West Elm is new to Philadelphia, but I'm sure they will stay here for a long time. Their store is bustling, even in the morning. It is right across the street from the John Wanamaker building (now Macy's) near Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. They have lots of trendy furniture, mostly dyed black. They emphasize the zen look, with Japanese influenced shapes and low heights. They use bright colors and strange props, like fake logs or twigs. But it looks good. The prices aren't bad, but IKEA is a lot cheaper. I think this furniture is good for college kids since it can even be taken into a first house. I'm not sure how good the quality is though. They use a lot of veneers.
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