# Does anyone know about Pottery Barn Kids furniture? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 11, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117 "2003-06-11T15:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/1 "2003-06-11T15:17:39Z")
I have this bonus program at work and through it I can buy stuff at Pottery Barn Kids. I need cribs for my twin girls and a couple of [Chloe Cribs](http://ww1.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?age=BABY&gnd=A&pg=1&pcat=FRNCRB&lst=dFRNCRB-ABABY&cmsrc=&grp=1510351&itm=g1510351&src=shpaBABY%7CcFRNCRB%7Cp1%2FshpaBABY%7CcFRN%7Cp1) look like they would do the trick. I’m having a hard time finding a review of it, though. epinions doesn’t have one, although if I knew who the manufacturer is, maybe that would be in there. I tried googling various combinations of “baby furniture reviews pottery barn kids chloe crib” but haven’t been able to come up with anything useful. So, does anyone out there in babydoperland know of a good website with comprehensive reviews, or at least know enough about PBK furniture to say either “don’t bother, it’s crap” or “go ahead, it’s fine”? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/2 "2003-06-11T16:15:57Z")
Since you’re looking for opinions (on the furniture and on review sites), I’ll move this thread to IMHO. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![H8\_2\_W8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c77e96/32.png) [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/3 "2003-06-11T16:29:44Z")
IMHO - There’s not much difference in the quality of the furniture from PB and the baby superstores. It seems relatively overpriced then since you’re paying for the PB image of the ideal child’s room. I’ll admit the bedding themes are cute, but we weren’t too impressed with the furniture itself and didn’t buy it for baby or when he got older and needed a real big-boy-bed. If you don’t mind paying for higher quality furniture try Ragazzi. [http://www.ragazzi.com/](http://www.ragazzi.com/) or EA Kids [http://www.ethanallen.com/ea/com.ethanallen.ecom.HomePageServlet](http://www.ethanallen.com/ea/com.ethanallen.ecom.HomePageServlet) ---
**Author:** ![mattgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mattgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mattgg)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/4 "2003-06-11T17:06:46Z")
If you can get enough of a discount to make it cheaper to buy the cribs at PBK rather than buy two quality cribs somewhere else, then buy them at PBK. But don’t pay a premium for PBK stuff. While it is high-priced furniture, it is not high-end furniture. Much of it is made of MDF, which isn’t even really wood. According to their website, the Chloe crib is made of wood, which is PBK-speak for pine or other softwood. Bump into it with the exersaucer and you’ve got a ding in the crib. There are many nice cribs available for $200 or less. If your discount gets the Chloe crib down to this price range, go ahead. If it doesn’t, you’re wasting your money in my opinion. Just to back up my point: Take a look at the Dollhouse Bookcase they sell for $349 + $75 shipping. It looks very nice in the picture. It is made of MDF. The cost of materials to build it yourself would be around $30 (one full sheet of 3/4" MDF and one half sheet of 1/4" MDF). I build these out of plywood and poplar. The materials cost about $80. Mine will last forever unless you set it on fire. Theirs will be destroyed if the kid spills a glass of water on it. [Dollhouse Bookcase](http://ww2.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?age=KID&gnd=A&pg=1&pcat=STRSHV&lst=dSTRSHV-AKID&cmsrc=&grp=1510128&itm=g1510128&src=shpaKID%7CcSTRSHV%7Cp1%2FshpaKID%7CcSTR%7Cp1) To summarize: PBK furniture is overpriced crap. Buy it only if you can get it really cheap. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/5 "2003-06-11T20:18:30Z")
Thanks for your feedback so far. Price isn’t an issue, since essentially I would get it for free. My concern is safety and durability. The impression I’m getting is that there’s better stuff out there for the money and there are no major safety concerns about PBK. Quality-wise it’s on par with Babies-R-Us. ---
**Author:** ![Photog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c77e96/32.png) [@Photog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Photog)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/6 "2003-06-11T20:32:26Z")
Little Photog has the [Dollhouse Bookcase](http://ww2.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?age=KID&gnd=A&pg=1&pcat=STRSHV&lst=dSTRSHV-AKID&cmsrc=&grp=1510128&itm=g1510128&src=shpaKID%7CcSTRSHV%7Cp1%2FshpaKID%7CcSTR%7Cp1) and the [Anywhere Chair](http://ww2.potterybarnkids.com/cat/pip.cfm?age=KID&gnd=A&pg=1&pcat=FRNKTC&lst=dFRNKTC-AKID&cmsrc=&grp=1510072&itm=g1510072&src=shpaKID%7CcFRNKTC%7Cp1%2FshpaKID%7CcFRN%7Cp1). I wouldn’t call them “crap”, but they are most definitely overpriced. This stuff certainly isn’t fine furniture, but it is a step above some of the stuff you’ll find in the discount furniture stores. I see you’re from NYC perhaps you are familiar with [Bob’s Discount Furniture](http://www.mybobs.com/home/home.asp). She has a bed from this place - now that’s crap. ---
**Author:** ![mattgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ccd318/32.png) [@mattgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mattgg)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/7 "2003-06-12T12:03:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Price isn’t an issue, since essentially I would get it for free. It’s definitely good enough if you’re getting it free. It’s crap in comparison to other similarly priced furniture, but it’s much better than anything else you’ll get for free. It’s all relative. Cribs are heavily regulated in the US (just like everything else in the US these days). I don’t think you could find an unsafe crib for sale. As for durability, the Chloe crib won’t hold up to as much abuse as a crib made of maple or other hardwood, but neither will it break when you put your child in it. As much as I find Pottery Barn’s products overpriced and underbuilt, I would take any of them for free in a heartbeat. ---
**Author:** ![Marconi\_Schmeese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Marconi\_Schmeese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marconi_Schmeese)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-know-about-pottery-barn-kids-furniture/181117/8 "2003-06-12T16:39:42Z")
I agree with what has been said here already. You mentioned safety - it’s always good to check the Consumer Product Safety Commision website: [www.cpsc.gov](http://www.cpsc.gov) for recalled products you might have been given, etc. You can search by company name, as well - Pottery Barn Kids has only had one recall - that’s pretty darn good!