When it comes to finding quality furniture at affordable prices, two major players stand out in Florida: City Furniture and Rooms To Go. Both offer a wide selection of living room, bedroom, dining room and outdoor furniture to fit any style and budget.
But how do you choose between these two popular furniture stores?
This comprehensive guide breaks down the key differences between City Furniture and Rooms To Go to help you determine the best option for your furniture needs.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Aspects | City Furniture | Rooms To Go |
| Furniture Style | Traditional, transitional styles. Casual, family-friendly. | Contemporary, modern styles. Sleek coordinated packages. |
| Brands | Ashley Furniture, Simmons, GE. Store brand. | True Modern, Fusion Furniture. Exclusive brands. |
| Everyday Pricing | Very affordable, lower tier pricing. | Moderate pricing, sales required for best deals. |
| Sales & Promotions | Aggressive discounts & financing year-round. | Occasional sales and promotions. |
| Delivery Timeframe | 7-14 business days standard. Expedited options available. | Next day or same day on in-stock items. |
| Assembly & Setup | Delivery & assembly extra fees. | Free delivery includes assembly & room setup. |
| Warranties | Strong lifetime & limited lifetime warranties on most furniture. | Just 1 year limited warranty. |
| In-Store Experience | Huge selection. Helpful sales associates, design services. | Minimal displays. Self-service ordering kiosks. |
Overview of City Furniture
Founded in 1971 in Tamarac, Florida, City Furniture has grown to over 20 showrooms across the state. Billing itself as “America’s Largest Furniture Store,” City Furniture boasts a massive 300,000 square feet of retail space at its flagship store in Sunrise.
The retailer carries top furniture brands like Ashley Furniture, Simmons Beautyrest and GE appliances, along with its own City Furniture brand.
Known for its longstanding slogan “Where Great Quality Lives for Less,” City Furniture focuses on offering stylish furniture at affordable price points.
You can often find deep discounts and special financing offers to save even more on your purchase.
The huge showrooms allow you to easily browse everything from sofas and sectionals to mattresses, dining sets and home office furniture.
City Furniture also offers complimentary design services to help you pull together the perfect furniture collection for your space. Custom upholstery and quick delivery/installation options are also available.
Overview of Rooms To Go
Founded in 1991 in Seffner, Florida, Rooms To Go has expanded to over 150 stores across the Southeast and Midwest. Positioning itself as a specialty retailer of coordinated living room, bedroom and dining room furniture, Rooms To Go aims to offer stylish furniture collections to furnish an entire room.
Rooms To Go carries exclusive brands like True Modern and Fusion Furniture that can only be found in its stores. The store’s buying model focuses on negotiating direct deals with manufacturers to offer furniture sets at more affordable prices.
Rooms To Go stores are typically smaller in size compared to the massive City Furniture showrooms.
A hallmark of Rooms To Go is the unique warehouse model that allows in-stock furniture to be delivered the same or next day. Large attached warehouses behind the showrooms keep inventory on-hand so you don’t have to wait weeks or months for your new furniture to arrive.
Key Differences Between City Furniture And Rooms To Go
- Furniture Styles & Selection
One of the biggest differences between the two chains is the styles of furniture carried. Here’s an overview of what you can expect:
City Furniture carries more traditional and transitional style furniture from brands like Ashley. You’ll find everything from sturdy leather sofas to classic dining room sets and bedroom collections.
Storage pieces and accent furniture provide plenty of options to design a cohesive living space. The kids’ furniture selection is especially robust.
Rooms To Go focuses on more contemporary furniture styles under its proprietary brands. You’ll see lots of sleek lines, muted colors, and modern materials like faux leather and stainless steel.
The coordinated room packages help you create a unified theme or color scheme with ease.
In terms of selection, City Furniture wins out with its massive superstore showrooms filled with furniture. You’ll have no shortage of options to customize your perfect configuration.
Rooms To Go offers a more curated selection with entire collections designed to flow together seamlessly throughout a home.
