Furniture Shopping Ideas

With a slogan like "Beautiful design. Customized by you. Accessibly priced." the values of Interior Define are music to our design-loving ears.

More news coming out of Älmhult from IKEA’s annual Democratic Design Day has us excited for the future of fashion meets furniture. The Swedish retailer announced its latest collaborations with fashion designers and we have some sneak peeks at the upcoming collections. First up is the OMEDELBAR collection from Swedish fashion activist and stylist Bea Åkerlund.

In my ramble through this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF — basically the design world’s answer to a runway show), I noticed something unusual: there were a lot of really, really great sofas. Usually the chair is the darling of the design world, presenting myriad ways to iterate. The sofa is a bit more of a challenge: it’s bigger, and because people think of it as a bit more of a practical piece, it needs to take into account comfort as well.

The International Contemporary Furniture Fair, or ICFF, is like the design world’s answer to a runway show, a place to see all the latest and greatest designs for your home, all under one roof. This past week, two of our editors, Nancy and Arlyn, scoured the show looking for the most interesting and innovative designs. Here are 15 of the best. Above: Give us terrazzo mixed with acrylic and wood beads any day, and we’d be happy as a clam.

In our own ways, we’re all creatures of habit. Whether that’s with precisely how we do things around the house, or with the brands we bring into our homes. I am quite guilty of this (specifically the latter), and am quick to get into “brand ruts.” Though I’m aware of the seemingly endless offering of home decor outlets online to choose from, I stick to my usual stable…my furniture comfort zone.

One of my favorite trends in furniture is the comeback of cane. I remember it from my grandparents’ house in the ’80s (sticking your fingers into the weave), but, paired with contemporary materials and worked into modern shapes, it can also feel very fresh and very new. And the good news is that, unlike a lot of other furniture trends, cane is fairly democratic, appearing in a lot of admittedly very expensive pieces, but also a few at the more modest end of the spectrum.

Slipcovers have earned themselves a reputation as being shabby chic traditionalists, but to the contrary, these transformative beauties are proving to also have a modern side. These days, slipcovers are sporting more modern, simple silhouettes to accommodate in-demand contemporary furniture lines—the result is a fresh upholstered piece that embodies that cozy-modern vibe that’s been sweeping the design world right off its feet.

Twice a year, the design set converge on High Point, North Carolina, with a mission: to check out all the new furniture and decor (though mostly furniture) that’s being released in the American market in the coming year. Last week, for the spring 2017 market, I made that trip to NC along with Apartment Therapy’s Executive Editor, Janel Laban.

Picture me as the emoji with heart eyes when it comes to loveseats. I adore the cozy sofa alternative like no other piece of furniture. There are plenty of loveseats on Apartment Therapy Marketplace, in all shapes and styles. I rounded up a few deals that I’m lusting over. There’s even an outdoors option for the sunny months ahead! I can’t get enough of this aqua blue outdoor loveseat.

If you've ever wondered about whether the online furniture retailer's sofas were comfortable, we went behind the scenes to find out (and here's what we thought!).

Let's face it: If you're going to have a conversation with someone, a traditional sofa probably isn't the best place to do it. But this is.

How well do you know your Bertoias from Baumritters? Nailing down your preferred design style is one thing, but being able to identify individual designers is a whole different level of dedication. But if you’re really serious about getting familiar with the most influential designers of the past century, no lesson would be complete without spending some time with George Nelson.

Target brings modern global style to your doorstep with their latest collection. The retailer has joined forces with Accompany, an online marketplace known for scouring the globe “for the coolest, most beautiful and one-of-kind finds” to create a limited edition global bazaar inspired products crafted in several countries, including Kenya, Turkey, Ecuador, India, and Guatemala.

For those keeping their finger on the pulse, texture has been considered a major interior design trend for 2017. It’s not hard to see why: even the most bare-bones minimalist needs to bring in some variety to keep their home feeling lived-in. Everything from raw wood to sleek chrome can offer a change-up in texture, but today we’re focusing on something perfectly plush and approachable: velvet. Forget any pre-conceived notions that you may have about the fabric.

Earlier this April during Milan Design Week, Bemz, the Swedish textile company that creates retrofit furniture covers for IKEA pieces, announced their plans to work with British designer Tom Dixon on a future line for the DELAKTIG sofa, which he helped dream up with the team at IKEA.

Purchasing a large item of furniture is stressful enough—the money, the commitment, the sheer real estate it will occupy—without also schlepping from store to store, paying for delivery, bribing your friends to help you carry it upstairs, and potentially hating it once you see it in your home. These seven retail disruptors have committed themselves to reinventing the furniture-buying experience for these modern times—and it seems to be working.

