What A Room vs Crate and Barrel: Who Has Better Couches?
Curious about the best couch brand? Uncover the top contender between What A Room and Crate and Barrel. Which one will steal the show in this epic furniture face-off?
Alex Back | Couch.com CEO & Founder
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Discover the clash of the couch titans as we compare What A Room with Crate and Barrel. Which brand will win the battle for your living room throne?
Side By Side
Features
What A Room
Crate and Barrel
Made to Order Lead Times
4-6 weeks
4-10 weeks
Free Shipping Option
White Glove Delivery Option
$99+
$279-$399
Return Option
Warranty Included
Financing Option
Affirm, Shop Pay
Crate and Barrel Credit Card
Assembly Required
Varies
Large Fabric Selection
Free Swatches Available
Manufacturing Origin
USA
USA + Import
Avg. 3-Seat Couch Price
$$$
$$$
When looking at the overall style, durability, sustainability, and overall value, What A Room and Crate and Barrel both stand out. What A Room excels in customization options and eco-conscious materials, making it a solid choice for those seeking a personalized touch. On the other hand, Crate and Barrel impresses with chic designs and a wide fabric selection, appealing to buyers who prioritize elegance and variety.
BRAND #1: What A Room
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.
Crate and Barrel, founded in 1962 by George and Carole Segal, emerged from a passion for simple, beautiful, and practical housewares discovered during their European honeymoon. With over 60 years of experience, the brand has become a household name, celebrated for its modern, timeless style and high-end aesthetic. Boasting a wide range of products for the entire home and numerous physical stores across North America and internationally, Crate & Barrel has solidified its position as an aspirational brand for those seeking a touch of elegance in their living spaces.
Crate and Barrel | Brand Summary
Crate & Barrel is a household name in modern, high-end furniture. Known for its sleek designs and refined aesthetics, the brand promises quality craftsmanship and timeless style. But is Crate and Barrel furniture good quality, or are you just paying for the name?
With premium price tags and a reputation for stylish home décor, many shoppers wonder:
Does Crate and Barrel’s furniture quality match the hype?
How does their customer service, delivery, and warranty compare to competitors?
What do Crate and Barrel reviews reveal about real-world experiences?
In this in-depth Crate and Barrel review, we break down everything you need to know—from quality and materials to warranty policies and customer service pitfalls.
Crate & Barrel, a household name in home furnishings, offers a stylish selection of sofas that blend modern flair with classic appeal. However, the allure of their elegant designs is tempered by some notable drawbacks.
The lack of a clear warranty policy raises concerns about long-term support. Additionally, the restrictive return policy for custom orders, coupled with inconsistent lead times, can lead to frustration for buyers seeking flexibility and timely delivery.
While these shortcomings are worth considering, Crate and Barrel also boasts several compelling advantages.
The brand's extensive fabric selection, detailed cleaning instructions, and complimentary swatches empower customers to make informed choices and maintain their sofas' pristine condition. White-glove delivery adds a touch of luxury to the purchasing experience, ensuring your new furniture arrives hassle-free. Furthermore, the availability of some USA-made collections appeals to those who prioritize domestic craftsmanship.
Overall, Crate & Barrel sofas offer a blend of style and convenience, albeit with some caveats. If you're willing to navigate the potential pitfalls and prioritize aesthetics and fabric choices, their collection might hold the perfect piece for your home.
In this fierce showdown, Crate and Barrel emerges as the definitive winner. Its blend of stylish designs, extensive fabric choices, and emphasis on quality and customer service make it the go-to brand for those seeking luxury and sophistication in their furniture. Crate and Barrel's commitment to excellence truly shines through, making it the top choice in this matchup.
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.
