I've dealt with Ballard a lot, so here's my take on it. I've never had a customer service problem. I have been very happy with the mirrors I have bought, strictly from a design perspective. The "terrific tables" and glass tops are very good to fill in, although I prefer to use my own fabrics for cloths. I have never been entirely pleased with the quality of their fabrics. They have been either stiff and clunky, or gauzy and insubstantial on more than one occasion. The colors are not as clear and pretty as I'd like, which is a mark of cheap dyes. Some of the purely decorative things are nice additions to a scheme, but be careful of things that are a little over-designed...an extra curlicue, too much trim, that sort of thing. Some of the whimsical useful things are charming, and some are a little silly. I have not bought case goods from them - I find their version of traditional forms a little heavy and awkwardly proportioned - and have heard from others that they are probably not as sturdy as they might be for the cost. So I would say this...look very carefully at the pictures in the catalogue. You can see that some of their knock-off designs are more successful than others. Lots of good designers use their things to complete a look for a fairly small price.

I have that exact bench configuration in the herringbone grey fabric. (I was going to do COM but they had a great fabric that fit). The corner banquette is a space saver, and I went with the BD pieces because they give me the ability to easily switch to a regular table configuration in the future. The extra storage is also handy for less frequently used items. The seats are firm and not especially cushy. That is my main issue, along with the potential durability of this foam. The storage is great and they appear to be sturdy. It has been only about four months that we've been using them, however. I can post a picture if you like.

There are a few Duro patterns that come up there, although not a lot. There are also some brick and mortar retailers that carry it - mostly NY, LA, Chicago. Another Swedish paper company has retailers in (I don't quite get it but) Dallas and Boise. If I find something specific, I'm probably going to be e-mailing to see who has WHAT. And what order lead times are. Possibly they are quite long. Thibaut was another good suggestion with some potential, as I page through their designs. Defintely looking like it's worth my while to order swatches from a few companies and compare. ;-)

I mostly use Ballard for the occasional accessory (they do a great job with pillows and outdoor cushions) but I did get a Louisa chair from them a few years ago bc it was exactly the size & style of chair I needed for a corner of my great room. I have been pleasantly by the quality, durability, and comfort of this chair! The quality seems better than the quality of furniture items I purchased from Pottery Barn for my kids’ rooms and playroom. The PB stuff has been crap, pardon my language, lol!