There are just some designers that you need to know to get a better understanding of the field, especially those that have maintained relevance into the modern era. While Knoll as a firm is known for producing the works of classic designers like Marcel Breuer, Harry Bertoia and their modern counterparts, Florence Knoll had a design style distinctly her own.

How many different places have you lived in the last five years? It’s not at all that uncommon for people to swap apartments with the changing of the calendar, or at least after a couple lease terms. Though being a modern nomad can be freeing, it does have its challenges—like schlepping your stuff to a new abode. A new startup will make at least one thing easier to pack: your sofa.

English roll-arm sofas gained popularity in the 19th century, and their sinuous profile, deep, accommodating seats, and signature low arms—perfect for resting one’s head—are elements that have kept them ingrained in popular design culture even today. Now available in a wide range of sizes, colors, and fabrics—and even sleeper options—this comfy, classic style is equally at home in formal, vintage-inspired houses and modern, eclectic apartments.

Stop what you’re doing, we have a really big deal alert! Target has a huge sale going on right now—up to 40% off on furniture. If you’re looking to do a little redecorating at a discount, you’ll have to move quickly—the sale is only good before midnight PST.

It’s about time: After nine months of teasing the collaboration, IKEA is finally giving us a full look at DELAKTIG, the hackable, open source sofa Tom Dixon has designed for the Swedish retailer.

I am so excited to announce the official debut of Ms. Chesterfield, a modern, feminine version of the chunky old Chesterfield. It’s also the newest piece in a continued collaboration between Apartment Therapy and Interior Define. I got to see it in Chicago two weeks ago, and it is truly beautiful.

What makes a brand stand the test of time? Some designers can be divisive, or even just forgotten, and certain styles might not work outside of the era of their inception (looking at you, inflatable armchair of my youth). Just like the iconic designers and brands we’ve been working our way through, this company has maintained popularity for a reason: Lane Furniture and their clean, high-quality designs.

If you’re someone who’s just as into statement sofas as statement pillows, then you’re really going to love Joy Cho’s latest collection for Target. And it’s a first: Joy’s love of color and pattern explodes into a new category—furniture! The new Oh Joy!

Funny lady Ellen DeGeneres wants you to pull up a seat—preferably one of hers. The comedian’s lifestyle brand just debuted a multi-room collection of furniture with Thomasville. Thomasville began in 1904 in North Carolina, and continues to be a bastion of classic American furniture design. That, blended with Ellen’s personal aesthetic, resulted in the ED Ellen DeGeneres collection, which has two main styles: relaxed mid-century, and rustic modern.

Here’s a sneak peek of the one, the only Ms. Chesterfield. I’ve been sitting on another secret for WAY too long. I’m thrilled that I can FINALLY share our newest collaboration with Interior Define with all of you. Ready for 2017, here’s my interpretation of the iconic Chesterfield sofa: a sleeker, sexier and more modern version, and she’s called Ms. Chesterfield.

West Elm’s Peggy sofa has been the source of much controversy this week. Here’s how the affordable mid-century style option went from popular pick to discontinued in just about six days. It all started when Anna Hezel’s piece, Why Does This One Couch From West Elm Suck So Much?, was published on The Awl last Thursday. In it, she details how she and her partner bought the Peggy after moving in together.

There are some IKEA items that hit stores for a single season and never reappear, and then there are those that remain popular year after year, can be found in 50-percent of all house tours, and that we would 100-percent buy again. A few ubiquitous items pop to mind—the RENS sheepskin, the BILLY bookcase. I always assumed they were the most popular items at the store, but are they really?

When you need a hammer, nails or other hardware supplies — home improvement behemoth Home Depot is one obvious place to turn. But when you need a dining table, baskets or a bar cart? It certainly isn’t the first place that comes to mind, however the hardware superstore’s growing selection of furniture (especially the Home Decorators Collection) has beautiful pieces if you’re willing to hunt for them. To jumpstart your search, here are 20 of my top picks.

Stylish sofas are easy to find at lower price points; a quick search on any online marketplace such as Amazon will result in some good-looking options. An affordable, stylish and comfortable sofa? Well, that’s another (trying) story. In an effort to find these unicorn sofas, test them and report back, we started the Apartment Therapy Sofa Squad, in which we go retailer to retailer (and sofa to sofa) doing IRL tests and giving each an overall rating.

Tomorrow, IKEA is launching the official press site for the new STOCKHOLM 2017 collection. But today, I received an advance paper copy of the catalog in the mail and just had to share some favorites ASAP: there are some really strong designs (some classic, some more funky) at very good prices. The pieces in the collection will be available in the US starting in April and I can tell you, I’ve definitely got my eye on that rattan cabinet. I see a trip to Schaumburg in my future.

