Arhaus Leather Sofa: Reviews, Buying Guide

arhaus

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Arhaus is one of the older furniture retailers in the USA, now in business for over 36 years.  The company has prided itself since its founding on creating a great experience for customers, while creating unique furniture. 

My conclusion on Arhaus?

Arhaus offers attractive, modern designs at a higher tier price point (average leather sofas range from $5000-$6000) with mid-range quality. 

The products are manufactured in North Carolina (by McCreary Modern) who cuts some corners on quality.

Now that Arhaus is a publicly traded company with shareholders to serve, customers are probably best suited to find an alternative with a better value. 


Arhaus Logo

Courtesy: Arhaus

Summary:

Stylish furniture at a high price point. In our opinion, shoppers can probably do better in terms of overall value. The furniture designs are quite modern and highly desirable, so if you are getting a deal, we wouldn't sway you from purchasing from Arhaus. 

Key  Features:

  • Modern, sleek designs
  • USA Made
  • High Quality Leathers
  • Construction is mid tier
  • High price point compared to the quality build

overall 

3.5/5

Quality

Value

Warranty

Reviews

What's The Background Of Arhaus?

Arhaus is a furniture company that was founded in 1986 by John Reed and his father Jack Reed. The company is headquartered in Boston Heights, Ohio. 

From day one, the Reeds focused on creating a unique experience for its customers, with an intense focus on creative design and a personal and tailored experience. The thought was that most furniture stores then, and today are just big, bland oversized stores with a lot of boring qualities and a lack of experience. 

McCreary Modern, one of Arhaus' manufacturing partners (and believed to still be a partner) was impressed with the the vision from early on.

"This is one of the best kept secrets in the industry,” said Bob McCreary, chief executive officer of upholstery producer McCreary Modern, a supplier to the retailer almost from the start. He said Arhaus has set itself apart through its distinctive assortment and attention to detail. -Furniture Today article from 2002 (link)

Today, Arhaus has over 70 stores across the United States and Canada. The company sells a variety of furniture, including sofas, chairs, dining tables, beds, and home decor.

Arhaus is known for its quality craftsmanship and use of natural materials, such as wood and leather. The company's mission is to provide customers with "unique, well-made furniture for every room in their home." 

Is Arhaus Legit?

Arhaus is thought of as a reputable company that offers high-quality, handcrafted furniture. 

However, some examination of a few different review sites show that everything isn't always roses at Arhaus.

For example, while Arhaus has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, there have been over 200 complaints with an average rating of 1.08 out of 5 stars.  

And the complaints run the gamut from poor customer service to slow shipping and many issues with poor quality. 

This one regarding a leather sofa caught my eye.

Warning to potential buyers of Arhaus Furniture: If youre buying their furniture to put in your living room as a showcase and never use, go for it. Very smart understated ********** beach house look. HOWEVER, if you look forward to using it, even once in a while, (i.e., Madrone sofa), plan on replacing it every 12 to 18 months. It has to be the thinnest leather I've ever felt. The leather actually wrinkles like a shirt. The middle is sagging down probably from a very lightweight frame. because the sofa couldnt weigh more than 100 pounds. Its not 100" as advertised but only 94".

Despite some of the negative reviews, we won't let it quite sway our opinion entirely, YET.  The company is legit, so let's start there.  You're not going to get scammed by some fly by night company.  It's a publicly traded company afterall.  

Does Arhaus Manufacture Its Own Furniture?

Arhaus has hand selected partner artisans that manufacture its furniture. 

It is believed that the majority of Arhaus' leather sofas are made in North Carolina by McCreary Modern and other furniture makers. 

Note that McCreary Modern is known to produce furniture for other retailers such as Crate & Barrel, Macy's, West Elm and Room & Board

The company uses high-quality materials and construction techniques to create furniture that is built to last.

Arhaus furniture is made from solid wood, leather, and other durable materials. The company's goal is to create quality furniture that will look great in any home. 

What's The Quality Of Arhaus Furniture?

Arhaus is known for its quality construction and attention to detail. The company's leather furniture is especially popular, as it is made with full-grain leather that will develop a patina over time. 

