New bookcase + Oak furnitureland?

[Deleted User]

So I want to buy a bookcase to start filling my new living room with stuff and thought one with a back panel would help reduce echos. Just took a walk around Oak furnitureland and I can't work out if they're good for the price, or if I'm being picky when they say 'hardwood' and 'no chipboard' yet the back panel especially felt rather thin.

Is there anywhere else people would suggest I look? Or for around the £500 mark are they all much of the same?

Thanks

EssexExile

Personally I'd look elsewhere, don't you have any local companies that do this sort of thing? For example here we have Furniture Nation which I've been impressed with. Failing that places like Leekes do stuff from good manufacturers.

I've just looked at the prices at Leekes, don't go there!

Stratus

The quality auction houses would offer you something more unique but it might take more time to find something close to what you are after.

https://www.andersonandgarland.com/auction/lot/303-An-early-20th-Century-oak-Arts--Crafts-open/?lot=172473

Hannah2

Hi

We ordered a coffee table from Roseland furniture and for the price we were very impressed, it was a bit of a gamble as we didn't know anyone who had used them but we were happy. I don't have any links with the company and we haven't had bookcases, but they might be worth a look?

Link

EmmyLou30

Have a look at the historical thread on here about why you should avoid OakFurnitureland! The back panels are perfectly thick on the rustic range that I bought, tongue and groove wood. But I wouldn't use them again because of their customer services (or lack of).

Belenus

Where do you live?

Oak Furnitureland are rarely the best choice for oak furniture.

Local independents are usually the best option. They generally offer better value, better quality and better customer service so shop around before making a decision.

[Deleted User]

Cheers all - I live in the East Midlands

Looby_Lou

We used shelfstore https://www.shelfstore.co.uk as they are customisable for the space you have (and we needed lots of book storage!)

pollypenny

The Range sells furniture, just a small range.

Otherwise, I would agree with independent supplier. There are a number of small firms around who are basically agents for bigger firms. You would be able to see the quality.

Belenus

pollypenny wrote: »

...Otherwise, I would agree with independent supplier. There are a number of small firms around who are basically agents for bigger firms. You would be able to see the quality.

I think the majority of Oak Furniture is now imported from China and the Far East, sometimes directly sometimes via UK agents.

Some is still made in the UK but that is probably at the very £high end of the market.

We bought a lot of oak furniture about eight years ago. It all came from China.

Most of it came from a company who had 4 stores in Southampton, Chandler's Ford and other Hampshire areas.

A few small items came from the now sadly defunct Cargo store.

BananaRepublic

From what I’ve seen most solid wood furniture is made in China, Vietnam and other places with cheap labour. Almost none is made here. OFL seem okay in terms of quality. I have some lovely solid black walnut bookcases made in Lincolnshire, but they don’t make them any more as they can’t get the wood at viable prices. Other UK made bookcases cost a packet. Ercol make them, you could get used ones at not too high a price.