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Lunchtime Survey: Desert Island Furniture Choice?

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Okay, so this is a spinoff on the old question of what you'd take to a desert island (you know: favorite book, song, record, etc). In this case, however, we're asking you to choose which furniture is most YOU among the big box stores? If you were moving into a new home this weekend and had to buy all your furniture in 24 hours, which of the following shops would you choose? Which is MOST your style?

 
 

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Comments (29)

I guess it would depend on whether I'm on a budget, or whether I am pretend independently wealthy.

posted by nazrd on August 29th 2008 at 7:42am
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You left out Room and Board - which would be my choice...
(there go the sponsored posts)

...tho I'm sure Target won't be pleased with being left out either since they're an advertiser.

posted by bepsf on August 29th 2008 at 7:43am
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What, no Room and Board? cause that is where i would get all of my furniture if i could.

posted by MFlick on August 29th 2008 at 7:45am
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If you're going to list Restoration Hardware, you may as well list Room and Board.

posted by illegal danish on August 29th 2008 at 7:48am
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Not my style, but better quality than nmany of the choices listed, I'd have to go w/Restoration Hardware. At least being comfy would take the edge off of being stranded.

Besides, on a deserted island, no one can hear you scream as you are trying to assemble the Ikea furniture.

posted by Seaside on August 29th 2008 at 7:53am
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...tho if I were really adventurous/creative, I'd choose Craigslist - as I often remember that NYC showhouse from 2004 or 2005 (?) that was decorated entirely with items purchased thru eBay.

posted by bepsf on August 29th 2008 at 7:56am
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None of the above.

posted by Kathryn on August 29th 2008 at 7:56am
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CB2 is more ME. IKEA is more my wallet. :)

posted by sparkle on August 29th 2008 at 7:57am
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restoration hardware?? they don't come close to the west elm/cb2/crate and barrel/ikea draw. room and board i put in same category as stores like dwr...too expensive for my blood!

i chose cb2 but i really wanted a cb2/ikea hybrid choice ;)

posted by kdkaboom on August 29th 2008 at 8:00am
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i'm with the write-in crowd -- room & board

posted by mrjones on August 29th 2008 at 8:07am
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I'd also choose Room & Board if I could, but of the available choices, CB2 is the most "me."

posted by confusednazgul on August 29th 2008 at 8:11am
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They're all very similar! Why not pick stores with completely different styles?

posted by violetmeadows on August 29th 2008 at 8:15am
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C&B is nicer, but Ikea predominates in my house now and is more in my budget. Yes, Room & Board should be here, and would be my top choice.

posted by Shawn on August 29th 2008 at 8:22am
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I don't have any of the above anywhere near me. Which sucks cause I'd really like to purchase the shelving unit from IKEA that I like...unfortunately something that costs $159 costs $248 to ship to me. R U KIDDING ME?

posted by LittleRock on August 29th 2008 at 8:26am
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Seriously...where IS the Room and Board!? Seriously.
That's my top pick, but I had to settle for second best.

posted by aglewis106 on August 29th 2008 at 8:27am
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None of the above.

posted by judes on August 29th 2008 at 8:30am
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DWR please.

posted by flyzipper on August 29th 2008 at 8:51am
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For people putting none of the above...why don't you add to the discussion and tell us which store would you pick?

I voted C&B as it has the most varied style and has the most squarish art-deco-ish and retro-ish furniture I tend to prefer. The quality of their suppliers is also heads and shoulders above the other choices with the exception of Restoration Hardware.

posted by Thomas on August 29th 2008 at 8:51am
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Room and Board definitely. They have the dining table I want.

From the available choices I selected Crate & Barrel if only for their excellent delivery service.

I think what really reflects my style isn't available in this country.

posted by charlenemcbride on August 29th 2008 at 8:56am
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It's fun to leaf through the catalogues from all these stores, but I wouldn't want to furnish my house at any of them. Where would I go? Contemporary Trends, in Ithaca NY might be a good choice....

posted by JoanneM on August 29th 2008 at 9:09am
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nazrd: Yes, exactly.

posted by neutopian on August 29th 2008 at 9:29am
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None of the above. If we're being summoned to comment further, it's just that there might be nothing to say. I can't pretend I prefer any to another. If I were on a deserted island with the furniture of my choice, any? I guess would be a better answer. Who cares? might be another answer. My real answer is "whichever one is seaworthy and/or edible."

posted by K T G on August 29th 2008 at 9:35am
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I would choose Crate and Barrel because from previous experience their furniture is well made and has a pretty good price point for the quality. Shipping cost and delivery service is top notch.

I would love to include Room and Board, excellent prices as well, but the shipping cost is insane!

DWR, I would never be able to afford...

posted by jen64 on August 29th 2008 at 9:35am
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I'm playing this game based on the idea that I could actually afford to shop at any of these stores.

Ikea is barely in my budget only some of the time, and I get wiggy about pre-owned furniture that doesn't come from a reputable dealer (ie it comes from ebay or craigslist). I'm afraid it will smell, or be infested with some type of bug. And don't get me started on the CSI of what the previous owners may have done on said furniture...

I suppose this is why the only furniture in my studio is my bed, my kitchen/dining room table and the assorted bookshelves and wall shelves from ikea.

posted by roseslaw on August 29th 2008 at 9:52am
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Oh, I assumed that on the desert island everything would be FREE!

posted by Ingrid on August 29th 2008 at 10:06am
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Like Ingrid's comment.

Crate and Barrel of the ones that are listed, but would have picked Room and Board had that been a choice.

posted by JonathanB on August 29th 2008 at 10:51am
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None of the above. You didnt put Cost Plus Worldmarket on the list.

posted by Trumystique on August 29th 2008 at 11:56am
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I chose Crate and Barrel, only because Room and Board wasn't on the list.

posted by kimg924 on August 29th 2008 at 3:27pm
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Honestly, if I had to furnish an entire apartment on a single weekend, I'd hit a big flea market. Everything new from a big box store just feels like a dorm.

When my husband first moved to Montreal, he bought a load of furniture at Ikea rather than shipping his old furniture from the States. Within 5 years, we'd Craigs Listed every single piece, or given it to Salvation Army. An all-Ikea house made us feel like the RA was going to knock on our door any minute.

posted by Lisa Hunter (Montreal) on August 30th 2008 at 8:27am
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