Pottery Barn Furniture Quality Reviewed: Materials, Construction, etc

Short Answer: Pottery Barn’s furniture quality is average to high. Most Pottery Barn complaints are in regards to shipping or customer service, not quality. Consumers that have reported quality issues note problems like cracking, peeling, warping, or rugs unraveling. Pottery Barn furniture is made both internationally and in the USA. Common materials used in Pottery Barn furniture include canvas, leather, cast iron, steel, hardwood, and pine. For a detailed overview of Pottery Barn’s furniture quality, as well as how you can return an item you’re unhappy with, see below.

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Pottery Barn Furniture Quality Reviewed

Pottery Barn, a subsidy of Williams Sonoma, is a furniture and home decor retailer that sells items both in stores and online. You can buy a wide range of furniture from Pottery Barn including couches, chairs, dining sets, patio sets, tables, shelves, and more. Pricing for furniture at Pottery Barn typically runs from mid- to high-range. Below, we’ll cover where Pottery Barn furniture is made and what materials are used. We’ll also detail common consumer complaints and how you can initiate a return.

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.

Pottery Barn Furniture Materials and Construction

Pottery Barn’s furniture quality is average to high. 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.

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.

In Summary

Pottery Barn has mid-range to good reviews on its furniture quality. Complaints involve issues like peeling paint or veneers, cracking, or warping. However, the retailer gets more complaints for issues with shipping, backorders, and customer service. Pottery Barn does not post reviews on its website, so you’ll need to independently research any furniture you plan to buy (or try it in-store where possible). Many Pottery Barn items are made in the USA, though the company does also work with international artisans. If you are dissatisfied with your Pottery Barn purchase, the retailer allows returns within 30 days for most products.

If you’re currently in the market for new furniture, our articles can help. We detail when you can catch a sale at Crate and Barrel or a sale at CB2. We’ve also done the research into when HomeGoods restocks. If saving money is your main priority, see our article on 20 affordable furniture store options.