Arhaus focuses on sustainability and handcrafted, artisanal furniture with a modern and eclectic aesthetic, while Ethan Allen is known for its classic, traditional designs and extensive customization options. Key differences are Arhaus's emphasis on eco-friendly materials like reclaimed wood and recycled metals, compared to Ethan Allen's focus on timeless durability and personalized in-home design services.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right furniture brand for your home.
Arhaus: The Sustainable, Artisanal Choice
Arhaus is a home furnishings brand that partners with artisans from around the world to create globally inspired, handcrafted pieces. Their primary focus is on sustainability, using eco-friendly materials to produce furniture that feels unique and soulful. The target customer is someone who values design with a story, appreciates natural textures, and prioritizes environmentally responsible sourcing in their purchasing decisions.
- Product mix: A complete range of home furnishings, including living room, dining, bedroom, and outdoor furniture, as well as lighting, rugs, and decor. Arhaus is well-regarded for its upholstery and unique case goods.
- Style/vibe: A mix of modern, transitional, and eclectic styles with an organic, natural feel. You'll find warm woods, natural textures, and a sophisticated yet relaxed aesthetic.
- Price point: Mid-to-luxury. Sofas typically start around $1,500, with many popular models in the $3,000–$5,000 range. Dining tables often start at $2,000 and can exceed $4,000.
- Quality: High quality with an emphasis on craftsmanship. The brand prides itself on using solid, sustainably sourced wood from responsibly managed forests (FSC-certified), recycled metals, and handcrafted finishes.
- Customization: Offers customization on most upholstered pieces, with a curated selection of fabrics and leathers. While options exist, the focus is more on the artisan-crafted designs themselves.
- Shopping Experience: Large, inspiring showrooms that feel like curated galleries provide an immersive experience. Their website offers detailed product information and a robust online shopping platform.
- Sustainability: This is a core part of the brand's identity. From using reclaimed materials to planting trees through partnerships with American Forests, Arhaus is a leader in eco-conscious luxury furniture.
Arhaus is ideal for those seeking design-forward, statement furniture made with sustainable practices and artisanal quality.
Shop Arhaus: arhaus.com
Ethan Allen: The Classic, Customizable Brand
Ethan Allen is a legacy American brand famous for high-quality, timeless furniture and professional interior design services. The company built its reputation on traditional craftsmanship, durable construction, and a personalized shopping experience. Their target customer wants to invest in versatile, long-lasting furniture that transcends trends and seeks guidance to create a cohesive, polished look for their home.
- Product mix: Offers a full suite of home furnishings from sofas and sectionals to dining sets, beds, window treatments, and home accents. The brand is particularly known for its extensive custom upholstery program.
- Style/vibe: Primarily traditional and transitional. The aesthetic is classic, elegant, and refined, with an emphasis on rich wood finishes, detailed carving, and quality fabrics.
- Price point: Mid-range to high-end. Sofas generally start around $1,200 but can easily climb to $4,000+ with custom options. Dining tables typically fall in the $2,000–$5,000 bracket.
- Quality: Known for durable, well-made furniture designed to last for decades. Ethan Allen uses high-quality hardwoods, traditional joinery techniques, and resilient upholstery fabrics, with a strong focus on longevity.
- Customization: This is Ethan Allen’s main advantage. Customers can customize nearly every aspect of their furniture, from the fabric and finish to the size and specific details, making each piece truly their own.
- Shopping Experience: Relies on a network of Design Centers where customers can work one-on-one with professional interior designers for free. This service helps clients coordinate fabrics, finishes, and layouts for a complete room design.
- Sales: Regular sales events throughout the year, especially around holidays, often provide percentage-based discounts that make pieces more accessible.
Ethan Allen offers a tailored, service-driven approach to buying well-crafted, customizable furniture for a classic American home.
Shop Ethan Allen: ethanallen.com
Arhaus vs. Ethan Allen Comparison
Price Comparison
Both brands operate in the mid-to-high-end price range, but their value propositions differ. On average, you might find that Arhaus's starting prices for "in-stock" items are slightly higher, a reflection of their artisanal, handcrafted, and sustainable material costs.
Ethan Allen’s entry-level prices for pieces like sofas can sometimes be lower, starting around $1,200. However, the cost quickly increases as you add custom fabrics, finishes, and other modifications. Ultimately, a large, custom sectional from Ethan Allen could cost more than a similar-sized piece from Arhaus. Both brands run frequent sales, but Ethan Allen often features tiered discounts and member savings, while Arhaus promotions may focus on specific categories.
Style & Aesthetic
The stylistic difference is perhaps the most significant distinction between the two. Arhaus offers an eclectic, organic, and often contemporary style. Their pieces feel gathered from travel, featuring natural woods, textured fabrics, and unique silhouettes that work well in modern, rustic, or transitional homes looking for a sophisticated, earthy vibe.