- Pricing & Affordability
When it comes to everyday low prices, City Furniture comes out ahead.
You can often score quality sofas under $500 and bedroom sets for less than $1,000.
Occasional tables start under $100 and kitchen & dining furniture under $200.
Frequent sales help you save even more year-round.
Rooms To Go pricing lands at the moderate tier, yet lower than many department stores or small boutiques. You’ll find sofas from $500-$1,500, sectionals from $800-$2,500, and bedroom collections between $1,000-$3,000.
The bundled room packages allow you to get an entire suite of coordinating furniture for one price.
Both retailers offer financing specials where you can take home furniture today and make payments over time. City Furniture runs more aggressive promotions like no interest for 5-7 years on purchases above a minimum amount.
- Delivery, Setup & Support
A major selling point of Rooms To Go is the speedy delivery guarantee thanks to the on-site storage warehouses. You can get in-stock items delivered the next day or even same-day in some markets.
Setup and assembly are all included in the delivery fees. This convenience does come at a cost though – expect to pay at least $69 for delivery unless you spend over a certain amount.
City Furniture offers standard free delivery within about 7-14 business days. You can pay fees ranging from $25-$200 for expedited delivery as fast as 48 hours if items are in stock. Professional assembly and haul-away of old furniture cost extra.
When it comes to post-purchase support, City Furniture pulls ahead in terms of warranties and service. Most furniture comes with lifetime or limited lifetime warranties compared to just 1 year at Rooms To Go.
City Furniture has its own team of technicians while Rooms To Go contracts out repair work to third-parties. The City Furniture buying experience feels more relaxed and customizable with knowledgeable sales associates available. Rooms To Go largely operates on a self-service model after you place your order.
- Shopping Experience
The in-store shopping experience differs quite a bit between the two Florida furniture giants:
City Furniture showrooms feel like a traditional furniture store with vignettes showcasing living rooms, bedrooms and dining displays. You can take your time browsing brands and testing out sofas and mattresses.
Designers are on hand to advise you and help with custom orders. The kid-friendly play areas keep little ones occupied.
Rooms To Go stores have a more modern warehouse vibe with minimalist displays. You place your order at a computer kiosk and may not interact much with sales staff. The streamlined system is efficient if you know exactly what you want.
You won’t spend hours wandering through aisles and can quickly view the pre-set room bundles on display.
Both stores offer online shopping and in-store pickup options. City Furniture has a more robust website to browse inventory while Rooms To Go functions largely as an order fulfillment system.
For a leisurely shopping experience with tons of variety under one roof, City Furniture is tough to beat. Rooms To Go’s straightforward ordering system excels if you want quick and easy furniture buying.
Which Is Better – City Furniture Or Rooms To Go?
When choosing between these two Florida-based furniture giants, there are a few key factors to consider:
- Style: If you prefer more traditional and casual furniture, City Furniture is a better match. For contemporary and trendy looks, Rooms To Go has more options.
- Budget: For the lowest everyday prices, City Furniture is the winner. Rooms To Go requires catching sales to get the best deals.
- Speed: Rooms To Go’s same day delivery option is unmatched. City Furniture has longer standard delivery times.
- Selection: The huge City Furniture showrooms provide endless variety to customize to your needs. Rooms To Go offers a more curated mix of coordinated packages.
- Experience: Those wanting a relaxed shopping experience with knowledgeable assistance should choose City Furniture. Rooms To Go caters more to busy shoppers wanting a quick in-and-out purchase process.
Also factor in location convenience if one retailer has a store closer to home. For great quality furniture at affordable pricing, you really can’t go wrong with either major chain. Determine the factors above that align closest with your priorities to decide if City Furniture or Rooms To Go is the right fit for your next furniture purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
People wear Lilly Pulitzer for several reasons:
1. The bright, colorful prints are eye-catching and fun. They convey a sense of optimism and tropical vacation vibes.
2. The fabrics are designed to be cool, comfortable, and breezy – perfect for warm climates.
3. The classic shift dress silhouettes are flattering and easy to wear.
4. The brand has a preppy, resort-luxe aesthetic that is aspirational for many.
5. Lilly prints are seen as a status symbol among upper class vacationers and country club goers.
6. The happy prints and motifs are nostalgic, bringing back memories of childhood trips and family vacations for some longtime fans.
