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quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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Posted by
writersblock (
My Page) on
Tue, Jun 12, 12 at 11:39
| I'm wrestling with an upholstery dilemma. I have a small sofa that badly needs reupholstering, but it's currently suffering from the results of the absolutely horrible mess made of it the last time I had it done, about 6 years ago. They didn't do any of the things that really needed doing, like fixing the springs, but they did replace the decent old cushions with cheap foam ones, and the fabric is also just about done.
To get it done right would probably cost me at least $1500, since I think the only part of the existing sofa that could be reused at this point would be the frame. If I could find fabric I really loved, I'd do that, but I had my heart set on a fabric that is gone forever.
In the meantime I've been using a white twill slipcover and while it's a very different look, it works okay, so I'm wondering if I wouldn't be just as well off getting one of the slipcovered sofas from Ballard or Pottery Barn, which would be close in price.
Does anyone have any experience with sofas from either company? I could also just do serial ikea ektorps, but the quality of those is even lower now than it used to be, so I'd as soon get something halfway decent and be done with it. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| I've had two PB sofas, both from the "Classic" line made by Mitchell Gold. I would consider them just OK. The framing held up well, but I'd say the cushions were softer than most and did not hold up as I would have expected. I did have some issues with the slipcovers & their quality. Honestly, if you were wanting a standard white slipcovered sofa, I think you'd do just as well at some place like IKEA or big box furniture store, as PB. I can't speak to Ballard. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| Thanks very much, avesmor. I was afraid that was probably the case. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| I went back & forth between PB & Ballard, but once I went and actually looked at them... I felt Ballard was slightly better (better fit of the slipcover). We don't use them much, but quality wise, they are fine, it was what I was looking for. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| We had a Ballard Baldwin-style, and it held up well. A couple of the back (down filled) cushions squished down a bit because our dog sat on the back, but they could be easily replaced. The slipcover replacements were also very reasonable. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| We bought dd a PB sofa in that same classic line for her apartment. This was in 2009 when she graduated from college and was furnishing her first apt. She has been harder on that sofa than a family of orangutans, and it has held up beautifully--- frankly, im amazed at how good it looks. She ordered it in red ticking stripe and when the upholstery started looking shabby she had it steam cleaned and it looked like new. No experience with Ballard sofas. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| Thanks, everyone, for the additional feedback. So hard to decide what's best to do. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| In reading about both of these companies, I noticed that Pottery Barn sofas are made in the USA. Ballard Designs sofas are made in China. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| What was the fabric that you had you say is gone forever? Maybe we could find it. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| Oh, I would love it if someone could find it, but the color (ivory) was exclusive to Calico Corners and it was discontinued back in 2010, much to the distress of the CC stores around here, who sold tons of it. Evidently the company had some trouble with weaving this pattern. Anyway, it's Covington Coralline. Here's a picture of it in one of the two color schemes you can still find occasionally as remainders (this or a celery/aqua mix). It's not hot in the other colors, but it was really pretty in the ivory: 
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RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| There was an article in Smart Money Magazine a few years ago that was a real eye opener about the quality of Pottery Barn furniture- they took the furniture apart, looked at how thick wood venners were, etc... The gist of the article was that you were paying far too much for the quality you received. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| Thank you very much for that, marvelousmarvin. The article was very interesting, and not only about PB. For anyone else who's interested, I found it online: |
Here is a link that might be useful: quality of PB, RH, C&B furniture
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| That's a interesting article (linked below). Apparently Restoration Hardware and Crate and Barrel are also grossly overpriced for their quality. I mean, hollow plastic chair legsIn RH chairs??? |
Here is a link that might be useful: Pottery Barb Unstuffed
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| Oops, SORRY! Those plastic legs were on a Crate and Barrel chair, not RH. |
RE: quality of ballard or PB sofas?
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| Oh my goodness!!! We have been planning on buying a sectional, couch, and love seat from PB for our new house! That's a pretty good amount of money to drop at one store. If PB, RH, and CB (my three favorite store catalogues) aren't any good, where should I look??? |
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