It doesn’t have to be Valentine’s Day to appreciate a good loveseat, but they do offer an added intimate appeal today: sometimes the best V-Day plans are just you, your boo, and a cozy night in. Rather than sprawl out on a sectional feeling worlds away, why not throw a new loveseat into the mix to really get comfy? Since today is all about love, we’ve done the hard work for you and found some great options on Apartment Therapy Marketplace.

With well over 48 sofas (not counting custom pieces, sectionals and all size options) in their catalog of products, Room & Board has a dizzying assortment of furniture. When we visited their Manhattan showroom in Chelsea, we were honestly taken aback by the vastness of the store, not even knowing where to start our tests. So we can understand how anyone considering a R&B sofa might have a similar plight. How do you narrow down what you’re looking for?

Many of us have been there: You’re on the hunt for a new sofa but you’re tired of the options at your local stores, so you go online to wrangle some fresh ideas. Plenty make your “maybe” list and grace your dedicated Pinterest board, but you just can’t bite the bullet without sitting on the sofa yourself. We get it…that’s a tricky position to be in.

Have you been eyeing a sofa at Crate & Barrel but can’t make it into one of their locations to test it out for yourself? Or maybe you have a few contenders on your list, but need help narrowing them down? That’s where the Apartment Therapy Sofa Squad comes in. We had eight of our editors hit up C&B (as well as four other stores) to couch surf through all 20 models on the floor of the retailer’s SoHo location, taking note of vital sofa-buying criteria: How deep is it?

CB2’s newest collection is calm, cool, and collected. The modern retailer partnered with designer Ross Cassidy, who took his inspiration from Japan for the luxe-meets-minimalist line. The LA-based, South African-born Cassidy—whom you might recognize from Bravo’s 2011 show Million Dollar Decorators—has worked with the likes of Sia, actor Alex Pettyfer, and model Amber Valetta, and his collection adds a refined twist to utilitarian design.

This month, we are kicking off a new series: The Apartment Therapy Sofa Squad. Internally known simply as “Sofa Squad”, our editorial team converged on New York City to couch surf our way through a hefty helping of retailers. We sat. We lounged. We plopped. We cocooned. We nestled. We faux napped (some may have actually napped.) All in the name of Sofa Squad. SS’s mission is to do the sitting and rating for you.

IKEA is working on a sofa that’s sure to be a hacker’s dream; DELAKTIG is a customizable platform that will have a variety of third-party add-ons. And according to the Wall Street Journal, it will be available early next year. DELAKTIG will feature an aluminum frame and slatted base so that it can be fully flat-packed—more like a bed instead of a sofa.

While everyone was ogling at the new PS 2017 collection that debuted last week, IKEA also released another line, a collaboration with fashion designer Kit Neale. SPRIDD is full of bright colors and bold patterns, and is inspired by youth culture and music. The SPRIDD collection features pieces that are lightweight and meant for an on-the-go lifestyle—think dorm living and music festivals.

Anytime IKEA announces a new line of furnishings and home accessories, we find that cause to celebrate (or at the very least squeal with delight). Available this February, the PS 2017 collection speaks to what we know and love about the Swedish retailer; each piece is playfully and smartly designed, most doing double duty.

Buying furniture can be intimidating, even if you know what you’re looking for in terms of style (if you don’t, that’s an entirely different mountain to climb.) For instance, how do you really know what you’re spending your valuable dollars on will last? What materials are best for wear-and-tear? What questions should you be asking a sales person before committing to a purchase? We turned to the pros (i.e.

One of the things I love about small spaces is the way they encourage creativity. When you don’t have a lot of room, you’re forced to think outside the box, and this can lead to all kinds of interesting solutions. Szymon Hanczar, the denizen of an almost frighteningly efficient 140-square-foot apartment in the Polish city of Wroclaw, has come up with a solution I’ve never seen before: swapping your couch for a hammock.

Emily Waldman‘s Austin house is full of treasures—vintage and antique gems she’s scoured from many different places. As a true treasure hunter, Goodwills and Craiglist prove to be fertile decor hunting ground for her, as well. Below, in her own words, Emily shares some of her top tips for vintage treasure hunting. At thrift shops I am happy to pay $3 for a vase, since most thrift stores benefit nonprofits.

Sleepwear is a many-splendored thing. On top of being a great last-minute gift idea, a solid set of pajamas is guaranteed to keep you (and your loved ones) comfy and warm all winter long. Luckily, the Internet likes jammies just as much as we do, and while most loungewear on the market deserves some time to shine, we thought it would be fun to focus on two of our current faves: adult onesies and matching family sets.

