Affordable Modern Furniture: Andy Lee Furniture

It's not easy to find modern non-retail furniture on a limited budget. Nor is it easy to find easy to assemble furniture. The designs of Andy Lee hits both marks, offering handsome and simple plywood furniture that fit together like a puzzle (one that we can solve)...

We know $150 is a lot of money, but in the realm of furniture, it's definitely in the affordable range for new modern offerings. We think Andy Lee's Coffee Table is practically a steal at that price considering it's made of real wood (custom veneers available), instead of the usual MDF content of typical budget priced furnishings.

We're also fond of his booshelf design shown above, made of plywood and finished in clear coated birch with plenty of room for books and collectibles . The 60"l x 6.75"h x 12"d bookcase weighs about 50lbs, which seems lighter than smaller items we've hauled away from IKEA, thanks to the plywood construction, and can be flatpacked away for storage without special tools. Smart design...we like it and only hope Andy expands his line in the future.

Andy Lee Design

Comments (10)

Many Plywood suppliers carry a product called "edgebanding" which is used to cover the ply edges of plywood. Its a veneer on a roll of tape that any good DIYer could apply themselves. Could make any of these products even nicer!

i think it looks like crap. period.

Interesting concept and price point but the edges look really, really sloppy.

I don't know how unfinished plywood (or something that looks like unfinished plywood) is better looking than what they sell for much cheaper at Ikea. When I look at that coffee table, I see a tool bench. Any builder I know (my dad has a construction company) could make that furniture in under an hour.

I wonder how stable that bookshelf is?

Come on people, besides all the articles on the crapy Ikea furniture, "yes, it's cheap, but, how cheap is really, if in couple years, you will need to buy a new piece to replace it?....do the math! Now, this "affordable furniture", are you kidding me???? You are lucky if you get more than $50 on Ebay or Craig's List..... btw, I hope you have a liability insurance for it!

I like the look, but my god, it'd be easy to make and for a lot less.

If I picked it up for cheap at a yardsale, I'd be happy. But for the price, I'd rather have Ikea.

Although we are all entitled to our opinions, most of your opinions are based on little more than ill-informed knee-jerking , and illustrate a deep lack of understanding about what makes good furniture.

Plywood is beautiful, plus it's durable and affordable.
Even at high end stores these days you often are buying a table with wood legs and an MDF top with a thin (less then 1/16th of inch thick) top and a whole punch poly gloss.

You get one good scratch or ding on veneer, your options are putty-and-paint, or the dumpster. You can sand plywood because its real wood, which means you can also stain it whatever color you want several times over. That coffee table would be stunning in a walnut, and once you stain it the edges are virtually indistinguishable from plank wood.

Also, the kind of joinery shown up there is mortise-and-tenon, a time honored carpentry technique that makes for a rock solid frame. Remember the Eames', or Cherner? Those are designers whose furniture is in the Smithsonian and are made of plywood.

If you don't like, that's your choice. But pretend you know what your talking about.