Furniture Row specializes in affordable, value-driven furniture with a focus on functional, modern, and transitional styles, making it a go-to for budget-conscious shoppers. In contrast, Ashley Furniture is a global giant offering a wider variety of trendy, contemporary designs at slightly higher mid-range prices, often with a greater emphasis on durability and of-the-moment styles.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right furniture retailer for your home.
Furniture Row: The Affordable Family-Friendly Choice
Furniture Row is a well-known retailer that focuses on providing a broad selection of stylish home furnishings at competitive prices. It appeals to families, first-time homeowners, and anyone looking for practical, good-looking furniture without a high-end price tag. Their showrooms are typically large and easy to navigate, showcasing their extensive product lines in accessible room settings.
- Product mix: A complete range of home furnishings, including sofas, sectionals, bedroom sets, dining tables, mattresses, and home accents.
- Style/vibe: Functional styles that lean modern, transitional, and traditional. The aesthetic is clean and versatile, designed to fit into a wide variety of home decor schemes.
- Price point: Budget-friendly to mid-range. Sofas begin around $399, and complete bedroom sets can often be found for under $1,000.
- Quality: The quality is consistent with its affordable price point. Most pieces are constructed from engineered wood and particleboard with some solid wood accents, while upholstery is typically durable polyester or microfiber blends.
- Financing: Offers in-house financing options to help customers manage payments, often with promotional interest-free periods.
- Sales: Known for frequent sales and promotional events year-round, making their already low prices even more accessible.
- Delivery & Assembly: Delivery and assembly services are available in most local areas for an additional fee, adding a layer of convenience to the purchase.
Furniture Row excels at providing solid, functional furniture for buyers who prioritize affordability and straightforward style.
Shop Furniture Row: furniturerow.com
Ashley Furniture: The Trendy & Versatile Global Brand
As one of the world's largest furniture manufacturers, Ashley Furniture is known for its vast selection, trend-forward designs, and widespread availability. With a massive network of corporate and franchisee stores, Ashley makes its fashionable and versatile pieces accessible to a huge audience. The brand strikes a balance between style, durability, and value, catering to everyone from young professionals to growing families.
- Product mix: Extensive catalog covering every room in the house, from living room sofas and recliners to dining sets, bedroom furniture, home office, and outdoor pieces.
- Style/vibe: Heavily focuses on contemporary, casual, and modern farmhouse styles that reflect current interior design trends. Ashley frequently updates its collections to keep its offerings fresh.
- Price point: Mid-range. Sofas typically start around $499, while bedroom sets range from $1,000 to $2,500. This places them a step above many budget options while remaining affordable.
- Quality: Known for good durability for the price, utilizing a mix of solid wood, engineered wood, and metal frames. Upholstery often includes performance fabrics designed for better stain resistance and easier cleaning.
- Customization: While not deeply customizable like high-end brands, many sofa and chair collections are available in multiple colors and fabric types.
- Shopping experience: A strong online presence complements a vast network of physical stores and showrooms, allowing customers to easily see and test products in person.
- Delivery & Assembly: Offers comprehensive delivery and assembly services, along with various financing plans to fit different budgets.
Ashley Furniture is the ideal choice for shoppers seeking stylish, trend-aware furniture with reliable quality at a reasonable price point.
Shop Ashley Furniture: ashleyfurniture.com
Furniture Row vs. Ashley Furniture Comparison
Price Comparison
Furniture Row generally wins on price, particularly at the entry level. With sofas starting at $399 and full bedroom sets often available for under $1,000, it’s a premier destination for those on a tight budget. They are aggressive with sales and promotions, further enhancing their value proposition.
Ashley Furniture is slightly more expensive on average. Their sofas usually begin at $499, and bedroom sets are more commonly in the $1,000–$2,500 range. While still considered affordable, that extra cost often translates to more robust construction and trendier designs. Both brands offer financing to make purchases more manageable.
Quality & Construction
In terms of materials, Furniture Row provides decent quality for its price. You'll find a lot of engineered wood and particleboard frames, which are standard in budget-friendly furniture. Upholstery favors durable synthetic fabrics like polyester and microfiber that are made to withstand everyday family life. Their pieces are designed to last for several years with proper care.
Ashley Furniture often has a slight edge in build quality. They use a combination of solid wood, engineered wood, and reinforced frames in many of their pieces. Their focus on durability extends to performance fabrics on upholstery, which provide added protection against spills and stains. This makes their furniture a strong contender for high-traffic homes.
