The 5 Best Ready-To-Assemble Furniture Sellers That Aren't IKEA

The right furniture can make or break a room, which is why you need to find something that fits your needs, looks good, and lasts a long time. For this reason, ready-to-assemble pieces deserve real consideration. This category of home accessories — which is also referred to as flat pack or modular furniture — has sometimes been associated with cheap or poor quality construction. However, some very nice brands, like Burrow and Plank & Beam, are changing the game. It's an up-and-coming furniture trend that will change the way you enjoy your space. It might have been popularized by IKEA, but doesn't end with a single store or manufacturer. Plank & Beam, Ferm Living, Burrow, and HEM all offer stylish flat-packed furniture. Even Wayfair has some great, quality options worth a look.

There's no doubt that assembling your own furniture is a bit of a pain. It does, however, come with a few benefits, including lower home delivery costs. Additionally, you don't have to struggle and figure out how to transport it from the store to your home. Neither do you need to work out whether it will fit through your doorway. IKEA can be a great choice. After all, you can get your entire home organized with IKEA finds under $10. However, sometimes you're looking for something unique. Or perhaps you want to see what else is available. Some IKEA furniture is made from low-cost materials, which means they aren't always the most durable option. If you're looking for something high-quality, long-lasting, and without a mass-produced feel — but that you can still put together yourself at home — consider some other brands.

Plank & Beam's pieces may look simple, but this is furniture retailer that doesn't sacrifice quality. It constructs furniture with durability firmly in mind. The simplicity of these pieces makes them a long-lasting option that fits into any decor style. In short, you don't have to worry about changing out your furniture every few years to fit the newest trend.

Many of their products are made from solid pine and rubberwood, like the Verso Oval Dining Table. Pieces are sometimes made with composite wood — like the backs of the Mid-Century Modern 2-Door Sideboard — and may not last as long. However, they also typically boast a lower price tag. The company uses sustainably sourced and knot-free wood and prioritizes safety with low-VOC finishes and non-toxic materials. Each furniture piece is designed with function firmly in mind, including seamless but easy-to-open doors (there's not an unattractive knob or hinge in sight), adjustable shelves, and cutouts for better cable management.

Some people compare Plank & Beam to luxury furniture maker James & James. If you don't mind spending a little extra money, it may be worth investing in the latter, which does offer higher-quality material. Though, of course, James & James pieces are pre-assembled. However, if you want a balance between good materials, affordability, and clever DIY design, Plank & Beam is a great option.

Mass-produced and modular are often among the furniture styles experts say to avoid at all costs. However, Ferm Living focuses on pieces that feel right at home: they look nice, are durable, and work as intended. The brand's products are pretty pricey, but many happy customers gush about the furniture, praising the unique designs and saying it's worth the cost. Like IKEA, Ferm Living is a Scandinavian company — it's based in Copenhagen.

Ferm Living started when the founder decided she wanted wallpaper with meaningful details. When she couldn't find anything that hit the mark, she decided to make her own. Now, the company sells a variety of furniture, too, including ready-to-assemble pieces. You're sure to find something that feels perfect for your home. The Leta Shelf, as an example, would add personality to most interior concepts while giving you plenty of space to display collectibles. Another example is the chunky, intentionally simple, solid ash wood Ark Dining Chair. (It also comes in deep blue.)

Ferm furniture is definitely not a cheap option. The aforementioned chairs sell for $450 each. However, if you're looking for something that doesn't look the same as what everyone else is buying, it's arguably worth the investment. Unfortunately, not every product is perfect. Some customers leaving reviews on WorthPenny noted the finishes can be a little rough with minor flaws. There were also some reports of minor wobbles and strong off-gassing when first unpacking the pieces.

Burrow has mid-range prices, selling a number of furniture pieces at costs comparable to those at IKEA. Their comfortable products, especially their couches, are made from durable, stain-resistant materials that still look high-quality and fashionable. Plus, they ship relatively quickly. Honestly, it's everything you're looking for in easy, ready-to-assemble furniture. You also don't need any tools to put everything together. The pieces generally fit together easily, though it sometimes requires a bit of strength to manipulate the latches.

Probably one of the best things about Burrow is their quick, affordable shipping. Their furniture fits into standard shipping boxes, meaning it can be delivered by UPS. Each piece of the item is packaged independently, and the company also tells you exactly how many boxes you should expect at your door based on what kind of furniture you bought. Because Burrow's pieces are modular, you can arrange — and later rearrange — them according to your space and decor needs. You never have to worry about moving to a new place and realizing too late that your furniture won't fit the room.

Hem is yet another Scandinavian-based self-assemble furniture company. First founded in 2014, it focuses on innovative and unique pieces that are not mass-produced. The company was founded by U.S. entrepreneur Jason Goldberg, the same person behind e-commerce site, Fab. It embraces the timeless minimalism that lies at the heart of Scandinavian design, while getting creative with color and shape. Hem aims to create furniture that's as comfortable as it is attractive.

To help break away from the mass-produced feel, they offer a lot of customization. For example, with Hem's Puffy Lounge Chair, you can choose both the comforter color and chair color. Buy a Palo couch, and you can choose the upholstery, the configuration, and select furniture pairings.

The product is dependable and sturdy; the company offers a five-year warranty on manufacturing defects. They also use certified wood and recycled materials in order to be more sustainable. These products aren't cheap — though they're a little more affordable than Ferm Living. A couch ranges between about $3,000 and $6,000, depending on size and style. As a bonus, Hem provides tons of helpful purchase information. They break down the material a product is made of, as well as the size and weight for every part of a piece, what country it comes from, and packaging sizes.

Wayfair is an online big box retailer that sells a little bit of everything — from clothing and gardening tools to light fixtures and couches. It's also currently one of the largest online stores in the world for furnishing and decor. Wayfair was founded in 2002 as a collection of disparate stores, and consolidated into one massive site in 2011. It's an affordable option for furniture shopping — especially during sales periods, such as around Labor Day, when Wayfair marks down unsold patio furniture and lots of other products. If you're willing to wait for a sale to come along, you may be able to nab some great deals on ready-to-assemble furniture. 

If you're having a hard time finding nice pieces among Wayfair's huge selection of self-assembly offerings, you need to know which brands to look for. AllModern is simply-made contemporary furniture, Birch Lane produces classic pieces, and Joss & Main keeps up with furniture trends. While there are many high-quality pieces from these Wayfair-owned brands, you still need to check reviews before clicking the buy button. Birch Lane and Joss & Main both have an average rating of 4.1 stars (out of 5 stars) on Trustpilot, with most issues revolving around delivery rather than product quality. AllModern gets lots of points for pricing accessibility, but don't expect your pieces to last forever.