Freakin tired of flipping thru catalogs!

With that being said, I'm gonna see if they carry the Aaron sectional at Living Spaces. 
 
ps9 said:
eyephone said:
I don't get it, why do you get cheap furniture that last a year or two?
Click to expand...

My last microfiber sectional was from Wickes (bankrupt now) and it lasted almost 10 years.  Still comfy, just want something new.  Cheap doesn't necessarily mean short lasting.  I just don't see the return with expensive furniture.
Click to expand...

Yeah, your furniture will DEpreciate, not Appreciate. (Unless it's an antique/collector item/rare etc.) It's all about looks, comfort, and quality.
 
For LS, the ones you see online are usually the ones they have in store.  And the in store color/style is the one you can buy and have delivered same day.

For FA, yes, I would figure out what I want and order since they don't have everything there.
 
PS9, what a coincidence. I, too, am shopping for a sectional at Living Spaces. (I think I've decided on the Richmond.) I recommend calling ahead to make sure MATTHEW is on the clock before you get there and meet with him. This dude knows his stuff. He is very helpful in answering 1 million + 1 questions for a person like me who has to know the how and why of everything. He is very patient & knowledgeable. I tell him he is a walking product catalog. I swear he has everything memorized. He will guide you in the right direction and also be honest with you about the product (for example, warning against "promotional furniture" such as from Ashley a.k.a. $500 couches.) He does NOT work on a commission so he has nothing to gain nor lose by what you ultimately choose. He does speak in a monotone voice like an Amish person (although he is Hispanic) and talks kind of fast so sometimes it's hard to catch what he's saying but he has no problem repeating himself. He has helped me a lot in my last few purchases over the last couple years. He is very nice. I will probably be paying him another visit this weekend.

Here are a couple tips to keep in mind:

- Check the couch for zippered cushion / pillow coverings. If you get a stain or spill and you're not able to take the cushion out, you may be screwed. I'm looking at you, "Belleview" sectionals.

- Try the down-encased cushions and compare to the others. They won't fold up like a cheap suit unlike the others.

- Ask Matthew about Flex Steel and have him show you the cut-away example if they still have it on the floor or a picture. He can also flip furniture over to show you. Not sure they carry any Flex Steel sectionals but it's helpful if you end up going with a couch.

- When you are choosing your fabrics, ask Matthew to show you the codes on each sample and explain what they mean. Hint: They are coded cleaning instructions. This will be important in how you choose to proceed.

- Avoid "promotional" furniture.

I hope this helps.

[Edit: Added tips]
 
Does your sectional attach to each other?  My old one didn't, it was a pain shoving it together weekly.
 
ps9 said:
Does your sectional attach to each other?  My old one didn't, it was a pain shoving it together weekly.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I've been away from the computer for a few days.

SoCal has no Photoshop skillz. Here is my attempt, below, at helping you locate this important information. Pick up any product information sheet on the stand near each furniture set you're interested in. Check the bottom-right-hand corner. The one pictured, for example, is Richmond's.

You can also find these product sheets uploaded as a PDF to each item's page on Living Spaces' website.

The only one that I noticed definitely does not have brackets is the Miles collection. That's the weird looking one where you still have arms on both ends of the sofa portions, next to the wedge piece. Matthew told me they do not hook together because it is a marketing gimmick by the manufacturer. However, most sectionals are now what they call "tux" style. This means you do not have a corner piece at all. It is two straight pieces intersecting at a 90 degree angle. A "tux sofa" has 1 arm.

OEHUZ2Ol.jpg


 
We recently moved here and bought a few pieces from Living Spaces this past weekend. 

In case it hasn't been mentioned here before, I thought I'd share.  The delivery guys (at least the ones that I got) arrived with muddy shoes (because they trampled through the front lawn) and no booties.  They said the company doesn't give them booties to wear.  So I asked them about rainy day deliveries.....they just said no booties.

So I had them tie plastic bags around their shoes so they can come inside.  I just think it's weird to have a delivery policy to trample through peoples' homes with no booties on. 

Or maybe i'm too OCD about dirt and stuff like that.......anyways, just wanted to share that.  We now keep a box of booties in our garage to share. 
 
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