I love a roll of cheap-and-chic craft paper as much as the next budget-conscious gift giver, but sometimes, you just have to pull out the good stuff. When you’re in the market for paper so pretty (or punny) it risks out-shining the gift (or out-laughing the gag gift), these seven sources have you covered. This family-run print shop in Wyckoff, New Jersey, has been producing beautifully patterned gift wrap and stationery since 1974.

In the early 2000s, Pier One Imports was the epitome of worldly sophistication for me, what with its exotic wood furniture, beaded throw pillows and Buddha statues galore. When I redecorated my post-collegiate bedroom, I hit up the store for unique international treasures. “Why yes, these ruffled dupioni silk throw pillows are from the foreign land of Kissimmee, Florida.” Fast forward a decade, and I’ve discovered a new local mecca for global goods: World Market.

Emily Schildt, co-founder of Thing of Wonder, lives in 400 square feet in Brooklyn. But beyond the challenge of living in a small space, she also has to tackle the challenge of living in just one room. Not only is her Fort Greene studio apartment lovely, it’s also highly functional…for her! As an avid entertainer, she’s chosen a furniture layout that works for how she lives — which in her case means the unusual choice of placing her bed right near the front door.

Behold: one home shopping guide to rule them all.

Some things are just better as a pair, an infamous duo of sorts, whether it be person or thing: Tom and Jerry, peanut butter and jelly, door and knob, and to drive this article’s point home, end table and sofa. The yin to each other’s yangs, the end table and sofa are a complementary furnishing that go hand and hand in any home. Lucky for you, if you’re in search of the perfect mate to your sofa (or bed!

Nothing beats the real deal, but when your wallet hasn’t quite caught up to your great taste, there are ways to get the look without going ridiculously over budget. Lookalikes abound, but not everyone is in the “ok with it” camp. For those who are, we offer up the following scenario: The second you win the lotto, you’ll be on board to pony up for the originals, but until that day comes, we might find you lounging on these knock-offs of classic beauties.

There are lots of reasons why you might have a too-big or too-bulky piece of furniture in your home. Perhaps it’s an inherited piece you can’t part with. Maybe you need a large piece of furniture for storage. Whatever the case, you don’t have to live with a heavy piece of furniture visually weighing down a room.

The living room of an eclectic collector is like a treasure trove. Quirky accents mingle with modern seating and a classic Warren Platner coffee table, while throw pillows of all prints and textures play nice on a vintage sofa. The telltale sign of this look is that you can’t quite put your finger on the style of the room, and that’s what makes it so special. 1. Indigo 3 Light Drum Chandelier, $318.64 from Wayfair 2. Infant Ikat Robe VI from Uzbekistan in Lucite Frame, $895 from St.

Nobody likes a sad, empty sofa. A cushion or two (or five!) is always welcome for snuggling into, and the aesthetic boost your room gets from the extra textures and patterns is the icing on the cake. While there are many different ways to create an eye-pleasing cushion arrangement (and with practice, you can knock ’em all out of the park), here are a few simple tips that I use regularly when styling my clients’ homes.

Part of the undeniable charm of warm industrial style is that it seamlessly blends modern and vintage finds—and pieces that are both shiny and a little rough around the edges can feel equally at home. To get the look in your living room, play around with a range of textures, but unify the space with a mostly neutral color palette. We’ve already done the hard part for you and scoured the web for the best industrial-inspired finds—all you need to do is click “Shop.

A new sofa is a major investment, often involving months of IRL and virtual window shopping, mulling, second guessing, and more mulling. I checked in with a few interior designers (i.e. professional sofa buyers) to ask for their expert advice on what you should consider before starting the sofa-buying process and how to make the task more straightforward. Consider this your ask-yourself-this-first checklist.

Talk about texture! What the black, white and shades-of-gray SVARTAN collection—coming to IKEA stores this September—lacks in color, it more than makes up for in pattern and texture. Though masterful designer Martin Bergström calls Sweden home, the SVARTAN collection has roots in India (a trip to the South Asian subcontinent spurred inspiration for the line) and was dreamed up in collaboration with 25 students from the National Institute of Fashion Technology in New Delhi.

Of course you need sheets and towels and a mini fridge and maybe one of those little shower caddies, but one of the most important things you will buy for your dorm room is lighting. Trust me: when you’re awake and frantically studying at 3AM, your roommate will be glad that you bought a lamp. So without further ado, here are 12 of our favorite picks, all under $50. Above: Penn task lamp, $29 – 39 from PBteen. FORSÅ work lamp, $19.99 from IKEA ÅRSTID table lamp, $24.

