CB2 and its parent company, Crate & Barrel, both offer stylish home furnishings but cater to distinctly different customer profiles. CB2 delivers a modern, trendy, and urban aesthetic with an emphasis on minimalist forms and bold accents, often with more budget-friendly pricing, while Crate & Barrel focuses on timeless, classic, and versatile designs built with high-quality materials intended for long-term use.
Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right home furniture retailer for your space.
CB2: The Modern, Urban Furniture Brand
As the younger sister brand to Crate & Barrel, CB2 appeals to a style-conscious, youthful, and urban demographic. The brand is known for its sleek, contemporary designs that blend form, function, and cutting-edge style. Ideal for city dwellers and first-time homeowners, CB2's collections often feature compact footprints, geometric shapes, metallic finishes, and creative collaborations with artists and designers.
- Product mix: A complete range of home goods, including furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom, and office, plus bold lighting, rugs, decor, and outdoor pieces.
- Style/vibe: Decidedly modern, minimalist, and sleek with a touch of industrial and edgy design. Expect clean lines, sophisticated materials like lacquer and velvet, and trend-forward color palettes.
- Price point: Best described as affordable luxury. Sofas generally range from $1,000–$2,500, dining tables are typically $800–$2,000, and statement decor is accessible.
- Quality: Good, reliable quality that aligns with its price. Furniture often uses engineered woods, metal frames, and quality upholstery designed for modern living, though it's less focused on heirloom longevity than Crate & Barrel.
- Dimensions/Scale: Many pieces are designed with smaller living spaces in mind. Sectionals, sofas, and dining sets from CB2 often have a more compact footprint, making them ideal for apartments and condos.
- Sustainability: The brand is committed to sustainability, using eco-friendly materials and finishes and pursuing responsible sourcing partnerships.
- Sales: Frequent sales and promotional events occur throughout the year, especially around holidays, offering significant discounts on furniture and decor.
- Return policy: Offers a straightforward return policy for most non-furniture items within 30 days. Stock furniture can usually be returned within 7 days of delivery, though custom orders are typically final sale.
CB2 is the perfect destination for shoppers who want to create a stylish, contemporary home with on-trend pieces that don't break the bank.
Shop CB2: cb2.com
Crate & Barrel: The Timeless American Home Brand
Crate & Barrel has been a household name since 1962, earning a reputation for high-quality, timeless, and functional home furnishings. The brand seamlessly blends classic and modern elements, creating versatile collections that fit into a wide variety of interiors from transitional to contemporary. It's a go-to for shoppers seeking investment pieces that are built to last, offering durability and enduring style.
- Product mix: Extensive selection of furniture, lighting, rugs, and decor. Critically, Crate & Barrel is also a market leader in kitchenware, tableware, and registry services.
- Style/vibe: Classic, timeless, and sophisticated. The aesthetic favors clean lines, neutral color palettes, natural materials like solid wood and stone, and understated elegance that avoids fleeting trends.
- Price point: Mid-to-upscale. Sofas typically run from $1,200 to over $3,000, and dining tables often start at $1,000 and can easily exceed $3,000, reflecting their focus on craftsmanship.
- Quality: Exceptional durability is a hallmark. Crate & Barrel uses premium materials like kiln-dried hardwood for furniture frames, solid wood construction on case goods, and high-performance upholstery fabrics designed for family life.
- Dimensions/Scale: Pieces are generally larger in scale and more substantial, making them well-suited for suburban homes, spacious living rooms, and open-concept floor plans.
- Services: Offers robust in-person and virtual design services, helping customers plan their spaces with expert guidance. Their wedding and gift registry is one of the most popular in the country.
- Sustainability: Has a long-standing and transparent commitment to ethical and sustainable practices, including using FSC-certified woods and eco-friendly packaging.
- Return policy: A generous policy allows non-furniture returns within 90 days. Furniture returns are accepted within 30 days of delivery, excluding final sale and custom items.
Crate & Barrel appeals to homeowners looking for durable, elegant, and investment-quality pieces that will remain stylish and functional for years to come.
Shop Crate & Barrel: crateandbarrel.com
CB2 vs. Crate & Barrel Comparison
Price Comparison
There is a clear price difference between the two sister brands. CB2 is positioned as the more accessible and budget-friendly option, with popular sofas often starting around the $1,000 mark and many contemporary decor items priced for impulse buys. This makes it an attractive choice for younger consumers, renters, or anyone furnishing on a tighter budget.
Crate & Barrel generally commands higher prices across all categories. Its starting price points for major furniture pieces like sofas, beds, and dining tables are typically hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars more than similar items at CB2. This premium is justified by the brand's emphasis on heirloom-quality construction, solid wood, and more detailed craftsmanship meant to last a lifetime.
Style & Aesthetic
Stylistically, the brands serve different masters. CB2 is firmly rooted in modern, minimalist, and even edgy design. Its collections reflect what's happening now in the design world, featuring sculptural forms, dramatic metallic finishes, and trendy color stories. If you want your home to feel like a high-end, contemporary urban loft, CB2 is your destination.
