Thread: Harvey Norman furniture

Well Livio, that's a tough question to ask a bunch of guys who make their own furniture, to their own standards, mostly pretty high, and take great pride in their workmanship.

However all that could sound a little superior and hoity toity, and you did ask the question, so....

A colleague of mine at work just had an eight seat dining suite made by a local craftsman (Melbourne). It took about many months from order to delivery as the craftsman took great care with his timber selection, allowing it to acclimatize, used quarter sawn timber where needed because this was the advice she passed on to her craftsman from myself and others, and took time and care. I can't remember what the timber was, but there was no stain involved in the final product. Just finished natural timber.

This dining suite cost her over $7000 and she thinks it was a great buy. So do I.

Harvey Norman will sell you something that looks similar. It will be made to the price you pay for it, but never the less it will probably last a long time. It won't be a piece of quality furniture in the context of what my colleague bought, but not everyone will notice the differences straight off, nor cares about the difference if it's going to cost an extra $5000.

I guess the difference is down to the reason you buy it. You want a really nice dining suite, or you want a really nice piece of hand crafted furniture. De gustubus non est disputandum. For whatever reason you buy, you will end up happy.

Oh.. and for a chinese made hardwood 8 piece suite from Harvey Norman? That price is probably as good as anywhere else, for a similar item.

I think I have that same set. Are the centre slats on the backs of the chairs darker, and is there three dark squares down the middle of the table?

Anyway, mine is not particularly well made, artisan wise, but it is a nice enough table to look at. Certainly not a work of art. For e.g. the top is held to the legs by angle aluminium - yuck!

Wongdai - you're spot on, thats the table... It looks nice but maybe the 'quality' isn't there.
Thanks for your reply Rookie, Totally agree with your comments. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for...But, you also need to buy within your budget, I suppose this is were the compromise comes in - Price Vs Quality.

If you want real top quality furniture in South Australia have a look here you won't buy any better and it is all made in SA http://www.pfitzner.com.au/

I hate this latest trend of half done, you buy a table and the top was been sanded flat but theres saw marks and the like. Crips when you build your own it can take half a day to get a sander swirl out. To them its a feature, whack on the old poly u and sheel be sweet.

Originally Posted by liviod

Wongdai - you're spot on, thats the table... It looks nice but maybe the 'quality' isn't there.
Thanks for your reply Rookie, Totally agree with your comments. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for...But, you also need to buy within your budget, I suppose this is were the compromise comes in - Price Vs Quality.

BTW, we beat them down to $2200, so don't pay $2700.

Originally Posted by Wongdai

BTW, we beat them down to $2200, so don't pay $2700.

Now you an pay someone to fix it!!!