Bedroom furniture for DD's room

[Butkin]

Just taken delivery of some flat pack - quite expensive - bedroom furniture for DD's room from John Lewis.

Very disappointed with the wardrobe (runner fallen off, screws showing through etc) and the chest of drawers - one of the handles already fallen off. Some much so that we've rung John Lewis up and asked for it to be collected and money refunded.

Shame because we really liked it in the shop but we're struggling to find this sort of thing anywhere else.

We're looking for a wardrobe (with drawer/s at the bottom), a chest of drawers and a smaller bedside table with drawers.

We want it in white/cream/ivory and the drawers must smooth glide rather than push in so that when loaded they are easy to get in and out.

Does anybody have any ideas about shops which sell this sort of item?

It may indeed be inferior quality, but the first question that comes to mind: if you liked the way it looked instore (and the quality seemed fine), has it been assembled properly? presumably, if it is flatpack furniture, you put it together yourselves?

We never got to the point of assembly - bits were falling off each other as they came out the box. Makes you wonder if they had added glue in the store to keep it all together.

The screws were showing through on the pre-made pieces and the smaller bedside table came pre-made but the handle kept falling off because it was on the wrong screw thread.

We may have to go back to John Lewis though as we are struggling to find anything else that is just a good make for a decent price.

Aspace beautiful furniture IMO worth every penny although not sure about the drawers you do push them.

My DD's have had £500 chests of draws bottoms drop out and they've stuck stickers all over £1,000 bunkbeds.
My advice is buy Next expect to replace it every 5 ish years and let the kids be kids without getting too stressed over their furniture.
Or else buy Laura Ashley 2nd hand off ebay.

Which range was it if you don't mind me asking?

Have you tried the Hampton range in Ivory?
www.johnlewis.com/24827/Range.aspx

I ordered a bed, two bedside tables and a chest of drawers in this range in the oak a few months ago and it was very good quality. Although the bed required minor assembly the chest of drawers and bedside tables came fully assembled.

I have the Conway range in another bedroom and the effort required to assemble the chest of drawers was quite ridiculous. Wish I had gone for the Hampton ivory here instead.

Sorry, I meant Darcy instead of Hampton. Although Hampton is nice too, but a bit more twee.

I've just checked the drawers on them (the Darcy) as well and they slide beautifully (I have a feather and black chest of drawers in another bedroom and you have to pull hard to get the drawers in and out)

Google Bentley Designs Alaska range. Good quality and should last a while.

Manchurian, yes Darcy in ivory - the wardrobe and a bedside table with 3 drawers.

We've spoken to somebody else at John Lewis today and when they come next Monday to take away the ones we have they are going to drop off a fresh set.

We're obviously nervous in case it is a badly match batch (they come from Vietnam)but John Lewis are a reputable company and, as we like the furniture and can't find anything else suitable, we've decided to give them another chance.

We did look at Feather and Black but as you say it is the ease of sliding drawers that makes the Darcy range a winner.

I can highly recommend www.childrensbedcentres.co.uk just ordered furniture for dds room from there in white. Came ready assembled as well and is guaranteed for 2 years.

www.chartleybedrooms.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_17&zenid=sj1mq415g8dcdaq2i5qhs7gkf5

Google 'Chartleys bedroom furniture' if link does not work. My DCs have a few bits from there. The quality is amazing and even though they have taken quite a few knocks, nothing has ever moved or broken.

Dragons of Walton Street are good as well, though I suspect you are paying more for the artwork than anything else.

Ooh yes Aspace is beautiful furniture... Really really beautiful but it's very very pricey.

Aspace often have deals of 15% off plus they have a seconds page, I have an ex-display chest of drawers at a third of the price with a tiny tiny scratch on it.

We have just built up flat pack from John Lewis and we just could not fault the quality. Everything was numbered and packed seperately and nothing was missing. They are also solid and stable.

We have just got some from a company called Pine Solutions - also got our bedroom furniture from there 4 years ago and it has stood the test of time and decorating bedroom, being shifted about!

Good deivery times and good prices IMO.

It does come flat pack if that is what you are after, our doors are too small to get normal furniture through so we had to go for this.