Beyond IKEA: 13 Furniture Brands and the Logic Behind Picks From Tens of Dollars to Nearly $8,000
From Castlery's direct-to-consumer sofas to Design Within Reach's Eames classics, US home media outlet Apartment Therapy rounds up 13 popular IKEA alternatives, sorted by price range and style for easy comparison.
A side table can cost $39, or it can cost $1,710; a sofa can be $999, or it can run over $5,000. That's the price spectrum laid out in Apartment Therapy's latest furniture brand guide — beyond IKEA, the longtime editor favorite, there's a whole cast of direct-to-consumer brands, crossover apparel labels turned home goods sellers, and furniture makers specializing in design classics, each claiming their own slice of the budget and style spectrum.
The guide lists 21 brands, 13 of which come with specific product picks and prices — enough to spot how they each position themselves.
Direct-to-consumer brands are nailing solid mid-range sofas
Castlery's Mori Performance Fabric Single Arm 2-Seater Sofa runs $2,099, with a compact frame suited to smaller spaces and cushions soft enough to double as a guest bed in a pinch. Apartment Therapy's own team has described the brand as "the Brooklinen of furniture." Article's Sanders 85.5" sofa is priced at $999, known for its curved, seamed silhouette in solid wood and leather, with costs kept down by selling direct to consumers.
Burrow's Range Pro 109" Reversible Chaise Sectional is listed at $5,069, now $3,041, upholstered in top-grain leather with a modular design that can be reconfigured as needed — some versions even come with built-in USB charging ports. The brand runs a flagship store in New York's SoHo. On the more affordable end, Nathan James leads with its Parker mid-century writing desk, originally $310 and now $270, measuring 41.9" wide with open shelving and drawers. Apartment Therapy home editor Danielle described the brand as "what you'd get if West Elm and AllModern had a baby, but priced like IKEA."
From apparel and lifestyle retail into home goods, at friendlier price points
Urban Outfitters Home's Alana side table sells for $199, made of metal with softly rounded lines and available in a range of colors. H&M Home's Low side table, originally $75 and now $39, is about 20" wide, with a raised metal edge designed to keep items from sliding off. The brand currently doesn't carry large furniture like sofas or dining tables, filling out its lineup with accessories and decor instead.
AllModern's Brooklyn side table, originally $329 and now $229, has a round tabletop with a slightly retro feel; the retailer also carries design brands like Kartell, Marimekko, and Umbra. ABC Carpet & Home's Madison swivel chair is priced at $2,495, with foam cushioning that mimics down filling and a rounded barrel-back silhouette; the brand has a flagship in New York with a Brooklyn location as well. Industry West's Alma dining table sells for $1,850, crafted from solid oak with an industrial-meets-modern look, typically pairing wood, steel, and leather — pieces tend to sell out quickly given limited stock. Joybird's Hughes chair, originally $1,484 and now $965, features tapered legs and button-tufted back detailing that are signature mid-century touches, with medium-firm cushioning; the brand's main draw is customizable fabric and color options.
Moving into classic and investment-grade territory
West Elm's Brannon 78" sofa, originally $2,299 and now $1,599, has squared-off arms that double as side tables, making it a good fit for smaller spaces; some of the brand's commercial-grade lines use fair-trade certified wood for added durability. RH's Luisa chair is priced at $1,710, with a curved, enveloping shape and over a hundred fabric options — it's one of the pricier brands in the guide, with a lineup that leans toward large sofas and long dining tables. Design Within Reach's Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, originally $9,800 and now $7,350, remains one of furniture history's defining pieces, with its iconic molded wood frame and button-tufted cushions designed by Charles and Ray Eames; the store also carries pieces by designers like Arne Jacobsen and Hans Wegner.
The guide also lists brands like Jonathan Adler, Amazon, Rejuvenation, Blu Dot, CB2, Wayfair, Walmart, and World Market, each with its own style and positioning, for readers who want to keep comparing beyond this list. Most of these are US retailers, so it's worth checking cross-border shipping and tax rules before placing an order.
