Anthropologie can't match that deal.

JC Penney has lots of great home furnishings and they're super cheap. Esp. check out their curtains and drapes.

Be careful. With furniture you get what you pay for and at that price I'm really suspicious.

Is the frame made of of kiln-dried hardwood, or cheap pine? Is it constructed with corner blocks, screws and a liberal amount of aircraft glue, or is it stapled together sans glue? Typically cheap pieces like this (in the price range, that is) are made from stapled pine.

What about the suspension? 8 way hand tied coils or sinous springs? If you want it so fell as nice to sit on as it is to the eyes, only 8-way hand tied coils will do.

If you only want it to last 3 or 4 years, then get the Penny one.

If you want your investment to last, look into all the things I mentioned.

The ad says it has "innersprings" but technically speaking sinous springs can be called innersprings.

The lack of seperate cusions means you're depending entirely on the foundation for support. You can get years more life from a couch by having an upholsterer make new foam inserts (for $20 per cushin, which is a steal compared to the cost of a new sofa).

As to eventually recovering a couch, it will cost way more than the $799 to recover - speaking as someone who has a collection of restored Craigslist finds.

Yeah, this looks nice on the surface but if it looks to good to be true, it usually is.

Sorry but I don't think this is a good buy.

If you have the 800 bucks, cruise Craigslist for a sofa in good condition. They're out there...you'll get a much better value by buying a vintage piece in good condition than by speding only 800 bucks on any new construction.

Why would anyone want to keep a sofa for more than 5 or so years anyway? Don't you get bored?

Well, I paid about $2500 for a custom leather sofa with down & memory foam cusions, so I hope to heck it lasts longer than 5 years. LOL.

$2500 is waaay too rich for my blood. For us plebes this sofa would be a good deal.

**Why would anyone want to keep a sofa for more than 5 or so years anyway? Don't you get bored?**

my children will inherit my Knoll Barcelonas, they will last a lifetime and were made to.

my rule: don't buy anything that if it breaks you wouldn't fix

H4t3R, wouldn't that be interesting if you're kids got rid of the furniture after inheriting it? It's like mom's who think their kids will want to inherit their wedding dresses. Give me a break!
Ethan Allen furniture (for example) is excellent quality but less than $2500 for a good sofa. People tend to think that the more money they spend, the better the sofa is- what a joke!

I am super happy with the bed I got at JC Penny on the Thanksgiving sale.I searched for a great headboard for months (even out of my price range) This is a bit like the style of the Au lit ones on ATNY a few days ago but in neutral linen. The Chris Madden Knowlton (only at stores).

When a JC Penny piece arrives check it carefully for scratches, small rips etc. They shove them onto those trucks. Also they will tell you to keep the damaged piece and they will send a new one. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM, just do not accept it. It will make the replacement faster.

It is better than Ikea- but not the best quality. However it is what I could afford, and just having my place feel more luxuruious has made me feel better, and I think is ultimately better than saving for years for the bed I could not find at any high end stores anyway.

lol, MG
comparing Knoll and Ethan Allen

I spotted this awhile ago and was thinking about getting it... JCP has fairly decent quality actually.

i covet quite a bit of my parents furniture, actually (and grandparents) - there are parents out there with good taste. i'd certainly be thrilled to inherit a knoll barcelona!

i also don't want to cart a sofa to goodwill or the dump every five years, if i can avoid it.

We need to stop throwing things out. Can't we see past 5 years?

Just a quick 2 cents about Ethan Allen.
They're known for quality, but go beneath the surface and take a hard look. I couldn't find 8-way hand tied suspensions on their "fine" furniture.

Also, I was shopping for a writing desk and liked their $1800 model until the salesman told me it was made out of MDF and veneer. MDF on an $1800 desk? I asked him to shoe me pieces made with real wood and he walked away in a huff and refused to talk to me after that.

You couldn't get me to go in an Ethan Allen store now.

I've found amazing stuff on Craigslist, it just takes patience. I'm not afraid to spend a grand to restore a unique antique - my living room has an eclectic mix of stuff going from 1930 to the present and very few pieces are new construction. New pieces seem cheap compared to the way they used to make things.

It's funny how people claim to be green by using politically correct light bulbs or the "right" kind of soap, then buy furniture that has to be put in a landfill after 5 years. If it means saving up an extra few months, it's worth it, believe me.

In that vein, stay away from Natuzzi, and any leather advertised as "bicast". It's junk. Natuzzi uses rubber bands for suspension, and trust me you don't want to sit on bicast leather, it can't breathe, plus that coating they use on it cracks horribly with age.

good points Keith, thanks~

Does anyone know where I could look at this sofa? I called JC Penny and it's order online only. Do they really expect folks to pay $2k for a furniture set without sitting on it? Help is much appreciated because my girlfriend is drooling over this set.

Thanks....josh