Hello all - I'm new with GardenWeb. Durable furniture fabrics would be VERY important in my home, but I haven't been able to decide on what. All 3 of my dog, one which is 115 lb. German shepherd mix, lay on the furniture. Where can I purchase this heavy duty fabric furniture without breaking the bank? Companies will tell you THEIRS is the best, yadda-yadda-yadda. Anyone have suggestions?

I'm delurking to possibly add some information about your table. I've been contemplating refinishing our Ethan Allen American Impressions Shaker-style dining table, which I believe has a similar if not identical top to yours. The finish is lacquer. Restoring it could be as simple as re-amalgamating by brushing on lacquer thinner to allow the current finish to sort of melt, reflow, and dry. I will probably give it a try if I can determine how to maintain a dust-free environment in this household. Our top is cherry veneer over some other hardwood (common and not a sign of poor quality). I've read that commercial veneers can be extremely thin, like 1/32 inch. You would have to be very, very careful if you didn't want to sand it off. Good luck! Let us know what you do.

Maybe I can give you some information from a different perspective... In my business I repair many kinds of woven seats like cane, Danish cord, splint, Caning and of course Rush seats. Of all the ones that I re-do, Rush by far outlasts the others hands down. In the past, newspapers used to be stuffed between the layers of rush. When ever those come in it is a great window into the past. The Newspapers tell where a chair was most likely last rushed and most often you can find a date on the newspaper giving a pretty good idea when it was done. Plus the old papers are a fun vision to times past. I have pulled our papers from the late 1800's, and many many from the early 1900's. So yes I would definitely say Rush lasts. However cats with claws often help bring me new business! To check out more look at my page on Rush http://www.acaneandwickerfixer.com/rush_seats.htm See My Rush Chair Page Randy Here is a link that might be useful: Rush

I bought floor samples from them 7 years. The sofa and chair with ottoman were my only sitting pieces in my last home. They look brand new. Their furniture quality is excellent. I would not hestiate to buy from them again. A couple of my friends had offered to buy them from me, if I had planned on the using them. Since they are in such great condition, I am planning to continue to use them for my present LR which I am in the process of decorating now.