As millennials grow up and start nesting, they’re graduating from Allen-key decor to higher-quality pieces–and a slew of new furniture companies are there to help. From delivering sofas in a box to offering online customization tools, these direct-to-consumer startups are reimagining how to buy a couch for the digital age. The forerunner of the bunch, Vancouver-based Article, launched five years ago and is track to make $200 million this year. “Our biggest challenge was getting people to buy such expensive products without ever seeing them in person,” says Aamir Baig, Article’s cofounder and CEO. “But luckily, millennials are willing to take that risk.” Here, a look at the latest entrants:
1. Maiden Home, New York, 2017
Approach: Democratize American craftsmanship by cutting out the middleman, markups, excess inventory, and showroom costs and selling North Carolina–made sofas on-demand and online; couches start at $1,975.
Audience: Would-be Restoration Hardware shoppers willing to spend more for long-lasting pieces.
Pedigree: Founder and CEO Nidhi Kapur ran business development and operations at Birchbox and Google. After raising an angel round of $500,000, she is bootstrapping the business, which has been profitable since day one.
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