Havertys offers a wide selection of classic and contemporary furniture at mid-range price points, focusing on providing good value and reliability for everyday life. In contrast, Ethan Allen is a premium brand renowned for its high-end craftsmanship, extensive customization options, and timeless, elegant designs that are built to last for generations.
Let's compare these two American furniture brands to help you decide which is the right investment for your home.
Havertys: The Versatile &, Value-Focused Choice
Havertys is a long-standing furniture retailer that balances style, quality, and affordability. The brand caters to homeowners looking for durable and attractive pieces without the luxury price tag, making it a popular choice for families and first-time buyers. Their collections span traditional, transitional, and modern designs, ensuring a versatile fit for various interior styles.
- Product mix: A full range of home furnishings, including living room sets, dining room tables, bedroom furniture, home office pieces, and accessories.
- Style/vibe: Classic, traditional, and transitional styles with a touch of modern influence. The aesthetic is timeless and approachable, designed to suit a broad array of homes.
- Price point: Mid-range and budget-friendly. Sofas typically start around $699, dining tables from $399, and complete bedroom sets often begin at $799.
- Quality: Solid and dependable construction using a mix of solid wood, engineered wood, and durable performance fabrics designed for everyday use.
- Customization: Offers a good selection of fabric choices and finish options on many of its pieces, allowing for some personalization.
- Sales: Frequently runs sales and promotional events, particularly around major holidays, offering an opportunity for significant savings. Flexible financing options are also a key feature.
- Shopping Experience: Operates a network of showrooms across the U.S. for in-person shopping, supported by a user-friendly website with detailed product information.
Havertys is an excellent option for anyone seeking reliable, attractively designed furniture that offers a strong balance of price and quality.
Shop Havertys: https://www.havertys.com
Ethan Allen: The Premium &, Customizable Investment
Ethan Allen has established itself as a leader in high-end, bespoke furniture, with a reputation built on superior craftsmanship and sophisticated design. The brand focuses on creating heirloom-quality pieces, with many handcrafted in the USA using premium materials. They are known for complimentary interior design services and extensive customization, appealing to discerning customers who want to create a truly personalized home.
- Product mix: Comprehensive home furnishings, including living, dining, and bedroom furniture, as well as lighting, rugs, home decor, and outdoor collections.
- Style/vibe: Timeless elegance that blends classic traditions with modern sensibilities. Designs often feature refined details, luxurious finishes, and a polished, sophisticated look.
- Price point: Premium to luxury. Sofas generally start around $1,200, dining tables from $800, and bedroom pieces can easily exceed $2,000.
- Quality: Exceptional craftsmanship using high-quality materials like solid hardwood frames, premium fabrics, and high-end finishes. Known for durability and longevity.
- Customization: A key strength, offering thousands of options for fabrics, leathers, wood finishes, hardware, and even tailored dimensions on many items.
- Shopping Experience: A premium, service-oriented experience. Design Centers offer complimentary help from professional interior designers, and their website features powerful customization tools.
- Sustainability: Strong commitment to environmental stewardship, with a focus on responsibly harvested wood and eco-friendly manufacturing practices.
Ethan Allen is designed for those who view furniture as a long-term investment and prioritize personalized design and masterful quality above all else.
Shop Ethan Allen: https://www.ethanallen.com
Havertys vs. Ethan Allen Comparison
Price Comparison
There is a clear difference in price between the two brands. Havertys is positioned in the mid-range market, making it significantly more accessible for the average consumer. With sofas starting at $699 and dining tables from $399, plus frequent sales and financing options, it delivers solid value for the cost.
Ethan Allen operates in the premium and luxury space. Their pieces represent a much larger financial investment, with sofas starting at $1,200 and often reaching much higher depending on customization. The price reflects superior materials, handcrafted details, and the option to create a bespoke piece of furniture. While more expensive, customers are paying for longevity and personalized design.
Style &, Aesthetic
Havertys' style is versatile and widely appealing, focusing on traditional, classic, and transitional looks that feel both comfortable and up-to-date. Their pieces are designed to fit seamlessly into a variety of home environments without being overly bold or specific, making them a safe and stylish choice for most decor schemes.
Ethan Allen leans toward a more refined and classic elegance. Their collections are sophisticated, often featuring intricate details, graceful silhouettes, and premium finishes. While they offer modern designs, their signature aesthetic feels more formal and polished, suitable for interiors designed to impress with a sense of curated, timeless style.
Quality &, Construction
Havertys provides reliable, well-made furniture designed to withstand regular use in a family home. They use quality materials like solid and engineered woods and durable fabrics. While their construction methods are solid, they are geared toward providing the best possible product within a mid-range price point.
