apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i've been wanting to ask this for a while about ligne-roset, b&b, and other places i have looked at, but haven't yet had the guts to buy from.
is pricing at all flexible at these places? i know they sometimes have holidays sales, etc that sometimes take like 10% off. if i go in at a time when there's NOT a sale and ask for a discount, any chance of getting one, or will i be thrown out??

I am waiting for the pricing for these sofas. But I asked them pointblank if they had discounts for architects. That sometimes gets us a discount at some places. I recently had discounts on Wiggle Chairs and a repro Mies daybed.

Not sure why an architect using the piece in their own home deserves a trade discount...

I agree about the Fugue, because I think that having some color would give more life to the room, and the comfort of the sloping arms.

But if you're not comfortable having that much comfort or color, then -- if you're gonig to invite ME over -- please go with the Opium, because although the lines are very clean, there appears to be enough padding there for some comfort.

I'd say the Annaba. Or the Fugue.

You lucky bastard.... : )

Of the three, I prefer the Annaba because it has perpendicular lines which I prefer and also has the lightness that Maxwell talks about because the base is not as thick as the opium.

However, I prefer sectionals where the arm of the non-chaise side actually ends where the seat ends so my choice would be the traversale
http://ligne-roset-usa.com/products/sofas/traversale.htm
which, incedentally, looks like the B&B Italia Solo but will be cheaper.

Hey Maxwell, any idea who does the sectional on your book cover. It looks like another B&B clone (this time the Dadone which is the one I have BTW - squared off arms instead of tapered like Charles) and hopefully is cheaper. A pretty good alternative from what I can make out.

BTW, none of these types of deep sectionals with low backs are comfortable to sit on without the separate pillows (which are an additional cost for B&B sofas - not sure about Ligne Roset) so make sure you try them out for comfort with the pillows and make sure you get them!

I like the opium. It looks comfortable and inviting. I don't like the bent steel legs on the anaba. I think they may look dated in a few years, and they remind me of lawn furniture. That said, the fugue is beautiful too!! If you're not 100% set on your first two, the fugue is the tops.

Didier Gomez can do no wrong, but I like the styles that have more air under them.

You can get any style in any upholstery they offer, no?

i'd like to suggest the nomade by didier gomez, the mattress style seat cushion give a comfortable look to a modern sofa. the recessed legs "float" the sofa for a lighter look.

I agree with the Fugue. The color isn't my personal favorite but the line is nicely crisp.

Of all mentioned here (and I've checked each), the Fugue seems more solid and able to absorb daily wear and tear.

Enjoy and let us all know what you decide and show some photos when it arrives!

You all are the greatest! I have written Ligne Roset to see how much all three styles cost. I am building a guest house in Marrakech and need a great sofa. I am prepared to not eat for a few weeks in order to buy it;-)

These are all beautiful. I'm very curious about the prices. Can you post 'em when you get 'em?

For your information at most nicer places including Ligne the sofas aren't limited to a particular color. You choose whatever fabric you want when you order the couch.

Those sectionals probably cost $4-6K. (In part depending on the fabric, of course.)

Patrick, why not? It's a perk of the trade, I would think. Architects don't make the big bucks, but if they get a trade discount, by all means they should use it, even if it's for personal use, IMO.

rbw, likelihood of a discount to general public is very slim. Cassina has an annual floor sample sale that is always advertized in NYT and you can get some very good discounts.

Your best bet, if you know exactly what you want, is to use europebynet.com. I detailed the costs that you have to pay here (customs and delivery extra)
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/111505/lighting/good-deal-arco-lamp-by-castiglioni-005041
and even with the current exchange rate with EUR and GBP, you won't get a better price in the US.

Because an architect brings business to the furniture company, patrick.

When I specify 2000 Knoll stations for a corp. project I work on, I expect Knoll give me their net for 30 yards of fabric for my own little reupholstery project.

Thanks, Tat, yes I fully understand the process.

But I also know many architects who never, EVER specify fabric or furniture and still want a discount on their own personal shopping sprees, which I think is an abuse of the system.

(I also think the "order 100 yards for this job" part should precede the "cut me a deal for my house" part. But just an opinion)

In our case, the architect is buying furniture for a guest house that we are building. Maybe they figure that clients will ask and we will refer. But it is on such a small scale anyway.

