I recently purchased the endurance table for my nook. I like the finish on the table. I wanted a table with the appearance of wood without the maintenance. The endurance table is easy to clean and I don't worry about wood damage from water glasses, etc. The only problem I had was when the table was delivered, the delivery men dropped one end on the concrete and damaged the corner. I had them take the table back and repair the damage, which was visible if you looked under the table. When the table was returned, my neighbor came over and told me to inspect any wood furniture I received from Bassett because she had to return a table three times. I received a wood oval coffee table with a glass top and matching end table which I really like and had no problems with.

To start, I am in Interior Design with 15+ of dealing with furniture as low quality as Ashley to some of the higher end pieces in the world. I have owned several Bassett Pieces thoughout the years and they have held up fantastic! Unlike some of the comments on here I'd like to state that rougher you and your family is on furniture the shorter the life span. It seems like common sense, but I've seen it all. Bassett has 3 quality levels: Entry (2-5 years), Medium (4-8 years) and highest (8-15+). so if you're looking to cheap out, don't expect a lifelong sofa. I also cannot stress this enough, ALL FABRICS PILL, with the exception of the ugly microfiber(P.S. probably one of the worst materials to put on your sofa, btw). However, Bassett is very clear about the materials that go into making their fabrics. So either do research on material (cotton, linen, polyester, olefin, etc) or ask your sales person, I am sure they'd be happy to show you the contents of the fabric. Lastly, remember that most people on these theads usually are unhappy about something. so you're only seeing the negatives, because most happy customers do not leave reviews. I am leaving this honest review because I too have had a framing issue with one of my sofas, however I understand that some accidents may happen during transporting, and the furniture is HAND MADE people, no one is perfect 100% of the time. Are you? Please make a smart purchase, and take a deep look into your family and how they treat furniture before deciding what quality you want .

I've seen the Undecorate Book at my library. Very nice. I asked my library to order both of Robyn Griggs Lawrence's Wabi Sabi books. I think you would enjoy anything written about that. Here are some thoughs from Japanese architect Tadao Ando, about the essence of Wabi Sabi: "Wabi-sabi is not a decorating "style" but rather a mind-set. There's no list of rules; we can't hang crystals or move our beds and wait for peace to befall us. Creating a wabi-sabi home is the direct result of developing our wabigokoro, or wabi mind and heart: living modestly, learning to be satisfied with life as it can be once we strip away the unnecessary, living in the moment. You see? Simple as that. This is tough in any culture, of course, but darned near impossible in our own. In America we're plied daily with sales pitches that will help us improve ourselves, our circumstances, our homes. We can have the whitest teeth, the cleanest carpets, and the biggest SUV money can buy. All of this flies in the face of wabigokoro, as described in Rikyu's sacred tea text, Nanporoku. "A luxurious house and the taste of delicacies are only pleasures of the mundane world," he wrote. "It is enough if the house does not leak and the food keeps hunger away. This is the teaching of the Buddha-the true meaning of chado." This is un-American. Or is it? I believe there exists in all of us a longing for something deeper than the whitest teeth, sparkling floors, and eight cylinders. What if we could learn to be content with our lives, exactly as they are today? It's a lofty thought...but one that's certainly worth entertaining."

I can't speak about Bassett in particular but I believe many in the furniture industry are unethical. My mother purchased a "leather" recliner from Hudson's Furniture store in Brandon, Fl. I was with her when she picked it out. The sales woman had her choose the color from a full size leather pelt that she said would be representation of the color and the chair would be covered in 100% top grain leather - not bonded leather. Within the first 4 months, the motor on the recliner had to be replaced. And now, two years on, and it's obvious the chair is bonded leather. It's peeling and she's the only one who sits in it - no pets. She paid over $2000.