Grandin Road vs What A Room: Who Has Better Couches?
Searching for the ideal couch for your space? Venture into the ring with Grandin Road and What A Room—two sofa powerhouses. Wondering which brand will furnish your living room dreams? The battle begins right here!
Alex Back | Couch.com CEO & Founder
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Picture this: you're on the quest for the ultimate sofa, and two heavy hitters, Grandin Road and What A Room, await your judgment. With distinct styles and promises, who will emerge as the unsung hero of the living room throne? Let's dive into this couch clash!
Side By Side
Features
Grandin Road
What A Room
Made to Order Lead Times
10-16 weeks
4-6 weeks
Free Shipping Option
White Glove Delivery Option
$99+
Return Option
Warranty Included
Financing Option
Grandin Road Credit Card
Affirm, Shop Pay
Assembly Required
Varies
Large Fabric Selection
Free Swatches Available
Manufacturing Origin
Import
USA
Avg. 3-Seat Couch Price
$$-$$$
$$$
As you navigate the sofa landscape, Grandin Road and What A Room stand out for different reasons. Grandin Road impresses with its blend of style and accessibility, offering durable sofas with attention to detail. In contrast, What A Room shines with its customizable, USA-made sofas, focusing on eco-friendly materials and personalized service. While Grandin Road emphasizes elegance and modern touches at a mid-range to premium price, What A Room excels in customization and quality craftsmanship in the premium category. Which brand will best suit your style, durability, sustainability, and value preferences?
BRAND #1: Grandin Road
Founded in 2003, Grandin Road is a furniture retailer that champions style and accessibility. Their focus on making high-end design available to a wider audience is evident in their diverse range of sofas, which combine classic elegance with modern touches. While they may not have the longevity of some other brands, their commitment to quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction has earned them a loyal following among those seeking stylish and comfortable furniture.
Grandin Road | Brand Summary
Grandin Road gets a solid thumbs-up from me. Their sofas have that high-end feel without the eye-watering price tag. You can tell they put a lot of care into the build quality and the attention to detail shines through. Honestly, if you're looking for a stylish, well-made sofa that will actually last, Grandin Road is a serious contender. Plus, their customer service seems genuinely focused on keeping you happy.
Durable construction with quality materials like kiln-dried hardwood
Variety of fabric and color options
Free fabric swatches
Customer-focused service
Cons
Long lead times for made-to-order sofas
Limited transparency about manufacturing origins
Warranty terms could be more specific and generous
Some returns come with fees
Assembly may be required for some sofas
Grandin Road is a stylish furniture brand that offers high-quality sofas with a touch of luxury, all at a price that won't break the bank. Their attention to detail and focus on customer satisfaction is evident in their well-crafted pieces and responsive service.
While their made-to-order sofas boast a wide array of fabrics and customization options, be prepared for a bit of a wait, as lead times can stretch up to 16 weeks. Although returns are possible, they come with some restrictions, and the return shipping costs can be hefty for larger items like sofas.
However, Grandin Road's strengths outweigh these drawbacks. Their commitment to using quality materials like kiln-dried hardwood and offering a 1-year warranty ensures that your investment will last. And with free swatches available, you can be confident in your fabric choice before making a purchase. So, if you're looking for a stylish and well-made sofa that will elevate your living space without draining your wallet, Grandin Road is a worthy contender.
What A Room was founded with the goal of offering fully customizable sofas and sectionals, made in the USA with high-quality materials. By owning their own factory in Los Angeles, they are able to offer quicker production times (4-6 weeks) while ensuring a personalized customer experience. Their key milestone includes providing over 250 fabric choices, with a focus on pet-friendly and eco-conscious options. Known for their craftsmanship, durability, and commitment to customer satisfaction, What A Room has carved out a niche as a go-to brand for buyers seeking custom, high-end furniture with a fast turnaround.
What A Room | Brand Summary
When it comes to custom sofas made in the USA, few brands match the level of quality, customer service, and design flexibility that What A Room offers. But do What A Room reviews reflect this same level of excellence, or is it just good marketing?
As a direct-to-consumer furniture brand, What A Room manufactures its own sofas, offering full customization with high-end materials—all without sky-high retail markups. That’s a rare find in today’s sofa market. With handcrafted frames, premium foam cushions, and free design consultations, What A Room gives buyers full control over their couch.
Let’s see if they live up to the hype in What A Room reviews or if there are better alternatives.
Personalized customer service with design consultations
Cons
20% restocking fee for returns
No free shipping option, delivery fees can be high
What A Room offers a customizable sofa experience, perfect for buyers seeking a unique, made-to-order product. Their quick 4-6 week production time is faster than many competitors, and they provide over 250 fabric choices, including pet-friendly options. Owning their manufacturing facility in the USA allows them to maintain high-quality standards while meeting customization needs.
However, their return policy has a 20% restocking fee, which can be a drawback for some customers. Delivery fees are also an added expense, and there have been occasional complaints about delays in receiving custom orders.
On the plus side, What A Room excels with personalized customer service and free design consultations to ensure you’re getting exactly what you want. Their use of eco-friendly, chemical-free fabrics and durable high-resilience foam cushions makes them a great choice for families, and their made-in-the-USA production is a strong selling point for those seeking quality craftsmanship.
The sofa showdown concludes with What A Room emerging victorious, offering USA-made, customizable sofas, eco-friendly materials, and top-tier customer service. With a vast fabric selection and a focus on sustainability, What A Room stands out as the ideal choice for buyers seeking personalized, high-quality couches. The unique selling points of customization, sustainability, and exceptional service make What A Room the ultimate winner in this competition.
Alex Back
Couch.com CEO & Founder
Alex Back is the founder and CEO of Couch.com. Previously, he was the co-founder and COO of the popular furniture brand, Apt2B, which was acquired by a large US retail furniture chain in 2018. He worked to integrate Apt2B, one of the very first online furniture retailers on the Shopify platform, into the operations of the 100 year old larger business entity and was deeply immersed in the business operations of both online and brick and mortar retail for 4 years before leaving in 2023 to start Couch.com. Working in various parts of the furniture industry since 2004, he has 20 years experience in retail sales, e-commerce, marketing, operations, logistics and wholesale manufacturing and distribution. He has worked extensively with partners such as Costco, Bed Bath and Beyond and Amazon and his work has been highlighted in many publications such as Forbes, CNN and HGTV, among others. Alex is delighted to bring his experience and authority on couches and the furniture industry to this platform, along with many of his industry colleagues who are helping him keep the Couch.com audience informed and engaged on a daily basis.
