There’s more to the furniture world than Ikea, CB2 and legacy furniture makers. These days, a number of internet-native companies have joined the competition with all manner of aesthetics and prices represented. Here are 10 of the best spots for guys to buy furniture online.
Dims.
Dims.’s Eugene Kim would prefer if you didn’t call his company the “Warby Parker of” anything. Dims. (the period is always there) isn’t a design house as much as it is a design incubator. Designers who lack decades-long résumés pitch Kim on their pieces and, if produced, earn royalties off of them. In the original design space, its prices are competitive, with products listed from $145 to $795. To date, there’s a coffee table, side table, dining table and bar cart.
Can’t Miss: Barbican Trolley ($350)
Artifox
Artifox’s products look like they were designed for full-stack developers with good taste. Its tech-minimalist aesthetic stems from Sarah and Dan Mirth’s blend of interior and industrial design backgrounds; the collection heavily features hardwoods, powder-coated steel and small-but-useful organization measures (the headphone hook and cable management grid are great). The lineup includes the things you’d expect to find in a small apartment space — bike racks, wall shelves, monitor raisers and side tables included. Prices are on the higher end, but not unreasonable, with an oak desk starting just under $1,000.
Can’t Miss: Desk 02 ($950+)
Floyd
Floyd may be of the same flat-pack ilk as many of its direct-to-consumer forebearers, but comparison stops there. It’s assemblable (and disassemblable) furniture made of heavy birchwood and thick-gauge steel and it’s meant to last — all rareties in its space. With a nice balance of heavy materials and light colors, the look is a sort of whimsical-industrial. Starting a few years back with just a platform bedframe, its catalog has now opened up to include a sofa, shelves and tables. Its prices are fairly moderate.
Can’t Miss: The Platform Bed ($650)
Akron Street
It’s all about the wood. Every piece in Hansley Yunez and Lulu Li’s catalog is made, at least in part, of American white oak. In spite of that, few pieces are visually heavy and all are, given the materials and original designs, surprisingly affordable. Its wares include chairs, tables, desks, bedframes, coat racks, media consoles and more.
Can’t Miss: Small Tenon Oak Table ($277)
Article
Article doesn’t look much different than most internet furniture retailers, but it is. Where others are built overnight with seed funding and venture capital, Article has taken longer to reach its size than most, and unlike others on this list, Article doesn’t necessarily have a specialty. There are hundreds of products in its catalog, ranging from mid-century sofas to boho-inspired wall shelves. The upshot: you could furnish an entire home with Article and hit myriad styles throughout, and do so affordably. Plus, it’s one of few retailers — online or off — to include the absolute maximum of information on product spec sheets (check out the rub counts on upholstered sofas and chairs).
Can’t Miss: Sven Sofa ($999)
Burrow
Burrow’s greatest strength is listening to its customers just enough. Its initial collection of sofas upholstered sofas were met with praise, but they weren’t perfect; buyers said the arms were too high to comfortably lean against for a nap, the cushions took too long to break in and the built-in phone charger in the base was too flimsy. Oh, and it should come in leather. It updated the collection in 2019 to remedy all those issues and doubled down on quick shipping and easy assembly, a combination which made its sofas our favorite on the internet. The brand makes sofas, sectionals, armchairs and ottomans in a number of upholstery and leather options.
Can’t Miss: The Nomad Leather Sofa ($1,995)
Schoolhouse
The driving force behind Schoolhouse’s founding was a nostalgia for heavy things. Brian Faherty’s Portland, Oregon-based company, which started as a mail-order catalog selling old school, cast-iron molded glass shades, makes everything from barware to hardware to extendable dining room tables, each piece intended to become what Faherty calls a “modern heirloom.” Visually, its pieces are either direct descendants or reminiscent of various art and design movements of the 20th century (Art Deco, Cubism, Mid-Century Modern all makes appearances), but because its products are made Stateside and in an uncompromising manner, don’t come looking for a bargain. They’re built to stick with you for a lifetime.
Can’t Miss: Jack Loveseat ($2,199)
Muji
Muji isn’t a new company, but it is new to America. The intensely Japanese company makes damn near everything — house slippers, gel-ink pens, facewash, tea kettles and beanbags included — but its furniture is quietly one of its strongest categories, despite a significantly depleted stock compared to its Japanese equivalent. Look for a satisfying mix of smart storage, compact seating and a series of cult-favorite beanbags at fair prices. Also a plus: the brand recently updated the look and functionality of its outdated online store, which makes things a lot easier.
Can’t Miss: SUS Steel Shelving Unit ($250)
Vipp
Vipp is a high-end Danish design house that recently launched its first full-fledged furniture collection online, but its beginnings are, shall we say, humbler. The company made a name for itself making the best damn trashcans in the world and has become a respected fixture in Scandinavian design. Expect powder-coated aluminum frames dressed up with luxe materials, high price points and lots of people asking where you found your chair.
Can’t Miss: Chair w/ Leather ($950)
Hay
Hay’s ability to bend smart ideas and forms from its Danish roots with a playful disposition is second to none, and since Herman Miller acquired a portion of the company in 2018, its stuff is finally available in the US. And unlike Herman Miller, Hay’s products typically register at more manageable price points. Look for furniture that seems normal but throws you a curveballe, like a black marble-topped coffee table with a frame made of rebar.
Can’t Miss: Don’t Leave Me Side Table ($195)
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