Crate & Barrel is a household name, with stores across the country and a wide range of sofas, from slipcovered classics to its well-known Lounge collection. What A Room is a direct-to-consumer brand that focuses only on custom sofas and sectionals, built to order in the USA. Both brands build solid sofas. The differences come down to how much you can size and tune the sofa to your room, how you shop, and what happens if the sofa is not right.
Here is a side-by-side look at quality, sizing, and price. Details below are based on each company's published information at the time of writing, and specifications vary by model, so always check the product page for the exact sofa you are considering.
The short answer
Choose Crate & Barrel if you want to sit on sofas in a store before buying, love a specific collection such as Lounge, or want a slipcovered style with washable covers. Choose What A Room if you want a sofa sized to your exact space, want to choose your own cushion firmness and seat depth, want published foam density on every model, or want the option to return a custom piece.
Side-by-side comparison
|
What A Room |
Crate & Barrel |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Focus |
Custom sofas and sectionals |
Furniture and home goods for every room |
|
Sizing |
Width, seat depth, and chaise length chosen in small increments |
Set sizes per collection |
|
Cushion firmness |
Choose Soft, Medium, Firm, or Trillium on every model |
Cushion construction described per model |
|
Frame |
Kiln-dried solid wood with corner blocks |
Kiln-dried hardwood; FSC-certified on the Lounge model we reviewed |
|
Suspension |
8-gauge sinuous springs |
Spring-up Flexolator foundation on the Lounge model we reviewed |
|
Seat foam |
2.5 lb high-resilience foam, CertiPUR-US certified |
Plant-based polyfoam wrapped in a fiber and feather-down blend on Lounge |
|
Where made |
Built to order in the USA |
Lounge: made in the USA of domestic and imported materials |
|
Fabrics and swatches |
165+ fabrics, up to 12 free samples |
230+ fabric options on Lounge, up to 10 free swatches |
|
Returns on custom pieces |
Within 60 days on standard-option orders (15% fee plus pickup) |
Custom and special-order furniture cannot be returned |
|
Where to see it |
San Jose showroom, free samples, free 3D renderings |
Retail stores nationwide |
Quality and construction
Crate & Barrel publishes detailed construction notes for its sofas. Its Lounge model, for example, is listed with a benchmade, kiln-dried hardwood frame made with FSC-certified wood, a spring-up Flexolator foundation, and seat cushions with a plant-based polyfoam core wrapped in a fiber and feather-down blend. That is solid, well-documented construction, and construction details vary across Crate & Barrel's collections, so it is worth reading the notes for the specific model you like.
What A Room uses the same core construction on every sofa we build: a kiln-dried solid wood frame with corner blocks at every joint, 8-gauge sinuous springs, and seat cushions with a 2.5 lb high-resilience foam core. That density is higher than the 1.5 to 2.0 lb foam common in mass-produced sofas, and all of our foam is CertiPUR-US certified. Every fabric we offer is free of PFAS and PFOA. Materials page explains each component.
One practical difference is in the feel. Feather-down blends give a soft, relaxed, sink-in seat that many people love, and they need regular fluffing to keep their shape. Foam-core cushions hold their shape with less upkeep. At What A Room, you can also choose a Trillium down-alternative wrap if you want a plusher feel with less fluffing.
Sizing: set sizes vs built to fit
Crate & Barrel offers a large selection of sofas and sectionals in set sizes for each collection. With so many models, there is a good chance one of them fits your room.
What A Room starts with your room instead. On our Daphne collection, for example, you can choose a width from 80 to even 172 inches for our large sectionals in 4-inch increments, a seat depth from 23 to 31 inches, and a chaise length from 62 to 82 inches. If you need a size between our standard options, custom dimensions can be requested at checkout, and a designer reviews every order before production. That matters most in rooms with tight walkways, awkward alcoves, or specific comfort needs. See our Personalizing Your Sofa guide for every choice you can make.
Comfort and firmness
At What A Room, firmness is your choice on every model. All seat cushions use a 2.5 lb high-resilience foam core, and you choose Soft (24 ILD), Medium (28 ILD), or Firm (45 ILD), or a Trillium down-alternative wrap. If you love a design but want it softer or firmer, you do not need to switch to a different sofa. You can read more on our Cushions page.
