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redchannel

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 23, 2008
126
0
I'm shopping for a new desk and I'm wanting to know if anyone knows a good furniture retailer besides ikea that would compare to them. Not Office Max or Office Depot please.
 
I'm shopping for a new desk and I'm wanting to know if anyone knows a good furniture retailer besides ikea that would compare to them. Not Office Max or Office Depot please.

Target? Walmart? Staples?

It'll be hard to find something at Ikea prices anywhere else.....
 
I don't know where you are. But there are stores in southern california that pick up furniture from places that have remolded or gone out of business and then sell it to the public for cheap.

I noticed you said new. Some of the desk systems look brand new but are used.
 
Unless they start serving Swedish meatballs with the dingleberry sauce, or whatever you call it, at Target, Walmart or Staples...I'm sticking with Ikea! :D
 
I like some of Plummers furniture, granted it is somewhat more expensive than Ikea. If you're in California it could be an option. Also, Z Gallerie has some nice stuff when I've walked by and is a little more national I think.

If you go to Ikea, be sure to get some of their chocolate, its really good and I believe its imported from Germany.

I noticed you said new. Some of the desk systems look brand new but are used.

I agree. Check Craigslist, there are a lot of people getting rid of nice furniture all the time for pretty low prices.
 
Strangely, they don't appear to be in the United States. But if you happen to be in one of the other 33 countries where Jysk is, they have very nice furniture at very good prices. I bought my desk and bed from them, and am extremely happy with both.
 
Crate and Barrel has some DIY furniture of good quality.
 
I buy furniture either at IKEA, Staples, or Target. For selection, IKEA is the best. When I go shopping at IKEA, I need to make myself ready for heavy lifting. Its products are very heavy.
 
Is it only me, but, I always think about how I would do with my furniture when I move. I want to buy heavy and sturdy well-build furniture. But, when I need to move, it would be a pain to move heavy furniture. Except for the last 2 moves, I have done my relocation by myself using a u-haul truck.
 
i always thought that ikea WAS alternative...:rolleyes:

ya i would check target tho. also good snack bar and most that i have been to have starbucks(if you are into burnt flavored coffee with cheep syrup. ;))

@Joepunk Do they not advertise much cause ive never herd of them.
 
Ikea, yuck. Any furniture is better than their faux crap.

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I never understood the dislike for ikea. All their furniture have been good to me...extremely reliable and decent prices.
 
Well, i was looking for an alternative because of the total cost of me getting the desk i wanted. The desk was $250 but the shipping was a whopping $320 :eek:. That was the deal breaker.
 
Well, i was looking for an alternative because of the total cost of me getting the desk i wanted. The desk was $250 but the shipping was a whopping $320 :eek:. That was the deal breaker.

Road Trip, if you can, I'd suggest it, I was in the same boat as you but after making one trip down and planning on coming back with just the Galant desk Frame, legs, I came back with a whole lot more. Still have to post the pictures, but all in for what we bought and the quality it was well worth the the trip of 2.5 hours one way. For me I love driving so found a good channel on the radio and headed from upstate NY to Paramus NJ. The R/Angle corner piece was a slight hassle but well worth it. Glass wall shelves are great and spaced them out so that I could hit at least 3 studs per shelf.

We're moving onto another room this summer and will make the trip again. Looked at Staples and Office Max furniture, to me its all CRAP. Also for a desk and when your 6ft5" tall its hard to fit a desk to fit your legs under so the Ikea, with adjustable height in the legs was perfect.

Good Luck on your decision, also look for a delivery service for the local or close to local IKEA store in your neighborhood. I found one out of Brooklyn who told me that if I did more than one room they'd pick up , deliver and assemble for one low price, if all you want is a desk, I'd suggest that you hit eBay, or Craigslist and see what you find.
 
Avoid ever buying anything made of MDF or chipboard or particleboard. It's sawdust stuck together with glue, and is the devil's jizz.

Ikea has nice stuff as long as you only buy stuff made from solid wood (if you're buying wooden stuff). Avoid buying glued-together-sawdust products from there or anywhere else.

In the UK, John Lewis has nice stuff too. I also have a few things from there. Habitat is a bit on the spendy side for me, I sometimes look at their stuff, but never purchased furniture from there.

If a rush, Argos has a few solid-wood items that are reasonably cheap and serviceable.

The top half of Tottenham Court Road in London has many nice semi-independent furniture shops.
 
Is it only me, but, I always think about how I would do with my furniture when I move. I want to buy heavy and sturdy well-build furniture. But, when I need to move, it would be a pain to move heavy furniture. Except for the last 2 moves, I have done my relocation by myself using a u-haul truck.
That's why I like to build knock-down furniture where possible. And use piano dollies and the like to move the heavy stuff when it comes time.

Avoid ever buying anything made of MDF or chipboard or particleboard. It's sawdust stuck together with glue, and is the devil's jizz.
Plus there's the formaldehyde. Although you can get non-formaldehyde MDF now, not many places stock it yet.

MDF offgassing is almost entirely eliminated if you paint or seal the surfaces though. And it machines quite nicely, holds an edge profile very well, and stays dead flat if properly supported. It provides plenty of heft for furniture that you don't want to topple over. As a "for example", I made my son's changing table out of MDF. I don't have to attach it to the wall, as it weighs well over 100 lbs. He won't be able to tip it over onto himself until he's well out of the diaper phase. MDF also makes an excellent substrate for veneer work. I've made veneered panels with an MDF core that you would swear were solid wood -- and gorgeous pieces of solid wood at that. It also provides a good use for what would otherwise be wasted tree parts.

It's not all bad. You just gotta use it in the right application.
 
Road Trip, if you can, I'd suggest it, I was in the same boat as you but after making one trip down and planning on coming back with just the Galant desk Frame, legs, I came back with a whole lot more. Still have to post the pictures, but all in for what we bought and the quality it was well worth the the trip of 2.5 hours one way. For me I love driving so found a good channel on the radio and headed from upstate NY to Paramus NJ. The R/Angle corner piece was a slight hassle but well worth it. Glass wall shelves are great and spaced them out so that I could hit at least 3 studs per shelf.

We're moving onto another room this summer and will make the trip again. Looked at Staples and Office Max furniture, to me its all CRAP. Also for a desk and when your 6ft5" tall its hard to fit a desk to fit your legs under so the Ikea, with adjustable height in the legs was perfect.

Good Luck on your decision, also look for a delivery service for the local or close to local IKEA store in your neighborhood. I found one out of Brooklyn who told me that if I did more than one room they'd pick up , deliver and assemble for one low price, if all you want is a desk, I'd suggest that you hit eBay, or Craigslist and see what you find.

What size car do you need to fit a Galant desk? I'd make the road trip to Chicago for Ikea but I don't think I'm going to fit much in my little GTI, and I'm guessing the box the Galant comes in is huge
 
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