I hate furniture shopping - Dining room help needed

So, I'm finally turning into an adult and buying dining room furniture. Also need new kitchen table (morning room) furniture, so I might as well leverage quantity, right ?

Dining room: Have large black cube bookshelves and ordered Stickley Harvey Ellis 704 bookcase (in natural cherry) - plan to use that as a china cabinet since it is large (59" x 59") .
(page 46 - http://www.stickley.com/CatalogPDFs/Mission.pdf) .

(Stickley may not have been first choice but had a significant gift certificate to use).

Looking for something simple - natural cherry table maybe and black chairs. Room is large - need 48" width table (love the boat shaped top) and maybe 90"ish length.
(stickley 7749 page 14 -
http://www.stickley.com/CatalogPDFs/Metropolitan.pdf)

I like these chairs, but refuse to buy PB.
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/aaron-chair/

I like some of the Simply Amish stuff... but the closest dealer is pretty far away just to start with pricing information. Any recommendations ? I live close to Lancaster PA if anyone has any specifics ?

Morning room:
large room (13 x 15). Was going to do a 6' black distressed round, but I've decided that I would rather not do a round. Problem is that my old 42" x 72" table looks ridiculous b/c it is so small. The room is windows on 3 sides, so I can't do furniture... I saw a PB table (won't buy it), that is 60" square and with an extension would be 60" x 92". I think that size would work very well. I also love the idea of doing a bench along one side or even an end.

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/...angular-tables

I would love something highly distressed b/c I expect that table to be used heavily.

Like the schoolhouse chair look:
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/.../?pkey=cchairs


I feel overwhelmed with choices, I feel like my choices are:
1) chains - Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware. very very very concerned about quality. Would rather not buy from there b/c I feel like I'm buying into their marketing machine.
2) Stickley or equivalent from large family owned furniture store. Very little in there is my style, but I do like much of the Stickley stuff. Much of it seems expensive, but is a 'safe' choice.
3) Custom made in Lancaster or nearby. May or may not do better with pricing. Feel like I'm taking a leap of faith since I don't personally know any of the stores.

So... I'd love some help... : )

You might want to check out Sensenig's Furniture in New Holland, PA 717-354-4324. I can't recall the brands that they carry, but I do know that they deal in top of the line wood products. Not a Raymore and Flanigan type of furniture store. If they don't carry a particular item, they do have catalogs that you can check out. Be careful buying Amish made furniture and search the forum for some good info on that topic. Good luck!

I like the look of those Aaron Wood chairs from PB. I also hate furniture shopping but mostly because I don't like to deal with salesman. My wife and I just recently purchased some Alexandra side chairs from http://www.neochair.com and have been very happy with them.

Absolutely do not buy Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel (Restoration Hardware is a little better, but not much). That is junk all wrapped up in state-of-the-art marketing and promotion. Make your way to a local high quality furniture store and have a look. You sound like you are in PA - what part and how far do you want to go? Here's a couple of custom makers:

http://www.martinschair.com/
http://www.custommade.com/by/jamesvanetten



Round tables. Big mistake at anything beyond 56" in my opinion. That's the maximum size table you can use without having to stand up to pass plates or dishes across the table. On a 72" round table, the whole middle becomes a 'dead zone' and is hard to reach, and even clean. Put a yardstick out in front of you on surface 30" off the floor. Reach to the end of that yardstick with a carton of milk....you'll find it not easy to do and you're at the halfway part of the table.