Here’s Where to Shop for Custom Furniture Without Paying Luxury Prices

If you’re someone who knows exactly what you want when decorating your home, then you’ve probably daydreamed about designing custom furniture. While you might have assumed that made-to-order furniture is either exorbitantly priced or too complicated to consider (or both), there’s one brand that defies expectations: Interior Define.

Unlike other luxury home retailers, Interior Define specializes in completely custom furniture at middle-range prices, including sofas, chairs, beds, and more. Its offerings include hundreds of fabrics, legs, sizes, and configurations, giving you ultimate flexibility when designing your dream home.

We’ve been fans of Interior Define for quite awhile — in fact, Apartment Therapy’s Founder and CEO Maxwell Ryan collaborated with Interior Define on an exclusive collection back in 2016, and it’s still going strong today. While the retailer had some post-pandemic shakeups, it’s back and better than ever, with collections that feel timeless and are made to last for many years. Plus, its offerings have expanded to include rugs, lighting, and decor, so there’s lots to browse. 

Interior Define was founded in 2014 during the direct-to-consumer (DTC) boom, with the goal of selling made-to-order furniture directly online rather than through a retailer. Headquartered in Chicago, the brand took a few years to gain nationwide recognition, ultimately becoming one of the buzziest brands in the DTC furniture space thanks to its wide range of customizations. 

Interior Define did experience major challenges post-pandemic, with severe supply chain and financial issues resulting in scores of delayed and canceled orders. In early 2023, the company was bought by Havenly, the online interior design service, and relaunched with new management, albeit with the same products and focus on customization.

Indeed, Interior Define offers one of the most personalized furniture shopping experiences available, with hundreds of different configurations for couches, chairs, and other seating. You can also shop rugs, lighting, and decor, plus a Quick Ship section if you don’t want to wait for your dream statement piece.

While Interior Define started out as an online-only destination, it now has 14 “Define Studios” nationwide. If you’re not near a physical store, you can book a virtual appointment with a designer or quickly chat online for free. You can also order up to 10 free swatches to see your favorite upholstery choices in person.

Yes, Interior Define delivers. Because every item is made to order, you should expect delivery to take 10-12 weeks — unless you buy something from the Quick Ship section, which typically delivers within 3-5 weeks. All made-to-order products come with white glove service for a flat fee of $279 (although some extra large items might incur a higher fee). For smaller in-stock items, delivery ranges between $14-$149 depending on the order value; larger in-stock items come with either threshold ($149 flat fee) or white glove ($279 flat fee) delivery.

One impressive feature of Interior Define is its return policy. While most retailers do not offer returns on custom products, Interior Define lets you return made-to-order furniture within 60 days of delivery at the discretion of the company. Damaged items cannot be returned, and the company charges a 50% processing fee. For in-stock furniture, you have 30 days to return your item and will be responsible for a 15% restocking fee. 

I’m happy to report that Interior Define furniture does not require assembly. All furniture products are delivered via threshold or white glove delivery, making the process as seamless as possible. While those services aren’t free, they’re well worth it for the peace of mind.

Yes, Interior Define hosts a few sale events throughout the year, usually during major holidays. Discounts typically range between 15-25% off, and are tiered based on the total order value.

After testing and rating the sofas at Interior Define, we think so.

Interior Define is definitely worth considering when furniture shopping, especially if you have something very specific in mind and are looking for customization options. Not only can you shop different colors and styles, but also fabrics, legs, cushion fills, and configurations. While more expensive than budget brands, Interior Define is much more affordable than other made-to-order furniture retailers, and offers excellent quality for the price.

We’re such big fans of Interior Define that Maxwell Ryan, our founder and CEO, created two collections with the brand: the Maxwell and the Ms. Chesterfield. Both collections are focused on combining maximum comfort with exceptional style, and feature traditional silhouettes made more modern and approachable. While both collections are primarily focused on seating, the Maxwell collection got a new addition in the fall of 2024: a customizable storage bed.