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ebrathedebra

Frustrated w/Kids furniture

ebrathedebra
17 years ago

I am trying to find a bedroom set for my soon to be 3 year old girl who is still in her crib. (I have been looking for awhile). I like the look of Hooker Smartkids furniture - swedish collection. It's white, very girly and detailed but different from most of what I see in stores and on line. I finally found a store that had a couple of pieces for me to check out. I was able to see a tall chest and an open night stand. The pieces look pretty but the quality just isn't there. Drawers have stops but no glides. I can live with that. But the bottoms of the drawers are of very thin plywood. When I pressed down with my hand I could feel it give and felt the support below. When I took the drawer out and turned it over I could see that it was glued in very sloppily. Anyway, I could go on but I'm sure you get the picture.

After I left store #1, I went to store #2. They had on the floor furniture by a company called Oak Designs. The quality of this furniture is superb. The drawers very sturdy with thick solid wood. They had glides and stops. It is better that what I'd be willing to settle for. However, it has that Pottery Barn look that is everywhere and does not appeal to me.

I know this is a really subjective question, but does anyone know of pretty girls furniture other than the general lot (Stanley, Lea etc.)? Should I take a chance on the Hooker Smartkids?

Here is a link that might be useful: Hooker Smartkids Furniture

Comments (10)

  • mes444
    17 years ago

    I can't really tell you anything about the style you'll choose, but I will comment about little kids and their furniture. Unless you want sit beside them at every minute, they do things to furniture which is pretty damaging over their 3 to 12 years ages. The damage is never intended, it's just they are going to draw on it, pit the top when they put things down, bump things into it, stick stickers on it, etc., etc., so I think you should save the big money for the adult furniture, buy the kids nice but not overly expensive stuff and everybody will be happier.

  • babs711
    17 years ago

    I agree with mes444. We ended up with a beautiful Stanley set for our baby girl (she's 15 months). It's nice for kids and was reasonably priced and has that "little girl" look that's not like Pottery Barn, etc.

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  • sister3
    17 years ago

    My advice is to forget the "kids" furniture especially if you are frustrated. Find a bed and dresser that you love in an "adult" line and just go for it. Your daughter will have it forever.

    You can also hit the flea markets and get a great solid older bed and paint it white. Look for a great maple or hardwood. There are so many fabulous headboards out there. Find an antique armoire or check out the unfinished furniture store in your area and have fun.

    My advice is to avoid child sized or youth beds that use a crib mattress. Your 3 year old will thank you for it!

    Good luck.

  • dianne47
    17 years ago

    I'm sorry to disagree with previous posters, but my experience with furniture and my small daughter never involved stickers, crayons, etc. When she was about 3 she "inherited" a fine maple set of twin beds, dresser, etc. that I had lived with as a child. This same set later went into the bedroom of my elderly father-in-law when he lived with us. It's still in excellent condition and may well end up used by our (future) grandchildren. Good bedroom furniture will last for several generations.

    We didn't keep crayons and markers in the bedroom, they were kept in plastic boxes in the kitchen where little hands could safely use them under supervision. My daughter knew from day one that her beautiful furniture was special and to be carefully kept. She is now 18 and has a good appreciation of furniture. I suppose it helps that her great grandfather was "in the business" and I've always tried to help her understand quality and care of home furnishings.

    I agree completely that today's "kids furniture" is very poor. I've been shopping for furniture for a new home and for daughter's college apartment recently and the quality of today's lower cost furniture is shocking.

    I do agree with selecting something other than kiddie bedroom furniture. Perhaps IKEA is an option, or something from DenMarket or similar. Take your daughter shopping for the furniture and stress how nice it is and that "we should take good care of it." Good luck with your search.

  • mactruck
    17 years ago

    My 2 cents.
    Oak designs furniture line is very good quality working in Oak and Birch. A privately held company That manufactures out of Manchester NH. They tend to focus more on quality than quantity. They want to satisfy customer needs not stockholder needs like that "H" brand.

    If you spend a little extra - You will be confident your money is staying in the USA and not into investments in overseas manufacturing that the "H" brand has been doing for years.

    Oak designs also has alot of different looks like beadboard sides and many paints and stain colors. It depends on the collection you look at.

    How do I know. I let my 14 year old pick out his own bed. He picked a nice rub through black oak designs full size bed w/ built in drawers. Well built and he wants to keep it with him for a while. So do I.

    Just my 2 cents.

  • dgmarie
    17 years ago

    Kids furniture is made cheaply because their research tells them you will replace it in less than 10 years. I doubt all girls really wants the all white dresser she had as a 3 year old. Or the captains bed. Or the kid sized dresser.

    My advice would be buy something good looking but inexpensive (not this does not mean the cheapest thing there is). I bought a very sturdy solid wood (not MDF) dresser and bed for my son and daughter from IKEA. I think I spent $300 or less for each piece. If when they turn 12 they want something new and bigger, so be it. I won't feel bad about replacing it.

  • chelone
    17 years ago

    I'm with sister3!

    There is no need for a child to be out of control with crayons. I grew up with lovely furniture in my bedroom. My bedroom was MY room; I played in there and never destroyed anything.

    As for the entire "concept" of furniture for "kids"... it's just a ploy to get you fork over your hard earned money TWICE.

    Buy nice furniture for you kid. Buy it one time, for heaven's sake... put the "savings" into a 521 fund...

  • susanjf_gw
    13 years ago

    my dd is still using the lane dresser we bought her in the late 70's? actually her dd is using it...

    i'm like everyone who see the cute furniture in the store or online, then sees the quality up-close and think..how are they going to stuff 40 pairs of sox and undies in those drawers without them bowing or the bottoms falling out?

    or like the crib dd's mil paid a fortune for that was suppose to become the head board? never happened...dgd is sleeping on a good quality mattress far more important than furniture...

  • xine
    13 years ago

    We just purchased a Wesley Allen daybed with pop-up trundle (solid iron, not aluminum dressed up to look like iron) and casegood pieces from Stanley's Young America division. It's slightly scaled down in size, comes in "distressed" finishes, and is made of solid wood. The bed, a double dresser, tilt mirror, and nightstand was around $2500. That did not include the mattresses.

  • Patiosclotures
    12 years ago

    A room becomes a room because of the presence of furniture�s. These items are not just regarded as wooden or metal items but as an important part of the home and without them, a room or a home would be empty and useless. It is the same case for a kid�s room, bedrooms, for example; a kid will not be able to totally appreciate his or her room if it is not suitably decorated with various essential pieces of furniture.