I have the PB Basic Loveseat, loveseat sleeper and chair and ottoman - The furniture's great - but the covers have not worn well and I've only laundered them twice in the 4 years I've had them - I have the canvas because I thought they would do better-- but I have 2 children and I went with the stone color - my bad - I now want to change to a darker color - and it is A FORTUNE !!!! Almost cheaper to buy new furniture! I have been searching and searching for knock offs - I went on ebay but no luck - The search continues -- but be carfeul - go dark and strong if you have kids. ALso - if they are not being placed on a rug - but going on a wood floor - put grippers on the feet because they slide!!!

imho, i hate microsuede. it's unmistakably fake looking ...and looks cheap. i'm sorry, but i had to be honest. especially since you are comparing PB to a reputable company like lee. i have been dealing with them a lot lately as i purchased two sofas from them (linen slipcovers w/down-feather cushions) as well as a velvet bed for my daughter. both orders were customized: the sofas i chose came with two seat cushions. i prefer one, so they gave me one at no additional charge. the bed is a little different in that i wanted the same height headboard and footboard so it would resemble a day bed. there was a slight up charge but if i remember correctly it was only $100. you should consult with your dealer on any design changes you'd like, or perhaps they could recommend a different model that would satisfy. also: quality aside, i tend to steer clear of the retail chains as they are without fail more expensive. crate & barrel sells lee, but you'll pay a higher markup. as for the durability of microsuede, i can't answer. i'd never drink wine out of a plastic cup either.

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

All the PB stores, West Elm, & Restoration Hardware are owned by WSM (Williams Sonoma) which is a publically owned company whose shares are traded on the Nasdaq exchange. Once a company is publically owned, it has a fiduciary responsibility to grow the value of the business and, in turn, the value of the stock. The furniture looks gorgeous in the store, in the catalogs, and on-line, but if you "lift the hood", you'll see the level of quality just doesn't warrant the cost. Instead of solid wood furniture, these companies coat cheap particle board with wood veneer. Even Restoration Hardware! Also, all of the furniture is made in Asia so there's really no way of knowing what chemicals were used, or what age the employees are who made it. For me, as a mother, it's just too difficult to enjoy an evening of relaxation with the family knowing an 6 year old child may have been forced to make the sofa I'm relaxing on or that the factory that made my sofa has polluted the local drinking water. I don't mean to sound like an extreme zealot, but there's a reason WSM products aren't made in the US. We pay a fair wage, do not allow children to work in factories, have wage and labor laws, environmental protection laws, etc. The question to ask yourself is, given the amount of money WS, PB, and RH charge, why can't they afford to manufacture in the US? I own a Cisco Bros Louis Modern Classic sofa. I love it. It's 90", white linen slipcovered, down blend, easy to wash, American made, no formaldehyde or flame retardants, a LIFETIME warranty on frame. I bought mine 3-5 years ago and and it looks and feels the same as the day I bought it. I have no affiliation with Cisco, nor the store I bought it from (The Uncommon Home in WRJ, VT). I used to love Pottery Barn too until I started reading more about the quality of the products and the impact on the environment. Once I was made aware that the company is often criticized for sub-par quality I started to pay closer attention to the PB furniture in friend's homes, in the store itself, and being sold second hand, and I could see it was true. The stuff is mostly junk. I don't think it was originally but it's become junky slowly over time. When you go to a PB furniture store or a home that's had PB furniture for a while look closely at the furniture. Does the owner have to constantly shift the slipcovers back into place? Are the back cushions all slouched (sp?) and compressed? Are the seams on the seat cushions lined up at the cushion edges still? Are the arm rests loose or curved? Look at the wood pieces. Are there little white marks exposing the particle board on the edges of the tables, drawers, desk tops, shelves where the laminate chipped off? Are the dining table chairs squeaky, wobbly, or cracked? If so, for that quality, why not pay half the price at Ashley Home Store? I could be wrong, but it seems to me the money is going to the catalogs. Can you imagine what it must cost to move a production team and furnishings to a location, rent the location, pay for the creative team of designers, photographers, etc.; design, layout and print the catalogs, and then mail at least one of the many catalogs to practically every household in the US (and abroad?) And, maintain the website? Not to mention for those of us who ever claimed to be concerned about the environment, child welfare, and human rights, IMO owning WSB products kinda makes us hypocrits. When you buy WSB merchandise you are giving your blessing to disposable furniture, toxic chemicals that are being haphazardly dumped in impoverished countries, poor working conditions and meager wages, huge freight tankers that burn fossil fuels and pollute the oceans as they make their way to the US. If you think about it, sadly, millions of American children have probably written essays and completed projects about protecting the environment and human rights while sitting at or on the WSB/PB furniture purchased by their parents. I'm not preaching because I have had PB furniture in the past so I am just as guilty. But, now that I do know, I can't buy the cheap crappy stuff made overseas anymore. Aren't you glad you asked? LOL. Good luck!