Product Description
Of critical interest to anyone considering a major furniture purchase, this guide seeks to make consumers experts on buying residential furniture. Focusing on informed purchasing and shopping for value, not simply price, it covers topics such as differentiating between two seemingly identical pieces of furniture at vastly different prices and recognizing the features comprising a quality piece of furniture. Open stock items, the differences between bona fide sale pr… More >>
Shopping for Furniture: A Consumer’s Guide
Tags: Consumer's, Furniture, Guide, Shopping
#1 by Andrea Campbell on April 3, 2010 - 5:27 am
Mr. Lewin has the right idea: inform the public about how to make better choices, and you have a reader who will pass on the word.
While this book does not possess the “glitz” of most of the books of decorating ilk, this slim, informative volume is reasonably priced, and completely accessible to readers who love furniture, no matter how furniture savvy or not.
Rating: 5 / 5
#2 by Laura on April 3, 2010 - 5:50 am
I wish I could give this book more than five stars. I have made lots of furniture mistakes over the years, and now I can begin to see why. The next best thing to this book would be having Leonard Lewin by your side when you shop for furniture! He takes you through the basics (wood, wood veneer, wood finishing, shopping for wood, basic furniture construction and pieces, upholstery, leather, personal style, going to stores, dealing with sales personnel and designers, interpreting advertising). What’s more, he lists brands and stores to think about and visit, by area, name and volume). This book will be extremely useful to me, and I plan to reread several of the chapters before buying any furniture. The tone of the book is easygoing and informative, never dull. Most of all, his philosophy that while being an expert helps, all of us can do enough homework to understand what we need to bring to the furniture buying experience. I highly recommend this book, and plan to go back to it in the future (maybe even keep it in the car, since I wouldn’t be able to hide it in the store).
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by J. Schultze on April 3, 2010 - 7:16 am
I thought the book was good regarding the descriptions of how good furniture is made. So, I would recommend it for a person who would like to learn the basics of how furiture is constructed, and what to look for from a quality standpoint and what the difference in upholstry is. Ironically, the author then goes on to recommend buying from many low-end retailers who rip off the public with huge margins, which has been typical of the furniture for decades, I guess, maybe longer. He does make a very good explanation about what ‘furniture sales’ really are, and why they aren’t usually a bargain. Given what he claimed was his favorite store in Chicago, I guess he hasn’t shopped here in 15 years.
Maybe this is a little harsh, but I don’t think a retailer deserves a 150% profit or more on goods that are never on a showroom floor or held in inventory. Furniture retailers do not add 150% to the value of the product. I think by accident, the author just pointed out, by protecting the retailer part of this supply chain, why so many good American furniture manufacturers have gone out of business; most furniture is overpriced due to the retailers.
Rating: 3 / 5
#4 by R. Wismer on April 3, 2010 - 9:18 am
Great resource if you are planning on purchasing furniture. Len catagorizes the major furniture manufactures by quality, what kind of quality cues to look for and what some of the best furniture stores are. He’ll also answer your questions by email!
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Anonymous on April 3, 2010 - 10:06 am
This is a book everyone should read. It gives you a detailed description of what you should look for and whether you are getting your $$’s worth. A true comprehensive guide….
Rating: 5 / 5