Dressing a shabby-looking sofa in a slipcover is undoubtedly one of the quickest and cheapest ways to refresh a tired piece of furniture, but drapey, sheet-like versions have given the slipcover a bad rap. Fortunately, there are some options out there working to reverse the slipcover’s reputation and show how sleek, fitted, patterned, and colorful it can be.

A. Two sofas facing each other OR B. A sofa and love seat arranged in the traditional L-shaped arrangement?

We’re officially launched! For all of you who are in the market for a sofa and want something fabulously classic, comfortable and well priced, here’s The Maxwell (with special discount just for readers), the first in a whole collection designed in collaboration with Interior Define. Designing this perfect sofa was a process that took nearly a year, but it was worth it.

Most sofas are well-behaved. They have a back and a seat and legs and maybe arms, and they look, well, like a sofa. These are not those sofas. These sofas (if you can even call a giant cat a sofa) dare to reimagine the very idea of the sofa, pushing ordinary furniture to weird and wild and even wonderful extremes. Above: It’s always nice to have a cat sit on your lap, but what if the tables were turned and you could curl up in your cat’s lap?

First furniture child is bigger than me. Last week I flew to Chicago to see, for the first time in person, the new Maxwell sofa, which I designed in collaboration with Rob Royer and Marta Calle of Interior Define, a brand new furniture company out of Chicago. It’s only the first of a five part collection that’s going to unroll over the next six months.

Lots of people aspire to make their home decor modern, but if you’re not careful, modern can become cold, stale and uninteresting. The cure for a mod overdose? Something natural. Like a touch of authentic, organic, real wood. Here are eight rooms to show you how it’s done. This raw wood bar top is the perfect addition to Corianne Burton‘s kitchen, as seen on her Instagram.

I’m such a big fan of eclectic style—which is really just a nicer way of saying mixing things up. I mean, who can just pick one style anyway? Pulling together an eclectic look comes naturally to some but can be tricky for others. The dining room is a great space to start mixing things up because there are so many different elements layered in one look, and you can really have some fun with the dynamic between the table and the chairs.

The Togo sofa (a creation of Ligne Roset) is a design that’s always fascinated me. It is by far the most attractive piece of furniture I’ve ever seen that kind of looks like a larvae. Despite (or perhaps because of?) its insectoid qualities, it has a weird versatility and constantly crops up in a huge a variety of rooms. It works for slouchy Bohemian interiors or minimal, arty-rich ones: it’s equally at home with traditional pieces or equally modern ones.

I don’t know about your home, but at my place, even with an open concept kitchen and a dining table, we always seem to end up in the living room with all the snacks and drinks squeezed on the coffee table. Let’s face it: it’s more casual and comfortable than standing around a kitchen or sitting on a stiff dining chair. These days it’s rare to have both a family and living room, so it’s nice to really put a lot of thought and style into the one you have.

If you have the luxury of being able to drive a nail into the wall above your sofa, you’d never call such an open, blank canvas “awkward.” But for many renters, the over-the-sofa space can be a source of frustration. What exactly can I do there? The answer? One of these three creative ideas: Technically, the installation above from Hello Lidy‘s family room is a beside-the-sofa solution, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work anywhere else.

We’re moving into a new house, and I’ve become infatuated with the idea of a green sofa in our new living room. However, the only green sofas I’ve come across have been green velvet sofas, which don’t exactly suit our style or lifestyle. I was starting to wonder if non-velvet green couches even existed. Of course they do, and here are the 10 best options I could find. And if you are in the market for a green velvet, there are 10 of those, too!

Clean lines keep it chic, and deep seats and comfy cushions make it a really livable sofa for real people’s real homes. Oh, and the affordable price tag is a pretty great feature, too. The IKEA SÖDERHAMN sofa line has been on the market for a couple years now, and that means designers and dwellers have had ample time to take the piece home and show us myriad ways to style it.

A few weeks ago we featured 12 super luxurious closets that are about the size of the typical Manhattan apartment. But these, it turns out, do not even come close to the size of the biggest closet in America, which covers three stories and measures a whopping 3,000 square feet. The closet, to no one’s surprise, is in Texas, where land is plentiful and everything is bigger.

...and one that's too big.

If you float your living room furniture (and you should consider it) then you might have one of those pesky spots that’s not quite big enough for traditional furniture, but it’s too big to completely ignore. What to do, what to do? Sometimes it’s 12 inches, and sometimes a few feet. Either way, it’s an opportunity. There’s usually always enough room for a leaning mirror against the wall.