I found that the manufacturer Bauhaus carries sectionals and sofas that are very similiar to the Pottery Barn Pearce sectional. I saw a sectional by this company at the Nebraska Furniture Mart in Omaha, NE. Their colors are even similiar to PB's. I did a search for this manufacturer (Bauhaus) and found that they are carried by Hom Furniture Stores. On their website www.homfurniture.com they have a sectional that is very similiar (minus the end piece) called Ponoma. You can custom order pieces and I think you can get close to the style of the PB Pearce sectional. The price is definately way less than PB too. If anyone else has any luck finding a simliar manufacturer please post. Also I'm looking for a leather club chair that is similiar to Pottery Barn's Manhattan Chair, but for less $$$.

Am heading to town this morning to check out the place that sells H&M furniture and, hopefully, a few other brands as well. Robin, thanks for the info on Vanguard. It's good yo know that it held up so well for you. I've put it on my list of brands to try and check out today. Beachlily, wish you already had that new furniture, but I'm glad you chimed in to tell us that you thought enough of H&M to go with them. Please start a new thread and show us pics when everything arrives, will you? I'm already anxious to see it! Last night at dinner I read DH all your comments and opinions. I've printed out everything to refer back to, including the comparison tables that WalnutCreek linked me to (thank you!!). Keep your fingers crossed that we find the best sofa for us and get it ordered this weekend.The old one is self-destructing right before my eyes here! Lynn

So, if I am looking for quality Kohler still sets the gold standard. Or, is it a matter of name recognition and marketing more than their quality? I too have been wondering about the change in standards since lead was eliminated form the formula and called Kohler to ask. Their rep didn't know a lot but told me that the law to eliminate lead based paint becaem effective in the late 1970s. He was not aware of when the company moved away from lead-based glazes. Then, when I was trying to do a bit of research on my own, I discovered that as far as tubs and sinks go removing lead is voluntary, not required. Thanks for the tips.

Crate and Barrel carries some Lee Industries sofas, which I've found to be well made. I believe the annual C+B 15 percent off upholstery sale is currently on. Designer Rosa Beltran has a new-ish store in Los Angeles, Clad Home, and sells semi/custom sofas for what seem like reasonable prices. Here are some of her blog posts on her furniture: here, and here. If I lived in the U.S. I'd love to try one of her sofas. This sort of dovetails with the recent threads on Ikea and sad, bad, cheap furnishings. Living where I do in Canada, six hours north of the U.S. border and hours from the nearest big city, my sofa choices are exceedingly limited. Even for Crate and Barrel, we had to have it shipped to friends in the city, because we live outside the urban delivery area, and then pick it up on our own; fortunately, we live in a part of North America where people tend to drive trucks and own trailers. Ideally I would have had my old Altman's sofa reupholstered, but I couldn't find an upholsterer I could trust AND afford.