A Comparison Between What A Room and Crate and Barrel

So you’re looking for a new sofa. You’ve done some research, looked around, and narrowed it down to two very different types of brands: What A Room, a custom upholstery brand, and Crate and Barrel, a retailer you’ve probably walked past in a mall. They both sell sofas, but they aren’t the same kind of company; the differences matter depending on what you’re looking for. 

The Brands

Sofa shopping through Crate and Barrel and What A Room means choosing between two very different models, a large, multi-category retailer and a small, single-category maker.

• Crate and Barrel has been around since 1962 and has built a reputation for contemporary and modern furniture. They’re part of the Otto Group, a multinational retailer, with nearly 8,000 associates across Crate and Barrel and CB2, and over 100 stores across 9 countries.

For sofas, their product lineup includes bench seat sofas, sectionals, sleeper sofas, loveseats, and small sofas.

• What A Room has been in business for 20 years. They’re a nationwide custom upholstery brand with one showroom in San Jose, California, and every sofa is made to order in Los Angeles. They own their manufacturing, and the staff is involved from the moment you order to the day it ships. 

Both brands manufacture their sofas in the US, however, for Crate and Barrel, their other pieces of furniture are manufactured in the US and around the world.  

The showroom versus online-first experience is another difference, but the bigger one is that What A Room builds every sofa to your specifications. Crate and Barrel sells sofas they’ve already designed with limited customization.

How the Ordering Process Works

When it comes to ordering, that difference shows up right away in what each brand asks you to do.

• With Crate and Barrel, you pick from what exists. The dimensions are set, the configurations are fixed, and you choose a fabric from the available options for that model. Some models have more fabric choices than others. For example, the Avondale offers 247 fabrics, but the sofa itself is already designed. You’re customizing within their parameters.
  
• With What A Room, you share photos of your space, design inspiration, and the size you need. You pick the style, the fabric from 165+ options, the cushion firmness, and the seat depth (standard 38″ or a deeper 43”). They build the sofa to your dimensions. In the design process, you get renderings of your space so you can see how it all fits before production starts.

One thing to factor in before you order from either brand is the return window. Crate and Barrel offers a standard 30-day return policy, while What A Room gives you a longer 60 days, which is a pretty good deal if you end up not completely loving your couch. Both brands can help arrange pickup for returns, though neither will accept one if the item shows stains, scratches, or damage.

Fabrics and Swatches

Both brands let you order swatches before you commit. When you’re choosing a fabric you’ll live with for years, having more options matters; it’s a big (somewhat) permanent decision. Plus it’s nice to hold up samples against your walls, flooring, and lighting to make sure you’re getting what you want and it looks good in your space.

• Crate and Barrel send five free samples, and their fabric selection varies by model.
  
• What A Room sends 12 free samples, and they carry over 165 fabrics, including performance weaves, velvets, and machine-washable options that hold up well in homes with kids or pets. 

How They’re Built

Both brands are building quality furniture. Crate and Barrel builds a quality sofa, but the design is already set. What A Room builds one around your exact specifications.

• Crate and Barrel’s wood sofas are FSC-certified, meaning the wood comes from responsibly managed forests, and are made by craftspeople in North Carolina. Their foam density varies among pieces but is between 1.8 lbs to 2.0 lbs.
  
• What A Room uses kiln-dried hardwood frames, which resist warping over time. Their foam density runs around 2.5 lb, higher than what you’ll find in most mass-market furniture. Denser foam holds its shape longer; sofas that go flat and saggy after a few years usually got there because the foam density wasn’t high enough from the start.

Seat depth is also a selection both brands offer and something people don’t think about. If a cushion is too shallow, you could be perched on the edge, or too deep and your feet don’t reach the floor. Keep this in mind when working with your design staff when placing your order.  

The Warranty

The warranty is where things really change. One brand backs you for a year, the other for life.

• Crate and Barrel covers materials and workmanship for one year from purchase. That’s standard for retail furniture and covers early defects. After that first year, you’re largely on your own unless you’ve purchased an extended warranty separately.

• What A Room offers a lifetime warranty on the frame, suspension system, and construction-related components against manufacturing defects under normal residential use. Cushions and fabric are covered for one year, including abnormal loss of resiliency, visible sagging or flattening of the cushions that doesn’t recover after fluffing and 24 hours of rest.

A lifetime frame warranty isn’t something you see often at any price point. For a sofa you’re planning to keep for ten+ years, it changes the long-term value calculation.  

Design Help and Delivery

Design help and delivery look different depending on how you shop, and how long you’re willing to wait.

