I was in the Ethan Allen store and was told by a saleswoman that all of Ethan Allen's sofa were 8 way hand tied, including the one I was interested in. I went back on another day to look at the sofa again as it was a top contender, and another salesperson was helping me, this time. She said that it was "not" 8 way hand tied, but sinuous coils or something, and from what has been posted on line about what to look for in a quality sofa, they say sinuous is the cheapest sofa, and not one that would hold up well over the long term. Since we can not actually see the inside of what we purchase, we are counting on the sales person to know what they are talking about. I would have been really miffed if I had paid $3,000 for a cheap, sinuous sofa. When I was in the store yet a third time, I came across the original sales woman. She asked if I had made a decision on the sofa. I said I liked the sofa, but was concerned about the quality in comparison to others I was considering. She again stated that this was a top quality, 8 way hand tied, sofa. I asked if she could show me anything that was in writing that stated that this particular sofa was 8 way hand tied. I mentioned that another salesperson believed it was sinuous. She left for a while and finally came back and said it was sinuous, and still tried to sell me on the quality benefits of a sofa built with sinuous wire. Would it hold up? Who knows? But I do expect sales people at a store the caliber of Ethan Allen to know the products they sell, and to know the difference.

I've looked but have never purchased furniture from these stores. My taste tends to me a bit more traditional than what they offer and I love mahogany. However, I do understand the attraction to their whole "lifestyle" marketing plan. Shopping is convenient, the style is clean and contemporary (without being extreme), and putting pieces together is easy because it all kind of looks the same. A furniture version of Garanimals, if you will. And I'm not knocking it. If I happen to be near one of these stores I'll often go in thinking I might find something great. But I'm alway disappointed in comparison to furniture I've purchased locally. I don't just mean the higher-end pieces we own, but some low-end furniture that's basically no different in quality than Pottery Barn but a lot less expensive. Overall, I think their furniture is terribly overpriced for what it is. I will say that functionality of many of their designs is very good. For example, Pottery Barn has a secretary that I've admired for months. It's a great size and is an interesting mix of a traditional secretary and storage aimed at more modern, home office use. But by the time you add it all up, it's pushing 2k and I can't even see it in a store (it's catalog only) to know what I'm getting, which according to the description is kiln-dried poplar wood and moldings, panels and shelves made of birch-wood veneer over MDF. In the end, I much prefer having a relationship with a local furniture store that represents a large number of manufacturere and will pay a little more for that service.

Nancita, You may get more helpful answers if your question was a little more specific regarding what you mean by "prefer". I live in a metropolitan area that has both stores, and I shop (or browse) both of them frequently. I have bought many accessories and accent pieces at Crate and Barrel, and I generally am very positve about the style, value, and customer service I receive there. But, when it comes to furniture, I think C&B has a very broad range of quality (some nearly as low-end as Ikea/discount stores and some solidly mid-range furniture brands). Pottery Barn is not as good a fit for me from a style perspective as C&B. I think they have pretty decent quality furniture, but think some of their products tend to be a little overpriced. Also, I remembered while I was writing this response that there was an article about a year or so ago in a local magazine that offers a comparison between these two stores, the now defunct Storehouse, and Restoration Hardware. I am providing a link to it. For both stores, if you are buying major furniture pieces, ask who the manufacturer is and research them. Here is a link that might be useful: Article comparing stores

Pleased to report an update! a few weeks ago, i echoed several negative reviews of the Pottery Barn Pearce sectional sofa. after contacting the company and sharing my experience, I am pleased to report that they are making it right! my faith in their customer service has been renewed and strengthened. while I hope they're able to correct the quality issues with this beautiful sofa in the future, I am delighted they are standing by their customer. In the meantime I look forward to trying another sofa with better reviews. I appreciate the positive comments about the PB Basic styles, as im leaning that direction And again, their slip covers are amazing! I will always be a fan!