Children's furniture: PBK or Young America by Stanley?

[Anonymous]

I need to buy all new furniture for my 4 year old daughter as we are moving (currently in a furnished rental). I want to buy her affordable but very good quality furniture that will last for years to come. Does anyone have an opinion on whether Pottery Barn Kids furniture is good quality and better/worse than Young America by Stanley. I think Young America is more expensive. Worth it? Any other recommendations in the same price range? Thanks!!

[Anonymous]

Consider consignment or Craig's list.

[Anonymous]

I've heard that Pottery Barn isn't good quality at all.

[Anonymous]

Young America is wonderful. Pbk is great for bedding and accessories but I wouldn't go with the furniture. I've heard complaints about the smell of the paint that never goes away.

We have YA by Stanley bedroom sets for both kids. I recently bought DS a desk from Land of Nod and we are very happy with it.

[Anonymous]

I feel like people regularly complain about PBK off gassing/smell on DCUM. the stuff seems to be toxic.

[Anonymous]

Stanley Young America is great. We used this line for our nursery after DH insisted that we get something solid and well-made. The nursery furniture held up so well that we used YA furniture for both kids' "big boy/big girl" bedrooms. PBK is cheaply made- I would avoid buying their furniture.

Belfort Furniture in Dulles, VA has competitive prices on Stanley. You should be able to buy it for about the same as you'd pay for PB.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! I will definitely check out belfort. If there's any other place to find Young America discounted or on sale, please let me know!

[Anonymous]

Pottery Barn does not make their own furniture. So, find out who makes it. Another company we bought kids furniture from had a label of Bassett (so we got matching stuff there). We have a PB couch and like it. I'd go to a regular furniture store so it is something that will not be kiddy when they are teens.

[Anonymous]

The major difference between YA and PBK is that YA uses wood and PBK uses particle board. If you've ever been to the PBK outlet, you'll see what happens when water is spilled, things are nicked, scratched, etc. Also, if you notice, PBK has about 3 or 4 colors and YA since they use real wood and can stain it, get many more options.

We have had both and YA is beautiful. PBK is nice but given it's the same price, I'd go for the YA which I believe has hq in VA.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, we bought my son's bedroom furniture from PBK 3 yeas ago and it looks as good today as it did then and I have never noticed any smell or off gassing. We are about to pass it down to my younger son and upgrade the older one to bunk beds from PBK. We looked at YA but their styles are so blah (at least for bunk beds...)

[Anonymous]

check out the Ethan Allen range for kids, as well - great colors and styles - "classic modern"

[Anonymous]

Land of Nod is better than PBK, too.

[Anonymous]

No experience with SA, but we have a bedroom set from PBK that we have been very happy with so far (3 years). No odor issues for us either. I also looked at SA but the style of that furniture was not appealing to me.

[Anonymous]

Our young America set gets nicked easily. Our PBK Catalina bed is ten years old and looks brand new.

[Anonymous]

Just bought a set for my daughter, Cameron System in White, I've been airing out for 3 weeks, and the smell does not go away. Bought the Cameron Bookcase for my son in Sun Valley Espresso the same day and it arrived with minimal to no smell. Thinking about returning my daughters, the offgassing smell is not getting better.