Ethan Allen's reputation is built on exceptional quality and craftsmanship. The brand uses high-quality solid hardwoods, premium veneers, and luxurious fabrics. Many items are handcrafted, featuring details like dovetail joinery and multi-step finishes. This focus on construction results in heirloom-quality furniture that is intended to last far longer than more moderately priced alternatives.
Fit &, Sizing
Both brands offer furniture suitable for a range of room sizes. Havertys provides a wide selection of standard-sized pieces, from apartment-friendly sofas to large sectionals and dining tables. Their collections are scaled to fit typical American homes, making it easy to find proportions that work for your space.
While Ethan Allen also offers standard sizes, their main advantage is customization. They can tailor the dimensions of certain pieces to perfectly fit a specific nook or an unusually proportioned room. This level of personalization is ideal for customers with unique spatial requirements or those who want every element of their room to be perfectly scaled.
Shopping Experience
Shopping at Havertys is a straightforward and customer-friendly experience. You can browse and buy online or visit one of their many showrooms to see furniture in person. Their sales staff are helpful, and the process is geared towards efficiency and helping customers find what they need with ease.
The Ethan Allen experience is much more service-driven. Their showrooms function as Design Centers, where customers get complimentary access to professional interior designers. These experts can help with everything from choosing a fabric to planning a full room layout, making the process highly personalized and consultative.
Sustainability &, Ethics
Both companies show a commitment to responsible manufacturing. Havertys uses materials like FSC-certified wood and engages in waste reduction programs. They are conscious of their environmental impact and make an effort to operate sustainably.
Ethan Allen has a more pronounced and long-standing public commitment to sustainability. They source a majority of their wood from responsibly managed North American forests and many of their domestic manufacturing plants have received environmental excellence awards. For shoppers who prioritize eco-friendly practices, Ethan Allen has a more established and transparent track record.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both Havertys and Ethan Allen offer excellent furniture, but they serve different customers with distinct needs and priorities.
Choose Havertys if:
- You're furnishing your home on a moderate budget and want the best value.
- You need durable, reliable furniture for a family home.
- You prefer timeless, versatile styles that are easy to incorporate into your decor.
- You enjoy the convenience of frequent sales and available financing.
Choose Ethan Allen if:
- You are making a long-term investment in heirloom-quality furniture.
- Extensive customization of fabric, finish, and size is a top priority.
- You value a high-touch shopping experience with professional design guidance.
- Your style is refined and elegant, and you appreciate handcrafted details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Havertys or Ethan Allen cheaper?
Havertys is significantly cheaper than Ethan Allen. It is a mid-range brand focused on affordability and value, whereas Ethan Allen is a premium brand with prices that reflect its high-end craftsmanship and materials.
Which has better quality furniture?
Ethan Allen has better quality furniture in terms of materials and construction. They specialize in using solid hardwoods, premium fabrics, and handcrafted techniques, creating pieces designed to last for generations. Havertys offers good, durable quality for its price point but is not positioned as a luxury or heirloom brand.
What style of furniture does each brand sell?
Havertys focuses on classic, traditional, and transitional styles that are versatile and widely appealing. Ethan Allen's primary aesthetic is timeless and elegant, often with intricate details and a refined finish suitable for more sophisticated interiors, though they offer a range of styles including modern.
Is Ethan Allen furniture made in the USA?
A significant portion of Ethan Allen's furniture, especially its wood furniture, is handcrafted in their workshops located in the United States. This commitment to domestic manufacturing is a key part of their brand identity.
Which brand is better for families?
Havertys is generally a more practical choice for families with young children. Their furniture is durable, often available in performance fabrics, and comes at a more comfortable price point, making potential damage from daily life less of a financial concern.
Does Havertys or Ethan Allen offer more customization?
Ethan Allen offers vastly more customization options. Customers can choose from hundreds of fabrics and leathers, dozens of wood finishes, and various hardware options. They can even customize dimensions on some pieces, which is a level of personalization Havertys does not offer.
Which brand is better if I need furniture quickly?
Havertys is likely the better choice if you need furniture quickly. They maintain a larger inventory of ready-to-ship items. Ethan Allen's focus on made-to-order and custom pieces often results in longer lead times, as furniture is frequently built specifically for the customer.
Are both brands sustainable?
Yes, both brands have sustainability initiatives. Havertys uses responsibly sourced materials and has environmental programs. However, Ethan Allen has a more deeply integrated and long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship, with many of their North American workshops certified for their responsible practices.
At Interior Insider, we're dedicated to curating the best in home decor, interior design, and home essentials to help you discover brands we think you'll love. Every brand we feature is independently selected by our editorial team based on quality, design, and craftsmanship. When you make a purchase through our links, Interior Insider may earn a commission - which helps support our small team and allows us to continue bringing you inspiration and expert advice for creating your perfect space.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore our curated design guides to find your next favorite piece.
