Many twenty-somethings are facing a particular COVID catch 22: with offices closed, they’re spending more time at home than ever. But also with offices closed, the concept of home is more nebulous than ever—37 percent of adults ages 18-29 say they moved during the coronavirus pandemic; New York City is seeing a record number of rental vacancies, and, with an economic recession looming, a skittish attitude toward long-term leases and mortgages prevails. So how, exactly, does one create a livable space when they aren’t sure if this is where they’ll live long-term?
Like so many, that’s the position I found myself in this summer. Re-signing a two-year lease on my New York City apartment seemed daunting, especially as my office hasn’t yet set a firm reopening date. So I found a sublet instead—perhaps it’s just a pit stop, or maybe it will turn into a permanent place. The fact of the matter is...I just don’t know.
Which put me in a tricky spot, furniture-wise. Any new space requires some additional stuff—maybe an old couch doesn’t fit, or there’s an alcove perfect for a work-from-home desk. I didn’t want to buy any investment pieces, yet, aware of the environmental impact of the fast furniture market, something cheap I might throw out three months later seemed wasteful. The solution? Renting.
Furniture rental isn’t a new concept by any means: Rent-a-Center was founded in the 1980s and became a Fortune 500 company, after all. But in the past couple of years, buzzy e-commerce sites and startups are embracing the concept and touting a cost-conscious, sustainable, and custom-service driven mission. Feather, a subscription site with Floyd shelves, Casper mattresses, and their own Scandinavian mid-century modern-influenced line, also offers room design and white glove delivery service. It just secured a 30 million dollar investment from Credit Suisse. Meanwhile, West Elm partnered with Rent the Runway and now offers decor bundles.
One company that’s catching the eye of design fiends in particular? ZZ Driggs. Founder Whitney Francis Falk studied global furniture retail and manufacturing on Wall Street. “In my work understanding the economics of a lot of these companies, I discovered that the majority of furniture being produced today was intentionally built to last only a few years on average,” she says. “This was all astounding to me. I remembered heirloom treasures—furniture from my memory was at its core a vastly sustainable practice of use and reuse, of care and researched restoration, and what I was witnessing with some of these behemoth companies was a wasteful—and ultimately desecrating—practice for both people and planet.”
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August 25, 2020 at 05:52AM
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These Stylish Furniture Rental Companies Are Making It Easier to Upgrade Your Space - Vogue
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