Of note, I have found some places like Intermarche (sp?) will give you a 10% discount if you ask through customer service as plain old ordinary folk.

patrick,
it's a market situation; if the manufacturers concluded the architects are ripping them off or their sales plummeted because of greedy architects/designers abusing their discounts, nobody would offer discounts to the trade. But they do, so it must be working well for all involved.

As to 100 yards (I'm more used to 5-figure yardage) of fabri ordered first...ethically, i'd agree with you - prove yourself an asset then ask for compensation, not the other way around...oh well.

Tat - and Patrick too -
It's a similar dynamic in the art business, too. discounts to consultants or designers when they buy for themselves are often based on relationships. if a particular consultant does a lot of business with the gallery and buys frequently and they buy for themselves, too, it's relatively standard to offer them the same discount as if they were buying for their clients. of course, it's much appreciated when they are upfront and tell you it's for themselves. it's a courtesy of the trade, if you will, for my business, too. but obviously, if a consultant represents themselves as buying for their client and it turns out to be for themselves, that's where the unethical part comes into play and it leaves me with a bad feeling about that consultant. i think for everyone's business it's the same -- the more you do business with someone, the more you get to know them and so if the relationship is there, you are more likely to extend a courtesy discount.

"prove yourself an asset then ask for compensation, not the other way around."

Exactly. That's all I'm saying.

Btw, impressive yardage. ;)

But as I understand the "discount to the trade" system, isn't that percentage offset meant to allow designers to mark up to clients, and not so designers or architects can furnish their own pads on the cheap?! (I still hear what you're saying, I just think there is potential for abuse, and a certian amount of entitlement among those who do that irks me, is all)

And please, I'd not turn down ANY discount myself!!!! (just not sure, if it were for myself, I'd even ask). But I wouldn't expect it for myself until (as Barbara cites) I (or they) feel a relationship exists.

And I have received discounts from galleries and framers for repeat business, but only at the offering of the vendor. I don't like being asked to undercut the value of my work, so I very rarely *ask* that of others...

Didn't mean to incite or point fingers, btw!

I agree with what p2 is saying and I think barbara summed it up well also.

Of course tat, that is the reason there can be a discount but this was not clear that this was what was going on from Maryam's initial post.

I think maryam's initial post confused matters because it sounded like she was an architect simply asking if she could get a discount. Her followup posts shows that she was asking on behalf of her architect who is doing a project for her and that is more in line with what p2 is talking about except that the architect or designer would be the one buying and getting the discount.

Correction:
I think maryam's initial post confused matters because it sounded like she was an architect simply asking if she could get a discount for her own personal use with no other business relationship/referrals implied.

Yikes sorry for all the confusion. I just really wanted your great advice on the sofa, which I got. I would have never narrowed it down to Ligne Roset and thought about these specific models without you guys. So shoukran (or thank you) as they say here in Marrakech.

Maryam--
We're just jealous that you are in Marrakech!

And for your part of the world, I agree with patrick about the Nomade sofa also from Ligne Roset... seems to respect the tradition of the area, but update it as well.

patrick,
yes, theoretically, trade discounts are offered to make the further mark-ups feasible for designers/architects, but I don't know anybody except in strickly residential design field using this scheme in their compensation policies. In a mixed design practice (contract in addition to residential) people prefer to sell their design services rather that act as a resale outlet - at least what I hear from a limited sample I know.

Yardage... 4-6 upholstered panels per workstation (15 yrds), for 630 stations, plus 3 yrds per chair for 630 chairs give you 5 figures pretty quickly...nothing extraordinary.

Maryam, over the years when I've spoken to sales people at Ligne Roset there have been no discount. But the last time was a few months ago. It may have changed but I doubt it.

The one thing I don't like about the Opium are the lose back cushions. I once owned a sofa with these cushions and said "never again". It was hard for me to get comfortable without tossing some cushions off onto the floor and constantly rearranging those that remained on the sofa. But that's just me.

That's the thing. I love the clean lines that are associated with not having a million pillows in the back of a sofa. Or if there are pillows - just two that stretch across the whole width of the piece. I guess I don't want to ruin the whole concept of having a modern sofa by then throwing a ton of pillows on it and making it somewhat shabby chic suddenly.

