Pottery Barn Furniture Quality Reviewed: Materials, Construction, etc

Pottery Barn Furniture Quality Reviewed

Pottery Barn’s furniture quality is generally average to high. The quality of a particular item will depend primarily on its materials and construction, but other factors like which factory made the furniture can also play a role.

Materials and Construction

Higher-quality furniture typically includes hard and solid woods, reinforced joints, high-density foam or down filling, and natural-fiber fabrics. Lower-quality items include materials like thin veneer and fiberboard. Before you purchase an item from Pottery Barn, be sure to read the “Overview” description on the website for a better idea of the materials and construction. Higher quality materials used for Pottery Barn furniture include:

• Fabrics: Canvas, cotton, denim, leather, linen, suede, and twill
• Fillings: Down, soy-based foam, and wrapped polyester foam
• Metals: Aluminum, cast iron, and steel
• Woods: Ash, elm, mango, meranti, hardwood, oak, pine, poplar, and rubberwood

Much of Pottery Barn’s wood construction includes mortise and tenon joints. This means the wood is notched so one piece can be inserted into another (often before being reinforced with hardware). This joinery adds structural integrity and makes the furniture more durable than the simpler stapling or nailing methods.

Where Does Pottery Barn Make Its Furniture?

Pottery Barn furniture is made in several locations. Furniture designers are based out of the retailer’s native San Francisco. All upholstered furniture is hand-produced in its Sutter Street factory just outside of Hickory, N.C. The city of Hickory has a well-established reputation for producing furnishings. Furniture has been one of Hickory’s most prominent industries for more than 100 years.

In addition to its U.S.-constructed furniture, Pottery Barn also claims to partner with international artisans. The Pottery Barn Sustainability Shop allows customers to filter by categories such as handcrafted, sustainably sourced, or fair trade.

What Do Customers Say About Pottery Barn Furniture Quality?

Consumer Affairs and SiteJabber, which provide online business reviews, each give Pottery Barn an aggregate rating of three out of five stars. The vast majority of complaints are about negative customer service interactions, slow shipping, lengthy backorder times, and issues with Pottery Barn’s White Glove delivery service. When it comes to issues with furniture quality, complaints are still present, but there are fewer of them.

Reported furniture quality issues involve unraveling area rugs, outdoor patio furniture warping, peeling paint or veneers, or cracks appearing in certain items. Some consumers also report having a hard time ordering replacements for broken parts, such as casters for office chairs.

Home decor and furnishing forums offer a similar outlook. Most consumers express issues with customer service and shipping rather than furniture quality. Pottery Barn does not feature product reviews on its own website, so you will need to do research on the item you’re interested in independently. In some cases, you may be able to examine an item in-person at a Pottery Barn store.

What Is Pottery Barn’s Return Policy?

Pottery Barn does not offer a warranty on furniture, but if for any reason you’re not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it within 30 days of receipt. All returns require a receipt or gift receipt and delivery fees are nonrefundable. Some items do have restrictions on returns; Quick Ship upholstery products must be returned within seven days for a refund of the merchandise value. You cannot return monogrammed or personalized items, made-to-order items, mattresses, items marked final sale, gift cards, or items damaged through normal wear and tear. In order to initiate a furniture return, you’ll need to contact Pottery Barn Customer Care.

Want to know how Pottery Barn’s quality compares to other funriture? See our related article on Restoration Hardware’s furniture quality.

If you’re currently in the market for new furniture, our related research can help. We detail when you can catch a sale at Crate and Barrel or CB2, plus when HomeGoods restocks and affordable furniture stores.