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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think G Plan is coming into its own?

29 replies

Girlwhowearsglasses · 03/10/2015 16:08

Am looking at eBay as I need to get some decent furniture for my DTs bedroom. have just ordered a ££ Bunk and when I look at chests of drawers or wardrobes its about £400 for a chest of drawers that isn't made of cardboard with hardwood drawer bottoms, even then they don't look amazingly made (J Lewis, Habitat, etc etc)

My kids are like roving crash test dummies: DS's Ikea Stuva doors have had drawers replaced repeatedly as the bottoms have fallen out over 5 years' use (and that's with wood glue quirted all around the bottom of the drawer before use).

SO

Who has G Plan stuff? Either from the 70 or have you bought any? Are the drawers properly made? they actually look reall well made and are surprisingly cheap on ebay fro waht they are - I'm guessing that the retro-surge hasn't reached them yet adn they are still 'deeply sad'.

AIBU to buy them (and poss a drinks cabinet for a bookshelf and a dressing table for a kids desk) and think they will be sturdy and look quite cool?

OP posts:
bessarabiantiger · 03/10/2015 16:18

We buy it regularly to restore. It's pretty sturdy. I want to say something more profound but that's kinda...it.

TheWernethWife · 03/10/2015 16:18

G Plan is fab - I long to be able to afford some. Ercol furniture is coming back into fashion as well. Must have a look on ebay.

Narp · 03/10/2015 16:21

G Plan and Ercol stuff has been selling for £££ here in London for a few years. Never would have thought it, but there you go. You live ling enough and everything comes back in to fashion. I really like it

Imustgodowntotheseaagain · 03/10/2015 16:22

I love G Plan. Cheaper than ercol! Just gave away a G. Plan 3 piece suite on gumtree because three ebay buyers all failed to collect, so you should be able to get some fairly cheap.

laffymeal · 03/10/2015 16:23

They sell G Plan in Furniture Village. I'm not keen on it myself. I quite like Oak Furnitureland. The stuff is well made and looks attractive. Also it's not flatpack.

SquinkiesRule · 03/10/2015 16:25

We have a bedroom set from the late 70's solid wood and the drawers are all in great condition. All being used right now by my son. It's made by schreiber. My Mum bought it all new when I was a kid.
Our dining room set is Stag from the same era. All solid as a rock.
Mum still has the ugly g plan cabinet set thing, with a drinks cabinet, tv stand and glass cupboards up top for ornaments, also going strong.

Salmotrutta · 03/10/2015 16:27

G plan was the furniture back in the day and I can confirm it was good quality.

I prefer Ercol personally which is also very good quality and if you can get it second hand it's a great buy.

Salmotrutta · 03/10/2015 16:28

Ooh I remember Stag too!

limitedperiodonly · 03/10/2015 16:29

I was just about to mention Ercol WernethWife. I did a woodwork course when I was about 19 and the teacher was obsessed. It looked very boring to me but I get it now. There was an Ercol chair on something like Cash In The Attic this week and they were wetting themselves over it.

I also used to work for the General Electric Company who gave us massive discounts on all the brands they owned. G Plan was one of them but what use was it to an 18 year old still living with her mum and dad who had all the furniture they needed?

The only thing I ever used from GEC was Hawaiian Tropic and Orlane. I was much envied on my 18-30 holiday for my very expensive sunscreen and aftersun which cost pennies.

Original poster
Girlwhowearsglasses · 03/10/2015 16:33

I'm looking at the G Plan Fresco range as there is so much of it it would be easy to get it all matching.

I have lots of Ercol already - superb Ebay bargains although I did spend £600 getting a four piece suite reupholstered (that was £250 on Ebay) I do smile when I see it every day!

OP posts:
Original poster
Girlwhowearsglasses · 03/10/2015 16:34

Salmotrutta I can't see much in the way of drawers from Ercol though - One lovely one but its £££

OP posts:
amazon75 · 03/10/2015 16:34

I recently bought gplan table and chairs from gumtree beautiful quality. Really lovely wood. I'd go for it. Mine cost £125 and can't imagine how much i would have had to pay to get that sort of quality new.

Original poster
Girlwhowearsglasses · 03/10/2015 16:36

Sorry to bore - the drawer bottoms - still solid? Woodworm? (or is that depending on where its been?)

OP posts:
CuppaTeaAndAJammieDodger · 03/10/2015 16:41

We have 2 70's Gplan armchairs in our front room which we got from eBay, when I showed my mate the photo of them before we collected them he was all"eugh they look like they come from an old peoples home", once they were collected and installed he was very envious.

Gplan rocks!!

clam · 03/10/2015 16:47

My parents are Mr and Mrs G Plan. Their house is over-run with it. Does this mean that they're finally trendy?

(But to answer your question, yes, it's good quality. First of all, because my mother only ever buys good quality stuff and secondly, they've had it all for around 40 years and it looks as good as new - despite being knocked around by 3 kids and 6 grandkids).

OverAndAbove · 03/10/2015 16:47

We have G plan in our playroom and it's taken all the knocks and scrapes in good spirit. I inherited a few years ago and it's from the 60s; its in pretty good nick. We also have Stag in various places - mostly vintage but some gorgeous dining chairs bought about 15 years ago too.

bessarabiantiger · 03/10/2015 16:48

My last G plan purchase was 99p. It was HUGE & outside of London, well worth looking into van hire to scoop bargains.

I WAS NEARLY PROFOUND! WOO!

StephenKatz · 03/10/2015 16:52

My Nan still has her beautiful G Plan dining table, circa early 70's, still in very good nick. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for her carpet, although since it's also from about 1972, I'd say she's had her moneys worth Grin

SquinkiesRule · 03/10/2015 18:54

Watch the facebook selling pages, my Mum got £50 for her g plan dining table it was in lovely condition and had a butterfly style extending leaf built in we could get up to 10 if us round it at Christmas.

MiaowTheCat · 03/10/2015 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BearFoxBear · 03/10/2015 19:01

We have quite a few g plan items, coffee table, sideboard, side tables and they are sturdy, well made and I love them! Great when you have wee ones too as they edges aren't sharp like a lot of modern stuff.

fastdaytears · 03/10/2015 19:04

Ercol and G Plan (70s) sell for a fair bit round here. I really like the look. My sister's gone for lots of it and it looks fab.

Booyaka · 03/10/2015 19:10

My Gran had G Plan stuff from the 50s until she died in the late 90s. All of it was durable through 2 children and 2 grandchildren too. I was desperate to take it when she died and her pineapple ice bucket but my folks thought it was junk and I still lived with them at the time.

JaceLancs · 03/10/2015 19:11

I have both ercol and g plan furniture in lounge and dining room - it is quite plain and fairly timeless if you choose carefully - also easy to find matching things if you can afford it
I have 6 dining chairs but one is getting slightly worn and I would really like 8 in total - especially as Christmas not far off - I keep seeing them on eBay but getting outbid - as I won't pay more than £125 plus delivery (per chair)

WizzardHat · 03/10/2015 19:15

My favourite table came from there and it's fantastic, really solid and well made. I think around 60s vintage? I have another table that has similar lines but isn't G plan, and that one's quite wobbly really. Definitely recommend g-plan.