8 Modular Furniture Brands That Will Fit Any Space

Modular furniture is a lifesaver no matter if you live in a one-bedroom (that’s really a studio with wobbly plywood pretending to be a wall) or a sprawling estate with a pool house. Think of it as Build-A-Bear for furniture like sofas, bookshelves, and even bed frames.

As someone who’s had to carry (and pivot) a traditional couch up four flights of cramped stairs and sell a too-big bed frame, modular furniture is a million times easier to assemble, disassemble, and transport. It’s also something that grows with your space because you can pick up a cozy loveseat now and then add another seat later, or get a media console for your TV now and then tack on a coordinating bookshelf for your souvenirs later, basically transforming it into something more functional as your needs, environments, and budgets change.

Here are our favorite modular furniture brands, along with some pieces we’ve got our eyes on.

1. Burrow

Burrow’s signature modular couches are perfect for apartment-dwellers and homeowners alike. Choose from three modern yet timeless styles and materials (think tough full-grain leather, plush yet easy-to-clean velvet, and stain-resistant fabric), and you’ve got comfy seating no matter your space or decor. Market editor Jada Wong has the Slope Nomad Leather King Sectional and has recommended it to no less than seven people.

Burrow also has credenzas and coffee tables (though they’re not modular) and customizable bookshelves so you can create a little vignette for your favorite reads or arrange a few together to cover an entire wall.

What to buy: The Slope Nomad Leather King Sectional is timeless and durable. Wong’s full-grain leather sofa has lasted more than two and a half years of daily use (and the occasional sugar-high child and dog) without a scratch to be seen.

2. Wayfair

From couches to closets, Wayfair has a ton of modular furniture that would look at home no matter your space. Due to the site’s ever-changing roster of products, you might not be able to expand your collection as seamlessly in a few years when your space needs a change, but you will have more brands and prices to choose from, giving you flexibility in terms of style and budget.

What to buy: Try building a closet system with ClosetMaid, a popular brand that’s also sold on The Home Depot and Walmart in case Wayfair is ever out of stock. Grab a shelf with a hanging rod to maximize a small hallway closet or get a full closet transformation with a multi-piece starter kit.

3. The Container Store

One of the OGs of modular shelves, The Container Store’s custom systems can grow with your space and work in your closet, pantry, entryway, and more. There’s nothing more soothing to the soul than a coordinating set of shelves—even if what’s on them is a little… all over the place. Our market editor has a handful of mesh drawers and organizers that she uses to corral her beauty products and repurposes them for her pantry when that gets out of hand.

What to buy: If you’re short on pantry space, a simple Elfa over-the-door rack might be all you need until you decide to invest in a something more substantial whether it be open shelving with movable shelves or an entirely custom system.

4. Yardbird

Dress up a small patio or large deck with modular outdoor furniture from Yardbird. Depending on your needs, you can grab a solo lounge chair and add a little side table later to transform your space in a cohesive way. Each piece is also made from ocean plastic and when you need to get rid of your Yardbird furniture (which you won’t for years), the company will take it back and help recycle or upcycle it.

What to buy: The Colby sectional is sleek and small-space-friendly. The modular seats give you freedom to place them however you want, while the slim profile is less overwhelming than chunky wicker.

5. Floyd

Floyd was born in a humble auto garage with a lofty goal “to change the way people buy, consume, keep, and enjoy furniture.” To that end, the Detroit-based company has released modern millennial-friendly sofas, tables, shelving systems, and other products with transformation in its DNA.

What to buy: Our favorite piece is the modular platform bed, a plywood beauty reminiscent of Modernica’s Case Study bed but designed to transform along with your needs. Depending on your space, you can add or remove panels to change between a twin, full/queen, or king mattress. Brilliant!

6. Crate & Barrel

For chic furniture, we love Crate & Barrel. Pieces are pricey but investment-worthy and there are different styles to fit any decor. You can mix and match just the pieces you need as opposed to buying a pre-made set, though the sets are slightly discounted. Our market editor saved a few hundred with the Knox Media Console set instead of purchasing them separately, and plans to swap the table with the coordinating writing desk for a real WFH set-up.

What to buy: The Knox Writing Desk is a great foundation for a home office, entryway, or even as part of an entertainment set-up. It’s not chump change for a desk but it’s made of solid walnut and iron so it’ll last many moves and stairs.

7. IKEA

You can't talk about modular furniture without mentioning IKEA. The Swedish superstore has a ton of pieces like furniture both indoor and outdoor, bookcases, shelves, and more that you can customize to fit your space. Just remember to pick up some basic tools and screws since IKEA is also synonymous with DIY.

What to buy: The Billy is a great foundational piece and there are so many hacks to truly transform the humble bookcase. You can use the slim unit as a standalone shelf or fake a custom built-in and get tons of storage at the same time. It comes in three neutral colors that'd fit any room decor, but it's also super easy to paint or cover with some contact paper.

8. Loose Parts

In 2019, Parsons professor Jennifer June launched Loose Parts with a collection of DIY furniture kits with a universal assembly system of regional hardwood rails, pre-drilled holes, stainless-steel fasteners, and aluminum panels. Since then, the brand has pivoted to modular pieces like bookcases, shelves, and tables that you can customize by stacking a second unit or adjusting shelf heights. The endlessly flexible pieces are ideal for DIY types. There’s also “something empowering about building your own furniture, designing it to fit how you actually use your space rather than how it’s sold to you,” says June. And in these uncertain times, “expressing a creative impulse feels necessary,” she adds.

What to buy: The Optimo Shelving system is industrial and super customizable—choose between different heights and materials, adjust the shelf heights, and even stack them side-by-side.

This article was updated in December 2021 with more details about our favorite modular furniture brands.

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