The flat-pack and direct-to-consumer furniture
that’s well-built and reasonably priced
Look, there’s nothing wrong with Ikea. You can get all sorts of things for your home there, and you can get them damn cheap. But they're not always the most interesting or unique pieces. Nor are they built to last. Who among us has had to dispose of a piece when moving to a new place because it simply wouldn't survive a move? (*waits for everyone to raise their hand.) There are places like Design Within Reach, which offer beautiful icons of interior design, but despite the name, the items aren't always priced within reach. Thankfully, a new crop of direct-to-consumer brands and flat-pack furniture have seemingly showed up out of the woodwork. They offer modern pieces that are as sturdy as they are stylish. They also pack up nicely and transform to suit a slew of spaces, meaning you can make them work in your current and future home.
The Detroit-based furniture company launched in 2013 with the innovative Leg, a simple metal leg that could clamp onto any slab of wood, transforming it into a table. Since then, they've gown into a full-blown furniture company, specializing in modern, modular pieces—from a low-slung platform bed to this adaptable shelving system.
Shelving system,
from $425
Tension table,
$899
Housefish was conceived as a design laboratory blending technology and craft to produce furniture that's practical, sustainable and affordable. Every piece, built in Denver, is precisely tuned, lightweight and easy to assemble with minimal hardware. It's a form-meets-function philosophy that makes sense, considering the brand's founder is a former race car designer.
Key storage module, $549
Key storage module,
$549
Founded by a former Apple engineer, this Bay Area brand is, not surprisingly, rethinking everything when it comes to the experience of buying and living with furniture. Their complete line is designed to easily ship within a box (packaging that breaks down and can be saved for the next move), and can be assembled and disassembled easily without any tools. Plus, the upholstery covers are removable so you have the freedom to switch it up whenever you want to change the look and feel.
Brushed weave chair,
$695
Diplomat media console,
$1,445
Initiator chaise,
$2,410
This millennial-focused brand, founded by design industry veteran Jonathan Bass, is a newcomer to the direct-to-consumer landscape. The line offers a wide range of items for every room in your place, with an aim to be as transparent and sustainable as possible. Instead of working backwards to hit an unrealistically low price, they simply focused on building the best versions of what they wanted—from this cool, sloping chaise lounge to a handsome media console.
When it comes to sleek, minimal and functional design, who does it better than the Japanese? Yamazaki is considered the Ikea of Japan—but it seems cooler. And smarter. Founded as a family business more than 100 years ago, the brand's mission is to neatly declutter your home (and life) via thoughtfully-designed furnishings that don't cost a lot but are built to last.
Tower tiered rack,
$150
This Stockholm-based design collective is creating smart, streamlined furniture and accessories by working with vanguard designers and renowned European manufacturers. The items are well-built and can adapt to different living spaces. Hem's Kumo sofa, for example, can also be used as a single armchair or configured into a sectional. What's more, the legs, arms and cushions all break down for easy moving.
Kumo modular sofa,
from $2,899
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