Ethan Allen leans heavily into classic and traditional American design. Their collections feature more formal details, turned legs, rich cherry and mahogany finishes, and tasteful upholstery. While they have introduced more modern and transitional lines, their core identity lies in creating timeless, elegant interiors that don't bow to fleeting trends.
Quality & Construction
Both brands are known for high-quality construction, but they emphasize different aspects. Arhaus focuses on natural and sustainable materials. This means solid, FSC-certified or reclaimed woods, top-grain leathers, and spring-down blend cushions. The handmade nature of their pieces means you might find slight variations, which are considered part of their unique character.
Ethan Allen prioritizes durability and precision manufacturing. They are known for their solid-wood frames, exceptional joinery, and meticulously applied finishes. An investment in an Ethan Allen piece is often seen as an investment in furniture that can be passed down through generations, holding up to years of family life thanks to its robust build quality.
Customization Options
While both brands offer customization, Ethan Allen is the clear winner in this category. Their design-centric model allows customers to choose from hundreds of fabrics and leathers, dozens of wood finishes, and even alter dimensions on some pieces. This level of personalization is central to their business and a primary reason customers choose them.
Arhaus allows for considerable customization of upholstered furniture, offering a wide selection of performance fabrics and leathers. However, for items like tables and storage units, customization is typically limited to the available finish options. The brand focuses more on presenting a beautiful, curated design as-is.
Sustainability & Ethics
Sustainability is the defining principle of the Arhaus brand. They are deeply committed to using reclaimed, recycled, and responsibly sourced materials across their product lines. They showcase their partnerships with global artisans who use traditional techniques, ensuring fair and ethical production practices. This commitment is a major draw for environmentally conscious shoppers.
Ethan Allen’s approach to sustainability is centered on creating durable products that last, thus reducing waste. They have some initiatives for responsible wood sourcing and manufacturing in North America, which reduces their carbon footprint. However, sustainability is a highlighted marketing focus for Arhaus in a way that it is not for Ethan Allen.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right choice comes down to your personal style, values, and how you prefer to shop. Both offer excellent quality, but cater to distinctly different customer profiles.
Choose Arhaus if:
- You prioritize sustainability and want furniture made from eco-conscious materials.
- You love a globally-inspired, eclectic, and modern aesthetic.
- You appreciate the unique character of handcrafted, artisanal pieces.
- You prefer to buy furniture in its original, curated design with minor customization.
Choose Ethan Allen if:
- You desire a classic, traditional, or transitional style that will stand the test of time.
- You want extensive customization options to create a truly one-of-a-kind piece.
- You value personalized, in-depth interior design services to help guide your decisions.
- You want furniture built with an emphasis on extreme durability for long-term use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arhaus or Ethan Allen more expensive?
Their prices are comparable, but the value is perceived differently. A standard, in-stock sofa from Arhaus might have a higher initial price tag than a basic Ethan Allen sofa. However, once you begin adding premium fabrics and custom details to an Ethan Allen piece, its price can easily surpass a similar Arhaus item. It's best to compare specific items to get an accurate sense of cost.
Which brand has better quality furniture?
Both brands offer high-quality furniture, but with different strengths. Arhaus excels in the quality of its sustainable raw materials and artisanal craftsmanship. Ethan Allen's strength lies in its durable, legacy construction methods and precision manufacturing that ensures longevity. Neither is objectively 'better' - it depends on whether you value natural materials or long-term durability more.
Can you return furniture to both stores?
Both stores accept returns on most items, but custom and made-to-order furniture is typically final sale or subject to significant restocking fees. Always check the specific return policy for the item you're purchasing. Generally, in-stock decor and accessories have more flexible return windows than large furniture items.
Is Ethan Allen considered "out of style"?
While sometimes associated with a more traditional aesthetic, Ethan Allen has made significant efforts to update its collections with more transitional and modern silhouettes. They appeal to customers who prefer timeless, classic designs over temporary trends, so their style might better be described as enduring rather than out of style.
What makes Arhaus's furniture sustainable?
Arhaus's sustainability comes from its commitment to using reclaimed wood from sources like decommissioned ships, recycled copper and other metals, and certified sustainable timber from responsibly managed forests. They also partner with artisans who use age-old techniques instead of mass-production machinery.
Which brand is better for a family with kids or pets?
Both brands offer excellent performance fabric options designed to resist stains and wear. However, Ethan Allen's reputation for highly durable construction and its extensive customization might give it a slight edge for families seeking to create a specific piece that can withstand heavy use for many years to come.
Do both companies offer design services?
Yes, but their approach differs. Ethan Allen is famous for its complimentary comprehensive interior design service, where a dedicated designer will help you with room layouts, fabric selections, and creating a cohesive home plan. Arhaus also offers complimentary design services in-store and virtually, but their service is often more focused on integrating their specific pieces into your home.
Are Arhaus sofas comfortable?
Yes, Arhaus sofas are widely regarded as being very comfortable. They often use high-quality fillings such as down-blend cushions, which provide a plush, relaxed feel. The comfort level can often depend on the specific style you choose.
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