If you’re only going to be in your apartment for a few months, or you’re just not willing to pull the trigger on a sofa before living with it for a while, renting might be the ideal solution. Feather gives you access to tons of great brands for low monthly prices, delivers your pieces with no assembly necessary, and gives you the option to buy if you want to get serious.
Best For: Rare vintage pieces and design world darlings
Coming Soon’s always had a finger on the pulse on what’s trending in the design landscape since it launched in New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood. Part gallery, part storefront (with a fairly extensive online inventory), it deals in a bounty of giftable wares and furniture pieces that span vintage rarities and quirky contemporary finds from brands like Areaware and Chen Chen and Kai Williams.
Best For: Living your XYZ fantasy
RH, the brand formerly known as Restoration Hardware, relaunched with the goal of making shopping for furniture glamorous and imaginative again. With distinct categories on its main menu labeled “Ski House” and “Beach House,” it’s clear that part of the RH experience is embracing the fantasy. Pro tip: If you are ready to give your space the ski house treatment, it might be worth shelling out for the brand’s membership, which gets you 25% off everything.
Best For: Made in America Sofas
Room & Board is known for its focus on American craftsmanship and top-tier customer service (free design services, full service delivery, free returns), which is probably why it’s been around for more than 40 years. Just don’t ask about sales; they don’t run them to keep prices low and fair.
Best For: Made-to-order heritage sofas
Most furniture industry folks will let you in on the secret that the best American furniture is handmade in North Carolina. Maiden Home works directly with these expert workshops to bring you luxury quality sofas at a significantly lower price. The styles are also meant to last with designs that nicely bridge modern and classic style.
Best For: Eco-conscious designs with an extensive repairs policy
Started by two college friends with early entrepreneurial impulses, Sabai launched with the concept of bringing eco-friendly designs to the flatpack D2C market. Everything’s made from recycle, upcycled, or plant-based materials and packed without plastic, plus available for repairs and trade-ins down the line. Its current range is fairly limited, but always growing, and includes cushy couches in a range of swatches and curvy table silhouettes.
Best For: Attractive, affordable sofas
If you’re on a strict sub-$2,000 sofa budget, but obviously don’t want to give up a luxe look, Castlery is a great place to start. Then, check out all the other home categories they’ve got covered.
Best For: Globally-sourced, socially-conscious design
These days, we’re all thinking more critically about how the products we buy line up with our values. Goodee is a next-gen retailer that vets the materials, supply chain, labor standards, ecological footprint, and business practices of each of their vendors. In fact, each product description includes a row of handy icons noting which causes each maker advocates for, so you can shop not just for style, but also for substance.
Best For: Limited-batch, fair-trade design