• Crate and Barrel has over 100 stores, so you can see and sit on their sofas in person before you buy. They also offer free design consultations three ways: in your home, in a store, or online. You get mood boards, floor plans, and 3D previews of your room, with no purchase required.
• Crate and Barrel sofas ship from inventory, while others may be longer depending on your fabric selection. It can be anywhere from 3 days to 4 weeks. 

• What A Room has one physical showroom in San Jose. If you’re in the Bay Area, you can go in and see and feel their product before placing an order. For those outside the Bay Area, the process is entirely online with free design consultations, floor plan help, and 3D renderings showing your sofa in your space. Buying a sofa you haven’t sat on takes some trust, but their swatch program and design process are built around making that easier before production starts, and there are many positive reviews to back that up.
• What A Room’s production takes about four to five weeks, plus seven to 14 business days for delivery. 

Neither brand gets a sofa to you in a week, but What A Room’s timeline is straightforward once production begins. And both brands offer white-glove delivery.

Price

This is where the two brands separate most clearly.

• Crate and Barrel’s sofa lineup starts around $1500 and runs up through $3,000 – $4,000 depending on the style and configuration.
  
• What A Room’s custom sofas start around $3,000, with leather options going higher.

There is a price gap, and it’s worth nothing because of what you’re buying and the quality over time. A Crate and Barrel sofa at $1,500 may need new cushion cores in three to five years, or start looking worn sooner under heavy daily use, especially if the foam density is on the lower end, which is likely at that price. 

A What A Room sofa built with 2.5 lb density foam on a kiln-dried hardwood frame, backed by a lifetime warranty on the structure, is designed to last 10+ years. When you spread either price over the actual life of the sofa, the comparison looks different than the sticker price suggests.

If you’re furnishing a guest room, a first apartment, or a space that doesn’t call for a long-term investment piece, Crate and Barrel’s price point for a smaller, lower-end sofa is a real advantage. If you’re buying for a main living space and want to buy once and invest in a solid piece, What A Room’s pricing makes more sense in that context.

Who Should Buy What

Crate and Barrel makes sense if you want to shop in person, don’t need custom sizing, or prefer a more conventional buying process. Their design services are a lovely perk, and the in-home consultation isn’t something most furniture retailers offer. If their product line fits your space and budget, it’s a solid sofa at a fair price.

What A Room makes sense if you have specific dimensions in mind, want more control over fabric and configuration, want a lifetime warranty on the frame, or need something durable for a home with pets or kids. You won’t be sitting on it before it’s built, but the design process and customer support are there to help you get it right before production starts.

Crate and Barrel vs. What A Room Sofa Comparison Chart

	Crate and Barrel	What A Room
Brand Type	Large, multi-category retailer	Small, single-category custom maker
Founded	1962	Early 2000’s
Locations	100+ stores across 9 countries	One showroom, San Jose, CA
Manufacturing	Sofas made in the US; other furniture made in the US and abroad	Made to order in Los Angeles; owns manufacturing
Customization	Choose from existing designs; fabric only, dimensions and configuration fixed	Built to your dimensions, style, fabric, cushion firmness, and seat depth
Fabric Options	Varies by model (e.g., Avondale offers 247)	165+ fabrics, including performance weaves, velvets, and machine-washable options
Free Samples	5	12
Construction	FSC-certified wood, made by craftspeople in North Carolina, 1.8 – 2.0  lb foam density	Kiln-dried hardwood frames, 2.5 lb foam density
Warranty	1 year on materials and workmanship	Lifetime on frame, suspension, and construction; 1 year on cushions and fabric
Design Help	Free consultations in-home, in-store, or online; mood boards, floor plans, 3D previews	Free consultations, floor plan help, 3D renderings; in-person only in the Bay Area
Delivery Timeline	3 days to 4 weeks depending on inventory and fabric	4 to 5 weeks production, plus 7 to 14 business days delivery
Price Range	~$1,500 to $3,000-$4,000	Starts around $3,000, higher with leather
Best For	In-person shopping, no need for custom sizing, secondary or lower-investment spaces	Specific dimensions, more control, durability for pets or kids, long-term investment pieces

Final Thoughts

What A Room and Crate and Barrel both sell sofas, but they’re doing different things at different price points. Crate and Barrel is a large retailer with a broad selection and an in-store experience. What A Room is a custom upholstery brand that builds to your specs, manufactures in the U.S., and backs the frame for life.

If you have a specific space, a specific vision, or you’re buying something you plan to keep for a long time, What A Room is worth the investment. If you want something well-made with a more straightforward buying process, Crate and Barrel is a good option. Neither is the wrong choice; it comes down to your budget, your space, and your lifestyle.