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11 reviews for Dream Designs
11 reviews in English
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Review from M L.
Vancouver, BC
12/25/2011
Great place to get cute eco-friendly baby gifts. Their buckwheat pillows are also very comfortable.
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Review from Richard F.
Vancouver, BC
12/29/2010
This store has changed so much over the years, constantly trying to figure out what it is all about.
It used to have a terrific selection of fabric by the yard and they would have things made up for you (e.g. seat covers, cushion covers, table cloths). Now, it is just like any another place that really wants to be over on 4th avenue.
The previous owners and staff were friendly, courteous, and would go out of their way to assist you. Now? Hmmmm don't think so. -
Review from Cheryl N.
Vancouver, BC
5/16/2011 1 photo
"Dream Bed" more of a Nightmare
If you are considering buying a Dream Bed from Dream Designs, ask a lot of questions first. Make sure to ask what kind of regular maintenance you will have to do in order to try and keep it comfortable. Ask how much you can expect the bedding material to compress. Ask about the terms of the warranty. My husband and I didn't ask these things, and it was an expensive mistake.
We purchased a "Natural Dream Bed Supreme" in August of 2010. We liked that it was made from "natural" materials with no springs or toxic adhesives. Dream Designs' web site says the beds are "soft yet supportive and promote totally restful sleep."
Sadly, we have not had a totally restful sleep since we took possession of the bed ten months ago. Since the day we received it, it has had a hump in the middle (between the sides on which we each sleep). The bedding material has also compressed significantly in grave-like depressions on each side (and neither of us is that big: my husband is 6'1 and 165lbs, and I'm smaller than he is). As of a couple of weeks ago, there were body-sized indentations of more than 2 inches deep on one side, and more than 1.5 inches on the other. (take a look at the photo!)
We don't sleep well because we wake up every time we try to turn over, and we wake up with increasingly worse and worse back pain every morning. This bed is sucking the life out of us!
We contacted Dream Designs several months ago to inquire about the problems with our bed. It took a number of weeks to hear back from them, but eventually we were able to have the owner and the production manager come over to our place to see the bed.
We were told that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the bed. It was "supposed to be like that." They told us there was no hump in the middle, that was just the place in between where my husband and I slept. They did not need to take the mattress away to fix it because it was perfectly fine.
A while later, the owner emailed us to suggest ways we could make our bed more comfortable: we should flip the mattress frequently (a challenging task, given that it is extremely heavy, with no handles or anything to hold onto); we should put boxes of heavy weights in the middle of the bed to flatten down the hump; we should beat our mattress regularly with a stick.
We tried all these things, and our mattress has only become more and more uncomfortable. When we contacted Dream Designs again, they offered to give us some pieces of foam to put underneath our mattress. This didn't help at all.
We gave up and bought a new mattress from another company (one that offers a 20-year warranty). I contacted Dream Designs to see if they'd like their mattress back so they could take it apart and see what went wrong with it. They politely declined but did offer to place an ad for us on Craigslist if we wanted to try and sell the bed. -
Review from Anthony C.
1/24/2010
I love the idea of a store that carries authentically green goods, but have to say 'meh, I've experienced better' than Dream.
I'll first point out the upside: the linens. They are made in Canada from high quality certified organic cotton and/or hemp, and are authentically a high quality green choice. But it pretty much ends there....
The rest of the items in the store are mostly made overseas in Asia, meaning they have a huge shipping footprint. Just because it's made from bamboo doesn't necessarily mean it's green. You're doing the planet and the economy a bigger favour if you buy items produced from locally grown Forestry Stewardship Council certified wood. Some of the items in the store don't seem to have any green factor at all, like their ceramics from China.
I bought a pair of socks here that started falling apart on the first wear, and they weren't cheap, being made from organic cotton and taking into account the undoubtedly high markup Dream puts on their goods.
The service here is weird, too - hard to get a smile from the staff and it seems like they're hiding something. When I inquired about who owns the store, the store clerk said she'd been instructed not to divulge any information about the ownership. Sketchball!
It would be so convenient to have a store that consolidated all your green home good shopping into one place. Unfortunately, Dream Designs is not that store. -
Review from Megan S.
1/26/2009
Love it. I'll take it all, and charge it to someone else's MasterCard.
I would like to be 100% organic, comprised completely of recycled parts, at one with the earth, but you know....I'm not made of recyclable money.
So my feelings are hurt. Here is all this way cool stuff. And I'm left out because I'm not in the right income bracket.
Recommended for the Yaletown Yuppies! -
Review from Reena M.
4/12/2010 2 Check-ins Here
My feelings are similar to that of Megan S. A super cool store with super cool items for sale. And bonus: it's very eco-concious! Except those prices are not very consumer friendly. Therefore, it's not really a place I would buy things from regularly.
However, I did pick up a nice necklace/earring set made of resin with a red fossilized leave embedded in it. And they have other cool jewelry too.Listed in: Give a *good* GIft!
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Review from Tara T.
BC
11/29/2008
If global warming is a weight on your conscience then Dream Designs will help alleviate the pressure. This is another shop for those who are environmentally conscience but who still enjoy decorating their homes. Organic bedding, all natural products from places like the Rocky Mountain Soap Company and Baby Organics, soy candles, and more eco-friendly goods line the shelves here. I fell in love with some colourful paper lanterns and two lamps with wood composite bases, which unfortunately were about $200 each. Also on offer are Turkish towels, jewellery, floor mats, jewellery, and decorative pillows.
If you come to Dream Designs be prepared to stay awhile. Little home ware accessories will pop out from nooks and crannies surprising you with their earthy-inspired beauty. -
Review from Victoria R.
BC
12/24/2008
Dreamy, dreamy and very eco-chic!
The massive store is filled with linens, bedding, pillows, throws, blankets, and natural feather and bamboo products. There are soy candles, organic and luxurious bath and homeware products, shower and bath accessories and so much more. The white and green colours and earthy hues are very calming. I almost bought a natural bed sheet and matching pillows, but opted for a Bay special. I also like their hemp line and yoga wear. -
Review from Nadine N.
Vancouver, BC
11/4/2008 2 photos
Design Dreams promotes itself as "Locally made. Fair Trade. Ecological. Sustainable." What more could you want? Okay, maybe "free." Design Dreams carries wonderful products for the bedroom, bathroom, and nursery. How about a hemp shower curtain? Yep, they have that too. They've also got casualwear, loungewear, sleepwear, and undies. You'll also find lots of yoga items at Design Dreams.
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Review from Janna Maria V.
Québec, QC
3/5/2010
I love the feeling of this store; they sure know how to design a shop (also it smells amazing). They carry a variety of products from soaps, towels and bedding to books, underwear and locally made sweaters and shirts.
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Review from J G.
Vancouver, BC
8/26/2008
How I love this store! When I wandered in for the first time, I felt like I'd found eco-chic paradise. They carry a very complete selection of earth-friendly linens (sheets and towels), lots of home decor items from lamps to dishes and Buddha statues, along with some sustainable fabric clothes that won't make you look like you just stepped out of the summer of love. You'll love how soft the organic towels are, and it's hard to resist the impulse to re-decorate your home in their earthy, yet tasteful products. Oh, and believe it or not, they actually have a line of sustainable lingerie that is quite pretty! If you value sustainability in your home and wardrobe, but don't want to fall into the leftover hippie aesthetic, you'll be very happy to find Dream Designs.
