When news first broke about Pottery Barn offering a "Force Friday" product of its own, Star Wars fans fell in love with this bed for kids that's shaped like the Millennium Falcon's cockpit.
There are plenty of custom-made Star Wars beds, bunk beds and entire bedrooms out there. However, as near as we can determine, this is the first time Lucasfilm has authorized the creation of a mass-produced bed based shaped like anything from Star Wars. Needless to say, fans were giddy. The buzz swelled, social networks rejoiced, images of the Millennium Falcon bed popped up everywhere. And then ...
Then, the collective euphoria evaporated in an instant when Pottery Barn updated the bed's product page with its price. This sweet little dreamtime ride is on sale now for $4,000. That's not a typo. It costs four thousand dollars.
Pottery Barn — whose detractors object to its consistently high prices — says the bed is hand-painted, with lacquer finishes that are applied by hand. All that "hand-done" work gives the sense that the retailer is trying to justify that exorbitant price. It is a great-looking piece of furniture, no doubt. However, a craftsman from the likes of Make: Magazine or Instructables.com could come up with an exact replica for a fraction of the price.
Further casting doubt on Pottery Barn's pricing practices, its own product listing contains contradictions. The main overview that describes the bed says that it's "expertly crafted of solid hardwood." However, when you click on the "Dimensions & Care" tab, it states that the bed is actually "built from solid wood, hardwood veneers and MDF." MDF, by the way, stands for medium-density fibreboard, a kind of engineered wood made from wood fibers bound together with wax and resin. It's stronger than most natural woods, but it's also notorious for warping after exposure to liquids and for cracking and splitting easily when nails or screws are applied.
The product description also states that it "boasts Star Wars details," including "knobs and gauges" inside the cockpit. However, looking at photos from the interior, most if not all of those knobs and gauges appear to just be stickers. See for yourself:
Even if the Millennium Falcon bed was the highest-quality bed imaginable, a quick, informal look at other high-end twin beds put them in the $1,300 range (Ikea's most expensive twin-sized bed is just $234). Other novelty-themed beds for kids run anywhere from $300 to well over $1,000.
Bottom line: it's a cool-looking bed, but will anybody actually pay $4,000 for it? Would you?
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