Benchcraft operates as a distinct brand under the Ashley Furniture umbrella, focusing on affordable contemporary and transitional designs ideal for modern homes. While both cater to budget-conscious shoppers, Ashley offers a significantly broader catalog spanning nearly every style imaginable, from traditional to rustic, functioning as a massive one-stop shop for home furnishings.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right home furniture brand for your space.
Benchcraft: The Stylish and Affordable Choice
Benchcraft is designed to meet the needs of consumers seeking trendy, versatile furniture at a wallet-friendly price. As a subsidiary of Ashley Furniture Industries, it provides a curated collection of contemporary pieces, making it a favorite among first-time homeowners, renters, and families looking for stylish yet functional furniture without a hefty investment.
- Product mix: Core home furnishings including sofas, sectionals, beds, dining sets, and accent chairs. The selection is focused on living room and bedroom essentials.
- Style/vibe: Leans heavily into contemporary and transitional aesthetics. Expect clean lines, neutral color palettes, simple silhouettes, and an overall modern, casual feel.
- Price point: Very accessible and budget-friendly. Sofas are typically in the $399–$699 range, and complete dining sets can be found from $299 to $899.
- Quality: Built for value, featuring engineered wood frames, comfortable foam cushions, and durable polyester or blended fabric upholstery designed for everyday life.
- Dimensions/Scale: Many pieces are designed with smaller spaces in mind, making Benchcraft an excellent option for apartments, condos, and smaller living rooms.
- Shopping Experience: Primarily sold through Ashley Furniture HomeStores and other authorized furniture retailers, making it easy to see and test in person before buying.
Benchcraft is the ideal solution for shoppers who love a current, modern look but need practical, cost-effective pieces that fit well in standard-sized rooms.
Shop Benchcraft: Available at ashleyfurniture.com and its retail partners.
Ashley Furniture: The One-Stop Value Retailer
As one of the world's largest furniture manufacturers, Ashley Furniture is known for its immense variety, offering something for nearly everyone at competitive prices. From entire room packages to individual decor items, Ashley serves a vast audience with styles that range from classic farmhouse to sleek and modern, all supported by a massive retail and online presence.
- Product mix: An extensive range covering every room, including living room, bedroom, dining, home office, outdoor furniture, mattresses, and a wide array of home decor accessories.
- Style/vibe: Extremely diverse. Shoppers can find traditional, rustic, modern, industrial, glam, coastal, and eclectic pieces. The company stays on top of trends, constantly refreshing its catalog.
- Price point: A broad spectrum of prices appealing to various budgets. While starter sofas begin around $399, Ashley also offers higher-end collections that feature more premium materials.
- Quality: Quality varies by collection to match different price points. Construction includes engineered wood, with some higher-priced series using solid wood accents. Upholstery options include performance fabrics, faux leather, and genuine leather.
- Customization: Select sofa and sectional collections offer some customization in terms of configuration and fabric choices, providing flexibility.
- Sales: Known for frequent and aggressive sales events, especially around major holidays like Presidents' Day and Black Friday, offering significant discounts.
- Delivery & Assembly: Offers a range of delivery options, from standard shipping to in-home setup. Assembly requirements vary by product, but many items are straightforward to put together.
Ashley Furniture excels at providing incredible selection and value, making it a convenient destination for furnishing an entire home on a budget.
Shop Ashley Furniture: ashleyfurniture.com
Benchcraft vs. Ashley Furniture Comparison
Price Comparison
Both Benchcraft and Ashley Furniture are firmly positioned in the affordable, mid-range market. Pricing for comparable items is often nearly identical, with sofas and sectionals from both brands sharing similar starting points. For example, a standard fabric sofa from either line might fall between $400 and $700.
The main difference in value comes from sales strategy. As the parent company with a massive retail footprint, Ashley Furniture runs more frequent and aggressive corporation-wide promotions and clearance events. While Benchcraft items are included in these sales, shoppers looking for the absolute lowest price may find slightly better deals on Ashley-branded collections during holiday sales.
Style & Aesthetic
This is the most significant differentiator. Benchcraft maintains a focused, curated aesthetic centered on contemporary and transitional looks. Its designs are clean, uncomplicated, and cater to a modern sensibility, making it easy to create a cohesive look.