Crate & Barrel, in contrast, offers a more classic and versatile aesthetic. Its pieces blend modern sensibilities with traditional comfort, resulting in a timeless look that feels sophisticated and inviting. The color palettes are often warmer and more neutral, and the silhouettes are designed to outlast short-lived trends, making them easy to integrate into a wide range of home styles from transitional to comfortably modern.
Quality & Construction
Crate & Barrel has built its reputation on quality and durability. The brand heavily promotes its use of kiln-dried hardwood frames for upholstery, solid wood for case goods, and premium fabrics. This construction is designed for longevity and family life, making their pieces true investment purchases. You buy a Crate & Barrel sofa expecting it to last for a decade or more.
While CB2 creates well-made furniture, its focus is more on achieving a specific design aesthetic at an accessible price. This often means using materials like engineered woods, veneers, and sleek metal finishes. The quality is solid for the price point, and the pieces are functional and stylish, but they are not typically constructed with the same heirloom intentions as Crate & Barrel's offerings.
Product Selection
Both brands offer comprehensive home furnishing collections, but their strengths differ. Crate & Barrel is unparalleled in the kitchen and dining category. Its massive selection of dinnerware, glassware, cutlery, kitchen gadgets, and small appliances - plus its top-tier wedding registry - makes it a one-stop-shop for setting up a home.
CB2 stands out with its curated selection of statement lighting, unique decor, and artistic collaborations. While it covers all major furniture categories, its collection feels more tightly edited and focused on making a bold designer statement in a room, particularly in the living room and home office spaces.
Dimensions/Scale
The scale of furniture pieces is a key differentiator driven by their target demographics. CB2 caters to the urban dweller, offering sofas, sectionals, and dining tables with more compact dimensions better suited for apartment living and smaller rooms. They also feature more multi-functional and modular pieces to maximize limited space.
Crate & Barrel furniture is generally built on a larger, more traditional scale. Their deep sofas, substantial dining tables, and large storage units are designed for more spacious suburban homes. Before buying, it’s essential to measure your space, as a Crate & Barrel sectional might overwhelm a small city apartment.
Sustainability & Ethics
Both brands are part of the same parent company and share a commitment to responsible sourcing and sustainability. However, Crate & Barrel often highlights its long-term initiatives more prominently, such as its widespread use of FSC-certified and reclaimed wood and dedication to ethical supply chains. CB2 also pursues eco-friendly practices by using sustainable materials and recycled content, aligning its modern ethos with environmental consciousness. You can feel good shopping at either, but Crate & Barrel has a more extensive public track record in this area.
Which One Should You Choose?
The right choice depends on your style preferences, budget, and priorities. Both brands offer quality furniture, but they cater to different tastes and needs.
Choose CB2 if:
- You gravitate towards modern, minimalist, and contemporary interior design.
- You're furnishing an apartment, condo, or a home with smaller rooms.
- You are budget-conscious but want a home that looks trendy and stylish.
- You enjoy making a statement with bold lighting, geometric shapes, and unique decor.
Choose Crate & Barrel if:
- You prefer a classic, timeless, and versatile style that transcends trends.
- You are looking to invest in high-quality furniture that is built to last for many years.
- You have a more spacious home and need larger-scale, substantial pieces.
- You are also shopping for high-quality kitchenware, dinnerware, or creating a gift registry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are CB2 and Crate & Barrel the same company?
Yes, they are. CB2 is a sister brand to Crate & Barrel, launched in 2000 to cater to a younger, more modern, and urban-focused audience while Crate & Barrel serves a more classic, established customer base.
Is CB2 or Crate & Barrel cheaper?
CB2 is generally more affordable than Crate & Barrel. Its pricing is aimed at delivering style at a more accessible level, making it a better option for those on a tighter budget or furnishing their first home.
Which brand has better quality furniture?
Crate & Barrel is renowned for its higher-end construction and use of premium materials like solid, kiln-dried hardwood frames. Its furniture is designed with longevity and durability as a top priority. While CB2 offers good quality for its price, Crate & Barrel is the clear winner if long-term durability is your main concern.
What is the style difference between CB2 and Crate & Barrel?
CB2's style is modern, minimalist, and trendy, with industrial and artistic influences. Crate & Barrel's style is classic and timeless, mixing modern clean lines with comfortable, traditional elements for a more versatile, transitional look.
Which is better for small apartments?
CB2 is unquestionably better for small apartments. Many of its furniture collections are specifically designed with smaller footprints, modular functionality, and a lighter visual scale in mind to work in urban living spaces.
Do both brands offer design services?
Yes, both brands offer complimentary design services. Crate & Barrel provides both in-store and virtual consultations to help with room layouts and product selection. CB2 also offers a similar design service to help customers pull together its modern look.
How often do CB2 and Crate & Barrel have sales?
Both retailers hold regular sales events, particularly around major holidays like Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Black Friday. You can typically expect discounts ranging from 15% to 30% on furniture and up to 60% on select clearance items.
Which brand has a better return policy?
Crate & Barrel generally offers a more generous return policy, allowing up to 90 days for non-furniture returns and 30 days for stock furniture. CB2's standard return window is 30 days for non-furniture items and a shorter 7-day window for furniture.
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