Still waiting for the Ligne Roset people to get back to me with prices. What's the deal with that customer service? Is it because each store charges their own prices? I need to get some swatches, too. I am thinking somewhere in the ecru range all the way to chocolate. I have some cowhide (haircalf) pieces in black and white so not sure what would look best. Can't go with white, as much as I think it is glam. I have two small children in the house.

Maryam, what do you think of warm (French) grays/taupes instead? You can even introduce some subtle color in it, like greenish taupe or hint of lavender grey, and explore it further with accessories. You already have sharp wh/bl contrast in the hide. Beige neutrals are so not Marrakesh (in my view, at least. I might be totally wrong on that).

I remember attending some showroom event at Ligne Roset here in NY and since I was looking into sleeper sofas at the time I asked about the price on an Everynight (I was seating on it)- the rep offered 15% off from their retail for me; but that might be the Cosmo speaking...so don't count on it.

Mmmm....I am liking that warm French Grey idea. Could be very chic! Marrakech is actually very much about earth tones and reds. We are not doing the whole Marrakech thing -- tiles everywhere and sculpted ceilings etc. We want something a little more subtle and a little less Liberace, if you know what I mean.

I also really need suggestions for a fantastic desk. Something grown up. Love that one with the different color on the inside at Williams Sonoma but can't have anything block my view out the window since I am in front of the computer all day. Any ideas?

I loved the Annaba until these figures were thrown my way...

One arm sofa (87"): $3295 - $6195
One arm medium sofa (69 3/4"): $2860 - $5460
One arm chaise (87"): $3305 - $6020
One arm deep chaise (69 3/4"): $3110 - $6110

Definitely the Opium---it the the most comfortable couch in the world. we love ours.

Different topic , same company: I have a set of Ligne Roset Calin chairs. The covers are getting trashed and I'd like to replace them. How do you go about doing so? And what are the best ways to have them really well cleaned (besides the local dry cleaner?)

Ligne roset works as franchises.....if anything goes wrong, then it is your retailer that pics up the pieces. Roset doesn't give a crap....and you will wait like 20 weeks for a sofa, maybe more. If you know about furniture, and are switched on, you can look around and find something a lot more stylish and better quality for less. Or pay a bit more and get an actual classic piece of furniture. Roset pieces retain no value over time.
I used to sell Roset. One time we ordered a fugue and the sections did not fit together. There was a 2 inch gap. Roset found it hard to accept responsibility - as usual. I say deal direct with a manufaturer and then there are less problems, most other comapanies will bend over backwards when you spend thousands, NOT roset.

I just bought the Lumeo bed from the Ligne Roset store in Georgetown. They were wonderful to deal with and it was delievered and installed about 8 weeks after I placed the order. They also said I could send it back to them if I was not pleased. It is beautiful and the quality is as expected. The mattress is so comfortable!

I am now considering the Nomade or the Fugue and was suprised by Harvey's opinion. Now I am concerned...how long ago did you work for Roset? Any other advice on other companies or brands?

Don't want to spend anymore money than I have too-I used up my yearly clothing allowance on the bed!

Yikes! I'm alarmed to read Harvey's comments as I fell in love with a Ligne Roset sofa today and was researching to see if discounts were offered elsewhere. None so far. It's pretty damn pricey here too (I'm in London). The Sketch combo I'm looking at comes to £5200. No eating for the rest of my life.

By the way Marya, is your place in Marrakech up and running (it's a guestbhouse, right?) I'm heading there next month.

Harvey's information is not correct. I am the owner of the New York stores, and we do give a "crap". I do not know where Harvey worked but he has not worked for me. Our lead times are generally 12 - 14 weeks except when we are faced with the factory vacation, a common issue for european manufacturers, at which time the lead times are generally 16-18 weeks. In addition, we have hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of furniture in stock in New York for immediate delivery. We are not a franchise, but an exclusive distributor and have been for over 12 years.

Roset pieces do retain value and are very servicable.

We do not discount to the trade or otherwise. We do offer the very best prices on the very best furniture within our genre every day.

Ligne Roset does not sell through such internet sites as europebynet as selling this way will not provide the consumer with the best service.

Other than that, Maryam, I am sorry you did not get your prices promptly. I do not know where you sent your e-mail but feel free to send one to me an I will get back to you swiftly.

Sincerely,

Laurie Messman
Ligne Roset New York