I SO love this blog! :-)
Thank you; I only wish there was a Canadian division that featured retailers/resources north of the border!

JNvillage I was just thinking the same thing.

Help needed!

I'm in the market for a sofa, and 3K for the 89 inch Le Corbusier sofa looks like a great deal. But I live in Utah, and so cannot find out if its actually comfortable before I commit.

Anyone tried sitting in one? Anyone have good or bad experience with it? Experiences purchasing from Room & Board?

thanks,

Here here on the Canadian content!!

I just did the same thing - went through all of the retailers to see if there was anything I could get in Canada! Sadly, very little (without crazy duties). :(

Another Canuck dismayed not to have the shopping opportunities of the lower 49th :(

Lurker, I've bought a couple of upholstered pieces from Room and Board and have been pleased with the quality. I also like that they carry American made furniture, but a sofa is really something you want to try out because what is good for me may not work for you.

Just want to add to the list of January sale items: anything from nonprofit salvage yards, as well as lumberyards and other stores that are outdoors/do not have heat.

I know about this helpful tip because I work at Community Forklift, a thrift store for home improvement and architectural salvage in the DC area (We are located in a huge warehouse with a big courtyard outside. Picture piles of reclaimed lumber, modern & vintage cabinet sets, chunks of granite counters, rows of cast-iron sinks and tubs, etc.)

We always have drastic sales of 50%-75% off in January and February for two reasons:

1) As a small nonprofit business, we don't have the money to heat our drafty warehouse, so this time of year it's FREEZING in here. Customers are less inclined to visit because of the cold, so if we want to make payroll, we have to do something big to get folks to bundle up and come shopping.

2) We get a massive amount of donated materials in December from folks who want to get a tax deduction before the end of the year. Then, in January and February, contractors and builders aren't as busy with clients, so they have time to cleanout thier storage units and get rid of building supplies left over from previous jobs. The incoming donations pile up and we start to run out of room in our warehouse. Therefore, we reduce prices to move things quickly.

I understand that the same is true at many other salvage yards around the country, especially ones in regions with cooler winters.

If you'd like to find stores like us in your area, check these directories...

The Building Materials Reuse Assocation: http://www.bmra.org

Redo (Reuse Development Organization):
http://loadingdock.org/redo/Search/index.html

Habitat for Humanity Restores:
http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx

Elfa shelving is always 25 - 30% off in January. At a minimum, the Container Store runs this ale.

Hey Canucks, do you have any friends in the lower 48? I have a friend who buys things from US shops that dont deliver up north and then ships to my home. Then I go and mail stuff to her in Canada and she pays for the shipping. I do this because I am a good friend and plus she helps me out and returns the favor for when I read Canadian House & Home

Thanks for using an Australian $1 coin in the picture :)

@lazy_lurker
I had the misfortune to spend a night on one of those sofas and my back has yet to forgive me. In my experience, they are extremely hard, and although they do look very nice, the harsh angles of the sofa do not allow for any kind of lounging. Personal preference, but I think you can find beautiful clean lines AND comfort in one sofa for less than 3000.

Lurker_ It is not a lounging sofa that you take an afternoon nap in but it is well supported. I have had good experience with Room and Board but DWR would be better.

Any chance there will ever be a Canadian version of the site? (like the Boston/New York/Chicago, etc.)

Thank you all for your responses. I will continue my quest, and you are right, I must test a sofa. Maybe its a good excuse to take a weekend vacation somewhere where modern furniture can actually be found!

I've considered a trip to LA for that same reason!