At Crate & Barrel, comfort is defined by the cushion construction of the collection you choose, so finding your preferred feel usually means trying different models. Its stores make that easy if you live near one.
Price
Crate & Barrel's sofa prices span a wide range across its collections. As one reference point, the Lounge sofa piece we reviewed was listed at $1,999. What A Room collections currently start at roughly $2,350 to $2,550 depending on the collection, with fabrics grouped into Standard, Deluxe, and Premium tiers. Delivery at What A Room runs $149 to $289 based on order total, and most orders include white glove service with room-of-choice placement, setup, and packaging removal.
When comparing prices, look at what is included: sizing flexibility, firmness choice, construction details, delivery, and return options.
Fabrics and swatches
Both brands offer large fabric libraries and free swatches. Crate & Barrel listed more than 230 fabric options on the Lounge model we reviewed, with up to 10 free swatches, and it offers performance fabrics and slipcovered styles with washable covers. What A Room offers more than 165 fabrics, with filters for Performance, Cat-Friendly, Dog-Friendly, Machine Washable, and Stain-Resistant, among others. You can order up to 12 free samples from our Free Fabric Samples page, and they ship in one business day.
Returns: the biggest practical difference
According to Crate & Barrel's published policy, custom and special-order furniture cannot be returned, and furniture returns need to be reported within 7 days of delivery. For in-stock pieces, that short window is worth keeping in mind.
What A Room accepts returns on custom furniture built from our standard website options within 60 days of delivery, in new or like-new condition. A 15% return processing fee and pickup charges apply, and original delivery fees are not refundable. Special requests beyond our standard options and customer's own material (COM) orders are final sale. Full details are on our Returns & Exchanges page.
Lead time and delivery
Crate & Barrel shows an estimated delivery window on each product page, and timing varies by item and fabric. What A Room builds every sofa to order in 4 to 5 weeks, and transit typically takes 7 to 14 business days after your sofa ships. If your home is not ready, we can hold your finished order at our warehouse at no additional cost. See our Shipping & Delivery page for details.
Warranty
What A Room sofas carry a limited lifetime warranty on the frame, suspension system, and construction-related components against manufacturing defects, plus one year on cushions and fabric. Crate & Barrel has its own coverage terms, so review them for the model you are considering. Our coverage is explained on our Warranty page.
Which one is right for you?
Crate & Barrel may be the better fit if you
-
Want to sit on sofas in a store before you buy.
-
Have your heart set on a specific Crate & Barrel collection.
-
Want a slipcovered sofa with machine-washable covers.
-
Are furnishing several rooms and want everything from one retailer.
What A Room may be the better fit if you
-
Need a size that standard options do not quite fit.
-
Want to choose your own firmness and seat depth on the same design.
-
Prefer foam-core cushions that hold their shape with little fluffing.
-
Want the option to return a custom sofa if it is not right.
If you are not sure what size or layout will work, send us your floor plan. Our free Design Consultation includes 2D and 3D renderings of your options in your actual space.
Frequently asked questions
Is What A Room a good alternative to Crate & Barrel?
It can be, especially if you want a sofa sized to your space, your choice of firmness, and the option to return a custom piece. If you prefer to shop in person or want a specific Crate & Barrel collection, Crate & Barrel may suit you better.
Can you return a custom Crate & Barrel sofa?
According to Crate & Barrel's published policy, custom and special-order furniture cannot be returned. What A Room accepts returns on custom furniture built from standard website options within 60 days of delivery, with a 15% return processing fee and pickup charges.
Which brand lets me choose the sofa size?
Crate & Barrel offers set sizes for each collection. What A Room lets you choose width, seat depth, and chaise length in small increments, and custom dimensions can be requested at checkout.
Are both brands made in the USA?
Every What A Room sofa is built to order in the USA. Crate & Barrel lists its Lounge sofa as made in the USA of domestic and imported materials. Origin varies across Crate & Barrel's collections, so check the product page.
Which has more fabric options?
Crate & Barrel listed more than 230 fabric options on the Lounge model we reviewed. What A Room offers more than 165, with filters for pet-friendly, machine washable, and performance options.
