California Living

Updating my previous review. I did go back and have Cal. Living make me a gray leather ottoman coffee table and it turned out great! It was exactly what I wanted and looks great in my family room. The construction is top-​notch and working with Andrew was a pleasure again. I learn more and more each time I go there and I found out that they can make buffet cabinets however you want them, drawers or doors arranged however you want them within the design of the piece. This place is truly amazing if you need something custom!

LDR
I have never written a negative review about anyone or anything for that matter, but California Living deserves a few of my words. I have purchased many items from them over the years, always happy and satisfied when I left. However, my biggest purchase was a dining room table and two leaves — not a small purchase though it was on sale. I already had the chairs which were wood and fabric hence, I wanted the table to match the wood on the chairs. Eric told me it was no problem that each piece is custom made to order. He also said it would take 6 – 8 weeks to deliver the table. After 6 weeks I started calling for updates. Needless-​to-​say, 6 – 8 weeks turned into almost 4 months with constant calling AND… worse yet, the table finish didn’t match the chairs! Please note; this is a square table on a large pedestal that seats 8 and when the two leaves are inserted seats 12. This was the first dining table I had ever purchased so I assumed the manufacturer and owner, Eric, would produce a first quality product. Unfortunately, that Christmas when I had a large crowd for dinner, the dinner almost landed in two peoples lap. As it turned out, the manufacturer had not put small legs under the table ends that drop down when the leaves are in for stability. When one of my guests went to standup he used the table as support and the table tipped and the food went sliding! Those on the other end brought the table back down and all was saved. Eric did take the table back to send back to manufacturer to add those legs and now refinish the table to match the chairs. Once again, disaster! When I walked in his store the table was SO glossy it looked wet. He was busy trying to buff (or wipe) it down. He never pointed out the hidden legs cause if he had I would have screamed’. The legs are so ugly. They look like throw-​away pieces of wood that some stain was slapped on and attached underneath the table. When I have company I only hope they don’t look at the legs! To add insult to injury they «forgot» to send the leaves down with the table to be refinished as well. Eric was going to take care of this situation but after weeks of waiting and Thanksgiving coming, my husband went and picked up the leaves so we could extend our table and that he would take care of the problem after the holidays. We agreed. It’s now January of 2015 and this whole table problem has been going on since 2011. Getting back to January 2015, Eric came to my house to what I thought was going to be to pick up the leaves and send them down to be refinished like the table. Rather, he brought a bottle of revitalizing oil, sprayed it on, wiped it in and left me with the bottle of oil to continue doing. What a joke and stupidity of someone who claims to produce quality furniture. Once the oil absorbs into the wood the leaves still don’t match the table and now Eric wants me to pay $ 1,000. to send it down to the manufacturer for proper refinishing or bring the leaves to his store and he will rebuff. NEVER! You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that is not how you correct the problem.
I’m so sorry to drag this drama on and on but I want everyone to know exactly what and whom you’re dealing with if you have a problem with your purchase! It’s the worst customer service I’ve ever encountered. Eric told me I was the only dissatisfied customer he’s ever had in 18 years and I was crazy! I have referred many people to his store and that has come to an end. Additionally, I am in the market to purchase two couches and was going to see what he had. Now I will spend whatever and go wherever before I purchase anything from his store. If Eric had done the right thing from the beginning this would have been over 4 years ago! He also tried to insult me further by telling me I got the table at 30% off! That’s like saying when I go into Neiman Marcus and purchase a pair of shoes that are on sale for 30% off, that I can expect a substandard pair of shoes — nonsense! The bottom line, I still have a square table with two unmatched leaves. Anyone want to buy my table?!

I was just looking for some accessories to spruce up my place and so I stopped in to California Living. Everything in this store is AMAZING– and there’s so much to choose from! Everywhere you look there’s another big, dramatic mirror or sconce or a perfect end table. The furniture is unbelievable, and since they make it all themselves (right here in America) they can put any finish, fabric, height, length, depth or whatever on it. Some of it is out of my price range, especially the custom stuff, but they were eager to work with me on the floor models. Eric and Andrew really know what they’re talking about and are clearly passionate about their work. Eric even came to my house for a design consultation– totally free.
I highly recommend that anybody in the market for furniture, accessories, or even just some really good advice should visit them. Their enthusiasm is contagious and now I love having people over to see my cool new stuff.

So I contacted California Living as I needed to purchase a new furniture piece for my office. The desk they built back in January was amazing and I wanted something that went with it (I don’t like the idea of matching sets, as it is boring to have all pieces match exactly).
We spoke about my needs and color choices and the one thing I wanted was for this credenza to have a built-​in refrigerator. I know, it sounds plush, and maybe over the top, but being in an office, it’s just such a great convenience to have that hidden away, yet so close. California Living took on the challenge and we found a nice mini fridge that met the dimensions needed. They did a GREAT job on this and I couldn’t be happier– The fridge is hidden behind a cabinet door and all you do is pretend you’re opening a cabinet, and voil’a, the fridge door opens as well (they’re connected). Pretty damn slick design and work– I feel like James Bond in here with my secret lair (for my lunch, drinks, water, etc)…
Great, great job of building this according to my needs… As with all the furniture made by California Living, it’s more expensive than some made-​overseas particleboard furniture, but this is the kind of furniture that you can use forever and ever. It holds up well to abuse and looks beautiful while doing it–

I really hope this review doesn’t get filtered. They sold me a defective dining table that cost a fortune and they refused to fix or replace it. I did my best to prove my point by hiring expert furniture repair companies to put in writing that the table was defective and couldn’t be repaired. I’m surprised they wouldn’t take care of a customer especially when you’re dealing with such high end stuff.

Since I am in the process of decorating I figured I would stop in here after picking up my morning coffee at Starbucks… this place is a dump and someone could get hurt in here if they are not careful. I asked if they were remodeling and they said no. The cash wrap is a disaster, and the store is set up in some areas however in most fabric is strung everywhere, stacks of boxes were in the middle of the room, the various vignettes were blocked by random pieces of furniture… there were two employees that day I was there, the woman at the register was having a dispute with a vendor (I am guessing) as she was having an argument about a check she had sent them. The other employee was sitting at a dining room table in the middle of the store talking on his cell phone (clearly a personal call) while browsing a catalog. Neither were helpful and with the store set up as it is navigating around wasn’t easy. I also noticed that some of the accessories were in poor shape, the finish was peeling off a few items I looked at. I have been to garage sales that were better laid out and that carried more quality pieces.