As a New York resident furnishing my first home, I relied heavily on Raymour & Flanigan’s massive selection of living room seating, bedroom sets and dining room upgrades. Given their dominance as one of the largest furniture retailers in the Northeast with over 130 stores, they offered unparalleled local access to test out couches and mattresses in person before buying.
Over six months, I purchased over $5,000 worth of furnishings from R&F to kit out my new condo. My journey as a loyal customer gives me intimate perspective into their products and policies. While many purchases went smoothly, a few uphill battles soured my experience. Below I detail my furnishing journey with Raymour & Flanigan, analyzing their strengths and shortcomings as an impartial reviewer.
Living Rooms: My $1,600 Sectional Sofa Shopping Saga
Shortly after moving in, I desperately needed versatile seating to accommodate guests and lounge space for movie nights. During Presidents’ Day weekend, I snagged a $1,600 grey linen sectional and ottoman originally $2,250. The Jessen sofa’s power reclining seats, ultra-plush cushions and smooth polyester fabric checked all my boxes.
The sales assistant Cindy simplified my many questions around customizations and fabric protection. I left confident despite dropping a chunk of change. She scheduled delivery within two weeks.
However, the morning my new sectional arrived, evident flaws and defects ruined my eager anticipation. The right-sided reclining arm sagged unevenly, while a metal leg on the ottoman completely detached as the delivery crew attempted to assemble pieces. One deepscratch in the sofa’s backrest also scrapped the pristine grey.
My heart sank imagining weeks more without functional living room seating. While Cindy apologized profusely coordinating a replacement sectional order, another 3 weeks passed until the flawless (reinforced!) model came. She also credited me 10% as a goodwill gesture for the major hassle.
Takeaway: R&F’s floor models showcase gorgeous designs that you just want to take home on the spot. But inconsistent manufacturing quality means what arrives at your door often disappoints, requiring added time coordinating returns. Check furniture meticulously on delivery before tipping or signing acceptance paperwork!
Bedrooms: Hunting the Perfect Storage Bed Frame
Shortly after finally resolving my sectional saga, my attention turned towards maximizing unused space underneath my bed. Storage frames offer genius hideaway real estate, so I scoped options allowing me to consolidate out-of-season clothes rather than buying bulky dressers.
Raymour & Flanigan’s case goods selection impressed with 30+ integrated storage bed options. However, few allowed customization of colors, finishes or sizes. I struggled finding queen models matching my existing nightstands. Those permitting custom fabrics or stain upgrades quickly jumped budget-busting price tags nearing $3,000+.
I finally settled on the Camellia upholstered storage bed at $1,999. At first, the soft linen padding and hidden twin compartments seemed perfect to stash extra throw blankets and winter apparel eight months of the year.
Yet the deceptive sizing shocked once assembled in my room. The twin plastic pull-out drawers measured less than two foot deep – useless fitting much beyond sheets or towels. And the cheap particle board scratched irreparably whenever accessing contents, deteriorating after just weeks.
For nearly $2,000, the compromises and low-quality materials completely failed justifying the astronomical spend compared to more versatile freestanding dressers or closet upgrades. Disappointed with my fruitless R&F storage bed experiment, I resold it at nearly 50% loss on Facebook Marketplace in under a month before cutting ties with Raymour‘s bedroom catalog in defeat.
Key Takeaway: R&F beds win on aesthetic appeal but falter matching real-world durability and quality at higher price points. Don’t fall victim to slick renderings downplaying hardware flaws or undersized capacities. Seek third-party reviews rather than trusting staff guidance highlighting pricier models.
Dining Upgrades: Finally some Satisfaction!
My last major Raymour & Flanigan undertaking filled a glaring need for expanded dinner guest seating. Upgrading from a tiny bistro table to full dining set topped my list to complete my adulting apartment ambitions.
Their coordinating table and chair pairings made curating my dream dining situation nearly full-proof. I fell in love with the stainless steel base and acacia wood Shelburne table stretching nearly nine feet with both leaf inserts. Solid hardwood construction and precise MDF inlays supported daily wear-and-tear. Matching sculpted leg chairs rounded out my aspirational aesthetic.
This five piece ensemble crosses over from casual dinners to special occasion worthy – exactly the flexible utility I sought as a one person show.
No quality or delivery hiccups also made the purchase hassle-free. The table and chairs arrived securely wrapped with no clearly defects or flaws. Easy assembly took under an hour without requiring power tools or complicated instructions from YouTube University grads. I enjoyed my first incredible meal with friends around the stunning table within days with zero complaints about my months-long journey finally obtaining my perfect dining setup.
While the $2,700 price stung upfront, the durable craftsmanship enduring years of use makes the hit worthwhile long-term. No ragrets!
Key Takeaway: For premium collections not mass produced overseas exclusively chasing bottom dollar margins, Raymour & Flanigan’s quality shines through. While more investment upfront, crafted dining sets built of solid hardwoods pay themselves back in durable utility beyond cheap imports susceptible to quick deterioration.
Final Verdict: My Love-Hate Relationship with R&F
While the finishes dazzle attracting tons of online window-shoppers, Raymour & Flanigan’s actual customer journey proves a mixed bag. There is no denying the immense furniture selection checking every styling box and niche use case across living, dining and bedrooms. Their catalogs showcase almost too much choice in some categories!
Yet my first-hand puppy love matured over months into more realistic understanding of the brand’s shortcomings. Behind the gorgeous vignettes and aspirational lifestyle depictions, flawed inconsistencies leave many disappointed.
Mass produced case goods made cheaply overseas unsurprisingly reveal defects once quality inspection falls through the cracks. And despite friendly floor expertise guiding initial purchases, the customer service ghosts you once handing over payment. As evident through my sagging sectional and flimsy storage bed, replacement and repairs require ridiculous back-and-forth rarely delivering satisfactory solutions.
However when investing bigger budgets into premium collections like my dining set sourced through vetted workshops, the difference shows. While their low-priced best-sellers lure you in, the fine print and true quality hides until items arrive at your home. And by then patience wanes thin managing the runaround seeking adequate repairs or refunds.
So I continue touting Raymour & Flanigan’s unmatched selection and sales. But urge caution moving beyond entry-level products into luxe territory better served through independent artisans instead of mass production. Let my lesson learned save you the headache! While no furniture buying experience is fully fool-proof, arming yourself with the real truths around R&F’s manufacturing and service gaps helps set realistic expectations before pulling the trigger.