As noted above, the majority of Arhaus' leather sofas are made by McCreary Modern. Based on my research, McCreary is using plywood frames.

Note that their leather sofas say 'solid, reinforced hardwood', which is a bit misleading and makes it seem like they are using solid hardwood frames

Here's a description of the Madrone Leather Sofa

madrone-leather
  • Craftsman-built frames are constructed using solid, reinforced hardwood for lasting strength and stability.  (my notes..this is plywood)
  • Solid wood legs are inset, making each piece appear to be floating above the ground.
  • Frame support system features no-sag springs made from recycled steel sustained by flexible elastic webbing. (this is a sinuous wire spring system which is a good frame support for a couch, not the best, but it's okay.
  • Seat cushions contain dense foam padded with poly fibers.
  • Backrests and arms are filled with a supportive blend of foam and poly fibers and back frame system is sustained by flexible elastic webbing.

So, overall, McCreary's build quality is sort of middle of the line. Thus, those expecting to get premium quality at Arhaus might be sorely mistaken. 

This post from Houzz sort of backs up this claim

What Sort Of Leather Does Arhaus Use?

Arhaus uses high quality leather for their furniture, sourced from the top tanneries in the world.

According to my conversations with Arhaus, they are sourcing full aniline top grain leathers from Italy, Brazil, New Zealand and Italy.

The store offers a variety of different leathers, including full-grain, top-grain, and aniline leathers.

Full-grain leather is the highest quality leather available. It is made from the outermost layer of the hide, which has not been sanded or buffed to remove any imperfections. This gives full-grain leather a natural look and feel, with all of the original grain patterns intact.

Top-grain leather is the second highest quality leather available. It is made from the outermost layer of the hide as well, but has been sanded and buffed to remove any imperfections. This gives top-grain leather a more uniform look and feel, without the natural grain patterns of full-grain leather.

Aniline leather is the third highest quality leather available. It is made from the innermost layer of the hide, which has been dyed to achieve its color. Aniline leather is the most delicate of the three types of leather, and is more susceptible to staining and fading over time.

Arhaus Sofa Reviews

If you're considering purchasing furniture from Arhaus, you may be wondering what other customers think of the store. Here's a look at some customer reviews to help you make your decision.

Overall, customers seem to be happy with their purchases from Arhaus. Many people appreciate the quality of the furniture although there is a common concern that Arhaus might be a bit too expensive based on the value provided.  

Some customers have had negative experiences with customer service or the delivery process, but these seem to be in the minority.

I examined a local Arhaus store to me in Natick, MA which has a 3.5 out of 5 on Yelp with 33 total reviews.  The overall reviews are pretty good, and a lot of acclaim for the designs and store assistance. Although there again is that concern about whether the furniture is worth the price. 

One example:

I love they're well made furniture and although expensive, it's sturdy and comfortable and you can feel & see the quality. These pieces are made to last!  I've always been pleased with the customer service and they've been helpful making decisions around pieces and fabrics while keeping with the price points. 

Does Arhaus Offer Discounts?

Arhaus is a luxury furniture store that offers high-end, stylish furniture at a slightly higher price point than some other stores.

While Arhaus does not offer discounts on a regular basis, they do occasionally offer sales and promotions on select items.

To stay up to date on the latest Arhaus discounts and promotions, be sure to sign up for their email list and follow them on social media

You can also check sites like RetailMeNot for Arhaus coupons and promo codes.

What Sort Of Warranty Does Arhaus Offer?

Arhaus furniture is built to last, but in the event that something does go wrong, they want to make sure you're covered. That's why they offer a variety of warranty options for their products.

For leather furniture, Arhaus offers a 10 year limited warranty on frame and spring support systems. Cushions and cores, along with any motion mechanisms have a 3-year limited warranty. 

Fabric and leather are not covered by the Limited Warranty. Arhaus does sell protection plans that include coverage for accidental damage, however we typically don't recommend purchasing these plans.

About the author Tom

When I started shopping for a leather couch two years ago, I was confused and overwhelmed by the information available to me. I decided to launch Best Leather Couches in order to create the best resource for shoppers looking for a new leather couch. I hope you enjoy the site. Feel free to drop me a line anytime at tom@best@leathercouches.com

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