Ashley Furniture, in contrast, is all about variety. Its catalog is a mix of nearly every interior design style. You can find a rustic farmhouse dining table, a sleek modern sectional, and a traditional wingback chair all in the same showroom. This is great for shoppers who want choice or are mixing styles, but it can feel less stylistically focused than Benchcraft's more curated offering.
Quality & Construction
Since Benchcraft is made by Ashley Furniture Industries, the foundational construction methods and materials are very similar. Both brands typically use engineered wood for frames, high-density foam for cushions, and durable polyester-blend fabrics for upholstery on their core collections. This construction offers reliable, everyday durability for the price.
However, Ashley Furniture's broader catalog means it also offers collections with upgraded materials. Shoppers can find Ashley pieces with solid wood components, genuine leather upholstery, and premium performance fabrics, which are generally not part of the standard Benchcraft line. In short, Ashley’s quality ceiling is higher, but its baseline quality is shared with Benchcraft.
Product Selection
Ashley Furniture wins on sheer volume hands-down. Its selection spans every conceivable category, including outdoor furniture, mattresses, rugs, lighting, and decorative accessories. It is truly a one-stop-shop where you can furnish an entire house from top to bottom.
Benchcraft's selection is more focused on the core furniture pieces for the main living spaces: the living room, dining room, and bedroom. While it offers a comprehensive range within these categories, it doesn't extend into the vast array of sub-categories that Ashley covers.
Sustainability & Ethics
As the parent company, Ashley Furniture leads sustainability initiatives that extend to its subsidiary brands like Benchcraft. Ashley has implemented responsible wood sourcing programs and has earned certifications like FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and GREENGUARD on certain products. The company focuses on reducing manufacturing waste and promoting eco-friendly practices across its supply chain, making it a more environmentally conscious choice in the budget furniture sector.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right choice depends entirely on your style preferences, shopping needs, and the scale of your space.
Choose Benchcraft if:
- You love a consistent contemporary, modern, or transitional aesthetic.
- You are furnishing an apartment, condo, or smaller home and need appropriately scaled furniture.
- You prefer a curated, easy-to-shop collection without overwhelming choice.
- You want a stylish, trendy look for your home at a highly competitive price.
Choose Ashley Furniture if:
- You want the largest possible selection of styles, from traditional to rustic to modern.
- You need to furnish a large home or are looking for oversized pieces like large sectionals.
- You are furnishing multiple rooms and want the convenience of a one-stop shop.
- You are a deal-hunter who enjoys shopping for big discounts during holiday sales events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Benchcraft the same as Ashley Furniture?
Benchcraft is a registered trademark and brand line owned and manufactured by Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. It is best described as a specific, style-focused collection series within the larger Ashley furniture family.
Which is cheaper, Benchcraft or Ashley Furniture?
Their everyday prices are extremely similar. However, Ashley Furniture's large-scale promotional events and clearance sales can sometimes offer deeper discounts across a wider range of products, potentially making it cheaper during specific times of the year.
Is Benchcraft furniture good quality?
Benchcraft furniture offers good quality for its affordable price point. It's constructed with durable materials like engineered wood and resilient fabrics designed to withstand regular household use, making it a solid value-oriented choice.
What style of furniture is Benchcraft?
The Benchcraft line is focused on contemporary and transitional styles. This includes furniture with clean lines, neutral color schemes, and simple silhouettes that fit well in modern living spaces.
Where can I buy Benchcraft furniture?
Benchcraft furniture is sold through Ashley Furniture HomeStores and online at the official Ashley website, as well as through other big-box furniture and department store retailers that partner with Ashley.
Which brand has a better product selection?
Ashley Furniture has a substantially larger and more diverse product selection, covering all home furnishing categories, including outdoor, mattresses, and an extensive decor collection.
Which brand is better for small apartments?
Benchcraft is often an excellent choice for smaller spaces. Many of its sofas, sectionals, and dining sets are designed with compact dimensions in mind to fit comfortably in apartments and smaller homes.
Are both brands good for families with kids?
Yes, both brands are popular choices for families due to their durability, affordable prices, and use of easy-to-clean fabrics. Ashley may offer more explicit "performance fabric" options designed to resist stains and wear, which could give it a slight edge.
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