The Secret to Decorating Your Dream Home? Rent Your Furniture

From an unpredictable economy and a job market in flux to yo-yoing real estate prices, it’s hard to know what comes next. Amid so many unknowns, feathering your nest becomes that much more complicated. Not sure if you’ll be working from home forever? Itching to move but waiting for home prices to stabilize? Stressed about so many things that you’ve got decision fatigue? You’re not alone. It’s hard to commit when the future is so cloudy. One surprising solution to this design dilemma: furniture rental. It’s not a new concept, but a host of startups have adopted it in recent years, making the category not only freshly relevant but surprisingly appealing.

If just the thought of leasing some second-hand sofa on a sketchy loan leaves a bad taste in your mouth, hear us out: Today’s digital-first brands have very little in common with the Rent-A-Centers of the world, and none of them charge interest. Instead, they’ve rebranded as “subscription furniture” and pair a desire to keep furniture out of landfills with the logistical know-how to efficiently give pieces a second (and third, and fourth) life.

Searching for more deals on decor and furniture? We'll share our design secrets.

Each player in this space hastheir own terms of service, rental periods (anywhere from one month to two years), rent-to-buy options and regional footprints. Amid the staggering pandemic-spurred delays, rental companies have easy access to their inventory and offer quick, white-glove delivery and assembly services to get you set up straightaway.

So what, exactly, can you rent? Almost everything. While most brands report that the most common rentals are the big essentials like dining tables, sofas and beds, you can also lease decorative accents, like side chairs, cocktail tables and rugs. Lamps, vases and artwork? Yes, those too. Even better, there’s a wide array of silhouettes and styles on offer—from sedate sofas to trim leather sectionals and audacious upholstery. Thanks to the try-it-on nature of a rental, no matter how much of a statement the piece makes, there’s no such thing as a “wrong,” or irreversible, choice. That flexibility gets at the heart of who rental furniture is for: anyone who’s craving a low-commitment change. The reasons for that may be logistical, like the need to quickly fill a temporary living situation while you’re waiting out the construction of your forever home, or because you’re taking a temporary job in a new city and don’t want to get bogged down by a dining set.

Rentals can also unlock a new way to style your space to reflect the seasons or keep up with the latest trends—what Whitney Frances Falk, founder and CEO of ZZ Driggs, calls “conscious consumption.” It's like fast fashion for the home, but without the waste. (Going through your own blue period? You can rent the whole mood.) Fernish president and COO Kristen Smith has even seen customers outfitting their Airbnbs with rental furniture. “We’re able to create an amazing space that stands out in all of the photos for them, and then they’re able to match cash flows with guests coming in and out instead of having a big cash outlay all at once,” she says.

Even if you’re already firmly rooted in your long-term home, rentals can soothe the anxieties of making a big furniture investment, offering the opportunity to try before you take the plunge on a new style or a bold color. Do you really want to live with that bright yellow velvet long-term? All signs point to yes: “We see individuals wanting to test out a new piece to see if it works with the dimensions and style of what they already have,” says Falk. “Our business certainly works if people return them, but on average, eight out of 10 are electing to keep them or extend their rental until they reach the buyout price.”