Ethan Allen — Local services in Houston

We were very disappointed by our purchase – or to be more specific the post-purchase service we received. We purchased a table and an "incliner" sofa from Ethan Allen – both were over $3,000 each and both had issues.

The table arrived with the top and the base colors reversed – a decision made by the designer, even though we discussed what we wanted when she visited our home. That said, this issue was fairly easily rectified and a new table delivered after several months.

However, the sofa was an utter disappointment. As much as we tried to sit in a sofa in the showroom to ensure it would be to our liking, they unfortunately did not have an "incliner" version of the sofa on the floor nor anywhere else in Houston. We were told the (non-including) floor model of the sofa would be comparable to the incliner model we were purchasing. When the sofa arrived, the cushions were very firm – to the point that sitting on the middle seat is totally uncomfortable; and the end seats are only bearable when in the incline position – which is not reasonable at all.

We spoke to customer service multiple times, and they sent a technician to our home to review the situation. He informed us that the incliners are NOT as soft or comfortable as the normal sofa (regardless of what we were told in store). Apparently, due to the design of the incliner, they are unable to provide as much give in the seats and back and the cushion material can only be provided at a medium softness (not the softer cushions available on non-incliner models). While we already had the softest cushion style available –the technician and customer service offered to order new cushions in an attempt to see if maybe a different batch would be softer. After several months, the new cushions came in – still as firm as the first set and with no appreciable change in the comfort of the incliner.

We spoke multiple times with customer service, as well as with the local store/designer. Customer service told us we would have to deal directly with the designer and the local store for resolution. Unfortunately, the local store’s position is the incliner is a “custom” piece (since you have to pick the fabric) and as such there is no option available to us. We’ve keep the sofa covered with sheets to keep it in a “like new” condition and, recognizing it is considered a “custom” item, we even offered to just return it for partial credit on another item in store. Unfortunately, the local store has remained unmoved and has simply stood by the “it’s custom” and “no returns” mantra.

Ultimately, we are entirely dissatisfied and disappointed with the store’s position and, for such a high-end establishment, thought they should be more reasonable – especially with the offer to exchange for partial store credit. At this point, I don’t think I’d every be comfortable buying from them again – as service is a huge requirement...

Rabia was extremely knowledgeable and professional and made my design experience quite painless as I made my transition from Florida to Texas. She quickly understood my design preferences and gave me options above all my expectations.

The above review was written two month’s ago in January 2023. I have since received delivery of my initial order which included a sectional sofa, end tables, two beds and an area rug. Rabia came to my home to ensure quality control and to arrange the furniture optimally in my house. Everything fit precisely as she expected and the results look great! The delivery men, Alex and his coworker, were very pleasant and worked hard with Rabia’s direction. A good team indeed. I have since made a few more orders for additional furniture and an another area rug. Rabia has grown accustomed to my style and is able to zero in on appropriate options quickly for me when I come to the showroom. Her design knowledge is an asset to her company. Additionally, I appreciate the one-stop shopping Ethan Allen offers for most of my requirements.

Most recently I took advantage of a limited 20% discount on an order that reached a certain dollar threshold. I was disappointed when the manager (?) Bradley did not honor that discount on two lamps that were incorrectly underpriced on the showroom floor. He did, however, provide the lower price to me without the additional discount. Just some cautionary advice to those of you who take prices at face value and set your mind on an...

We have been so pleased with our Ethan Allen furniture and overall experience that we returned to work with Natalia, our wonderful EA designer, for a second project. Natalia initially designed a stylish modern living room for our AirBnB in Nola over 2 years ago, using high performance fabrics that still look and sit like new despite heavy traffic. She also prepared a floor plan using images and measurements of our condo to make sure we were choosing the right size furniture for the room while optimizing the flow. We’re now working with Natalia to update our home in Fulshear. We just had her visit to see our space and preview fabrics with us. I was amazed at how different my favorite colors looked at home given our wall paint and light factors (windows and direction on the house) and went with a completely different fabric shade than I initially requested once I saw options in our home setting. Natalia helped me avoid a huge mistake! Overall, EAs service and furniture quality really sets them apart from similar priced stores like Star, PB, Gallery etc, also their periodic sales really make them more...