My sister has had a slip covered PB sofa for years and years. It doesn't get a lot of abuse but it has definitely been used over the years and held up well.

Crate and Barrel carries several different makes under their umbrella - I have a Mitchell Gold sofa I bought at C&B a few years ago. Very well made. I think they do try to carry affordable quality.

FYI - C&B has a big upholstered furniture sale right after Christmas - PB may also.

If the sofa will live in the space you put it for years and not be used by kids as a jungle gym then you can probably get an idea of comfort and the style you like from the showroom and be happy.

We had a slip-covered sectional that we chose the small manufacturer rather than the PB version because the frame was better made. We moved this sofa several times and had young kids who used it as a jungle gym. After 9 years the frame was as solid as the day it was delivered. We are in more of a forever home now and my kids are older so we bought a less expensive family room sofa for the new house - I can definitely tell the difference but it fit our new home better. THe sectional has moved on to live another life with our babysitter!

Try to find the October 2006 edition of Smart Money magazine and read the article entitled "Pottery Barn Unstuffed". It's a real eye-opener about how poorly made the furniture can be from these big popular retailers. If you're buying furniture made by other manufacturers FOR Crate and Barrel, like the Mitchell Gold sofa gldnfan posted about, you're probably safe.

I love those stores and was very disappointed to read the article. Fortunately (!), I can't really AFFORD their furniture anyway! I do buy their accessories fairly frequently, often at the outlet stores, and love to look at their design and styling in the stores and catalogs.

LB

I posted a link below that may be helpful Also there is a furniture forum on GW that may help too.

Lots of discussion about Lee Sofas - I have one & couldn't be happier about the comfort and quality

I think Lee manufacturers a lot of the CB sofas
And Rowe may man PB

GL

Here is a link that might be useful: GW PB - CB discussion

lindabarbara, your Ethan Allen sofas are much better quality than either PB or C&B. Have you considered having them reupholstered? A competent upholsterer can shorten a sofa if that one of your concerns. The shapes of the back & the arms can be changed too. If they currently have skirts, those can be left off, or added if you want them.

I'm a big fan of re-upholstery as well. I know people think it's so expensive, but older furniture is frequently much better quality, and if you shop on Ebay or at a fabric discounter, you get great fabrics for a fraction of the retail costs. And with the economy slowing down, you can probably find a mom & pop shop that's willing to negotiate on the price.

I think the mass merchant stuff looks fine, isn't made for years and years of use, and dates pretty quickly, unless you choose very carefully. (I have a lot of friends who have those over-sized chair-and-a-half things, and don't know what to do with them.)

I agree that reupholstering your EA sofas may be the way to go. I have a pair of hand-me-down 60 yo EA Bergere chairs and they're in wonderful condition. They're well-made, comfortable and came back to life with new upholstery.

Of course, if you don't care for the lines of your old EA sofa, then there's nothing to be done for it. I bought a vintage sofa on Craigslist for $25, found 13 yards of fabric at an outlet for $37 and had an old country preacher reupholster it for $350. All told, I got a new-to-me sofa for just over $400.

I wouldn't rule out EA, Thomasville, Drexel today. Their reputation is that they're pricey, but they've really had to drop their prices to stay in business. I was in EA this spring and they had a slipcovered sofa for $1200 or so that I looked at long and hard before going my vintage-cheap route.

I've never heard a bad word about PB, et al, so I dug up the article lovesummer mentioned. I'd be very interested in these same folks looking at their furniture today. That article is now a full 3 years old and I've seen plenty of blurbs in the PB/C&B catalogs touting improved quality and value. Interesting findings.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pottery Barn Unstuffed

I agree about the MItchell Gold being safe. My friend bought bedroom furniture from Pottery Barn and after a few months the drawers warped and she couldn't open them. I do think Lee makes nice sofas and Rowe is pretty inexpensive. Your Ethan Allen is probably better made than either PB or CB

I have a Mitchell Gold loveseat with a tight, fitted slipcover and I love it. It has held up well, as has my ethan allen sofa and loveseat. I have had them approximately 5 to 6 years.