7. The brand evokes a sense of belonging to an exclusive, carefree, Palm Beach resort lifestyle.
So in summary, people wear Lilly Pulitzer to showcase a fun, preppy, optimistic, vacation-inspired look and lifestyle. The iconic prints help identify them as part of the Lilly “in crowd.”
Lilly Pulitzer would be considered an accessible luxury brand. Some key factors that contribute to its luxury positioning:
1. Price point – Most Lilly items are priced between $100-$300 which is on the higher end for mass market brands. Not ultra high-end luxury pricing but elevated over fast fashion.
2. Exclusivity – The brand limits distribution primarily to its own stores and website. Department store partnerships are very selective as well. Keeps the brand less ubiquitous.
3. Brand heritage – Lilly Pulitzer has a long history as a status symbol among American resort elites and country club crowds since the 1960s.
4. Quality & materials – The fabrics are designed for perfect fit and minimize wrinkling. Durable construction for years of use. Made to last versus fast disposable fashion.
5. Aspirational lifestyle – The brand evokes a sense of belonging to an elite social class with luxury tropical vacations and country clubs.
6. VIP access – Special collections and early access to sales for loyal customers make them feel valued.
So Lilly Pulitzer straddles the line between attainable luxury and premium market positioning. The classic styles offer just a touch of exclusivity and elite lifestyle aspirations.
Lilly Pulitzer remains a popular brand especially in American southern states and resort destinations. While not as ubiquitous as mainstream fast fashion, Lilly maintains steady popularity due to:
1. Strong brand identity – No other brand has ownership of the bright, preppy, palm tree printed resort dress look. Lilly has maintained this consistent aesthetic and vibe for decades.
2. Classic silhouettes – The simple shift dress remains universally flattering. Styles like the maxi dress and romper also fit with current trends.
3. Nostalgic factor – For those who grew up with Lilly, the happy prints bring back fond memories and a sense of tradition.
4. Flexibility – The prints and dresses work for casual daytime wear but also dress up for events, parties, weddings, etc.
5. Fun factor – Few other brands offer the same sense of optimism, tropical punch, and feel-good vibes.
While not dictating the latest fast fashion trends, Lilly Pulitzer holds steady appeal for its loyal followers. Its carefully cultivated resort luxury lifestyle image remains desirable and on-trend.
Lilly Pulitzer perfectly embodies the preppy aesthetic and is considered one of the preppiest accessible brands. Elements that give Lilly its preppy style credentials:
1. Palm Beach origins – Lilly dresses first gained fame among the wealthy vacationers of this posh Florida destination in the 1960s.
2. Bright colors – Preppy palettes tend to feature bold, saturated, happy colors – a Lilly signature.
3. Tennis influences – Details like contrast piping evoke a tennis/country club vibe.
4. Collars and lapels – Crisp button-down collars and wide lapels have a preppy vibe.
5. Shift dress silhouettes – The A-line cuts pair well with cardigans and pearls for a prep ensemble.
6. Resort motifs – Whimsical seaside themes like sailboats, sea creatures, and tropical florals feel preppy and refined.
7. Fabrics – Cotton, cotton blends, and wrinkle-free fabrics feel traditional versus ultra contemporary.
8. Accessories collaborations – Partnerships with brands like Jack Rogers sandals and Vera Bradley bags cement the preppy partnerships.
Final Thoughts
So with its history, style and DNA, Lilly Pulitzer strongly aligns with a preppy style identity and aesthetic. The whimsical prints offer a distinct way for young women and teens to channel preppy fashion.