what do we think of Dunelm?

[QueenoftheNights]

I used to think they were the poor man's John Lewis but recently they appear to be trying to go upmarket; swish brochure with this month's Ideal Home mag.

BUT when I went to my local store a few months back it was so disappointing. It's a big store but had a horrible warehouse feel about it and very dated displays. All the accessories were just dumped on shelves, it seemed pricey for stuff that you'd find at Wilko for less and it just felt depressing- like the old BHS used to be.

Any comments on quality and if it's worth another trip ( my closest is a good 12 miles away.)

And as shop well for less shows, items in nicer stores or those perceived as nicer, sell well and at higher prices than the lower priced items in stores not perceived as nice.

When the actual quality of the lower priced item, may be the same and in some circumstances better.

I like the towels, always washed really well & kept fluffy sometimes they have some good decorative stuff, as pp some of it’s overpriced tat but the same goes with most stores.

Most of the stuff is cheap and poor quality. Won’t last

Well I really like it. Where we live there isn’t a lot of choice to be honest so it’s ons of the better options for home stuff. I think their recent duvet covers and wallpaper designs etc are really nice.

I tend to shop all over the place though online to be honest. Just pick and choose what I like!

I've got some great curtains and bedding from there, rug for the lounge and a centre light. Bath mats and towels, loads of lamps over the years. My local one isn't anything like a warehouse. I like it.

Not a fan. I find the store near me very difficult to navigate, there are piles of stuff everywhere. It's a total tip and everything is squeezed in so closely together that there's just no room.

We have bought stuff from there in the past, things like Slumberland duvets and pillows, Dorma bedding. That's been fine. A lot of their other stuff is just cheap rubbish though.

They have a great range of wipe clean tablecloth fabrics to buy by the metre.

I don't mind a mooch round there but I rarely find anything else I like.

My made to measure blinds from there are poor quality when compared to those I bought from an independent maker.

I have a made to measure blind from Dunelm that is lovely but the furniture is tat

There are 3 near me, two modern and bright and one awful dingy place, they don't seem to have a corporate style.

I like it for bedding, never had a problem with bobbling and some of the lighting is good.

I wouldn't think of getting home stuff from Wilkos but that might be because my local one doesn't have much.

I have some years old curtains and towels from Dunelm that I'm pleased with. On the other hand, some bedding I bought more recently from there was awful quality, faded and threadbare in no time (bought as spare, but not good enough even for very occasional use).

I've think it really needs to smarten up its act. The shops are cluttered with bargain baskets and are badly organised, and a lot of their stock doesn't offer good value. And why all the teddy bear fluff items?

I've bought some things from there and have been really impressed with the customer service on several occasions.

I bought blinds for the whole house and struggled to find all the sizes but the staff were amazing and called around to find them for me at other stores. They were very helpful and friendly.

I have good service at more than one store too.

I'm a fan.

They have a really good Dorma range and their Hotel collection is good. I bought some very good quality continental pillows from them recently

I love it. Has really nice things.

Great for us lower market riffraffs.😏

Given the Dunelm is the only furnishing store we have within easy travel distance, we use it a lot. Beggars can't be choosers. If we were anywhere near a city with decent shops, then it would be pretty well down at the bottom of my preference shopping list.

Its ok not my first choice im more a next fan. I like it for odd little bits just a bit expensive for what u get x

Rip off Orla Kiely bedding Orange and Olive?
Nice for teens bedrooms

Only place I could find a proper wicker laundry basket recently.

Not tat at £70 though.

I usually get my Addis plastics for the kitchen from there, I prefer Addis to other makes.

Good for basics.

John Lewis and dunelm don’t even belong in the same sentence

^This. I find the quality is cheap and cheerful

Agree with assessment that bedding from brands is great but otherwise patchy quality. Find Asda better value and quality tbh.

Curtains are ok, tend to be reasonably priced. Oilcloth selection is good.

But it's all crammed in and I hate the actual shopping experience.

Their upholstery department can be quite good and I like buying fabric by the metre from them.

But their interiors stuff, soft furnishings etc seem to be poor quality. Their kitchenware is your average price point kitchen stuff but without the deals that wilko do.

I like them for some things but the thing that puts me off is that they plonk JML stands in random places, have baskets of tat in the middle of walk ways and always seem to have millions of scented stuff on the go.

I like the guest towels. Quality is nice.
I would never buy loads from the same store, whatever shop it is as I hate matchy matchy and buy stuff from all over.

I've got some nice cushions from there, although you do have to search a bit.

I bought some expensive feather pillows, got them home used them for about 3 hours (after airing them off!) and they were in such a state of flatness, they were worse than the ones I had thrown out.

Took them back to the local shop, the attitude of the staff was appalling. Lots of huffing and puffing and we dont exchange pillows, blah blah and a really none existent level of customer service (I had already spoken to customer services and they were just as bad at head office). The pillows were poor quality and not fit for purpose, not that I had changed my mind

Given the quality of the pillows for almost £50 I stood my ground and even done the 'pillow test' where they just flopped over my arm.

The attitude from both head office and in store was so bad I will not buy anything else from them again.

You have to be selective in Dunelm but there are a few decent bits and bobs. My local one has disappointingly downsized the kitchen bit recently to put the awful cafe in.