Style & Aesthetic
Furniture Row tends to stick with classic, timeless silhouettes. Its inventory is filled with modern, traditional, and transitional pieces that won't go out of style quickly. This makes their furniture easy to integrate into existing decor and appealing to those who prefer a more subdued and classic look.
Ashley Furniture is all about keeping up with the latest trends. Their catalog is packed with contemporary, casual, and modern farmhouse designs. If you browse their showrooms, you’ll see the popular styles of the moment in home decor. This makes Ashley a better pick for shoppers who want their home to feel current and fashionable.
Fit & Sizing
Both retailers understand the need for versatile sizing. Furniture Row offers a great selection of compact pieces perfect for apartments, small living rooms, or children's bedrooms. They also carry larger-scale items, but their strength lies in functional, space-efficient options.
Ashley Furniture’s massive catalog ensures a wide range of sizes for any space. From oversized sectional sofas designed to fill great rooms to small-scale loveseats and apartment-friendly dining sets, their selection is extensive enough to furnish homes of all dimensions.
Shopping Experience
Furniture Row offers a straightforward shopping experience. Their website is easy to use, and their physical stores are typically large, warehouse-style locations that make it simple to view a lot of furniture at once. Customer service is generally friendly and helpful.
Ashley Furniture has a more polished online store with better filtering options and inspiration galleries. Their physical showrooms are numerous and often more curated in their displays, presenting furniture in stylized vignettes. With one of the largest retail footprints in the country, you’re more likely to have an Ashley store nearby.
Sustainability & Ethics
Both companies are making improvements in sustainability, but it isn't a primary marketing focus for either. Furniture Row notes that it works toward responsible sourcing but doesn't prominently feature specific eco-certifications. Ashley Furniture has clearer commitments to sustainability, including waste reduction goals in its manufacturing operations and efforts to use FSC-certified wood in some products.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right choice comes down to your personal budget, style preferences, and priorities. Both brands are solid contenders in the affordable furniture market.
Choose Furniture Row if:
- Your primary concern is sticking to a tight budget.
- You prefer simple, traditional, or transitional styles that are timeless.
- You are furnishing a first home or apartment and need functional pieces.
- Value for money and deep discounts are more important than the latest trends.
Choose Ashley Furniture if:
- You want trendy furniture that reflects the latest interior design styles.
- You're willing to pay a little more for enhanced durability and material quality.
- You want an enormous selection of styles, colors, and configurations to choose from.
- A polished online and in-store shopping experience is important to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Furniture Row or Ashley Furniture cheaper?
Furniture Row is generally cheaper, especially for entry-level pieces. Their starting prices for items like sofas and bedroom sets are often lower than at Ashley Furniture, making it a better option for shoppers on a strict budget.
Which has better quality furniture?
Ashley Furniture typically has slightly better quality and construction. They tend to use more robust materials, including solid wood components and performance fabrics, giving their furniture an edge in long-term durability compared to the more budget-focused construction of Furniture Row.
Which brand is better for families with kids?
Both are strong choices for families, but Ashley Furniture often gets the nod due to its wider availability of performance fabrics, which offer superior stain resistance. However, Furniture Row's low prices and durable synthetic upholstery also make it a very practical choice for households with children.
Do both Furniture Row and Ashley Furniture offer financing?
Yes, both retailers offer financing options to help customers pay for their purchases over time. They frequently run promotional deals like 0% APR for a specific period, so be sure to ask about current offers.
What style of furniture does Furniture Row sell?
Furniture Row primarily sells modern, transitional, and traditional styles. Their aesthetic is focused on clean lines, neutral colors, and functional designs that have broad, lasting appeal.
What is Ashley Furniture known for?
Ashley Furniture is known for offering a massive selection of trendy and contemporary furniture at mid-range prices. They are quick to adapt to current interior design trends, making them a popular choice for style-conscious shoppers.
Which retailer has more physical stores?
Ashley Furniture has a significantly larger physical retail presence than Furniture Row. With company-owned stores and thousands of franchise locations globally, it's easier to find an Ashley showroom near you to see and test furniture in person.
Can I assemble the furniture myself?
Many items from both brands may require some assembly. However, both Furniture Row and Ashley Furniture offer professional delivery and assembly services for an additional fee if you prefer to have it done for you.
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