Furniture
A Couch So Good, Half Our Editorial Team Has One
Burrow's editor-approved couch looks at home in so many different spaces.
Remember that scene in Friends where Ross keeps yelling “Pivot! Pivot!” to Chandler and Rachel as they carry a couch up a flight of stairs? Of course you do. That was me almost four years ago when I was moving into a new apartment—and I’m willing to bet you’ve gone through that, too.
Even though I treat the experience like a badge of honor now, it was not fun at the moment. I had to carry a huge box without handles (containing a three-seater!), inside up four flights of stairs only to be met with an apartment doorway even more cramped than the stairs. By myself. That’s the stuff of rental nightmares.
Luckily, when I moved out, someone on Craigslist was willing to pick up the couch and take it off my hands. After the new owner was able to pivot (last time, I swear) it out of my apartment, I promptly closed the door, turned off the lights, and pretended I wasn’t home in case they needed help carrying it down the stairs. Nope, not gonna fall for that one again...
I vowed to never go for a traditional couch no matter where I lived next, and as luck would have it, I happened to test a modular couch from DTC furniture brand Burrow soon afterward. Three years and one move later, I continue to sing its praises to anyone who will listen.
Burrow has three different styles of seating, all of which are modular and can be customized to a certain degree with different fabrics, armrests, and legs—almost like a Build-A-Bear for couches. The Nomad is classic mid-century, the Range is more modern, and the newest, Field, is the happy medium between the two with a sleek profile and deep cushions.
I have the Nomad Leather King Sectional in Slate with sloped armrests and walnut legs, and even though I know thousands of other people might choose the same combo, it still feels special to me. At first glance, it looks like any other mid-century modern couch with clean lines and tapered legs. But the genius is in its design—the modular sectional means you can choose as few or as many seats as you want (I’ve got a four-seater with a chaise lounge and an ottoman), and you can arrange them however you want, too. My husband and I had the chaise on the right against a wall in our previous apartment, and now it’s on the left to separate our home office from the rest of the living room.
The seats also fold down for convenience and movability that renters (previous me) and homeowners (new me) would appreciate. They arrived in reasonably-sized boxes with handles that made the trek from my apartment building’s mailroom super easy, and when we moved into our house, I was able to carry each one from the car straight to the living room.
Our content director Brinda Ayer recently got a Burrow Nomad and echoed my appreciation for the design. “I love the modular nature of it because I live on a fourth-floor walk-up and would have otherwise had no hope of having the couch in my apartment,” said Ayer. “Also, as my living spaces change, so too can my couch, which is wonderful because I read that Americans produce more than 12 million tons of furniture waste per year.”
Assistant editor Caroline Mullen has had a navy loveseat from Burrow for four years and recently customized a larger sectional for her next apartment. “After a ton of couch research and many, many opinions, I just decided to go back to one I already love,” said Mullen. “This time, it’s ivory with brass legs, and I absolutely cannot wait to plop down on it.”
The custom-lite aspect of the sectional also means that it’s not as expensive as traditional custom furniture, though it’s still an investment. Thankfully, Burrow has a few sales throughout the year where you can save at least a few hundred dollars. The next one starts December 21 and runs through January 9, 2022, and you can save up to $400 on purchases $3,000+ with the code DONE21.
The Nomad Leather Sectional is also incredibly comfortable and durable. The full-grain leather has withstood kids (that are not mine), dogs (that I wish were mine), and more spills and crumbs than I’d like to admit. The seats are roomy but the cushions have sunk in a bit, which is to be expected given our nightly routine of Netflix and dinner. I can easily flip and move the cushions around so it’s not a big deal. There’s even a charger on the side, which comes in handy for any overnight guests trying to finish Squid Game.
And speaking of guests, when I have had them over, I’d roll out the Nomad Sleep Kit. Like you’d expect from the name, it includes a memory foam topper, sheets, a blanket, small pillow, and even an eye mask that all roll up into a storage bag. Everything is sized to fit the Nomad seat cushions so I don’t need to grab extra linens and blankets that would just fall off overnight—another convenient touch.
Between the modular design, durability, and custom-ish look, I don’t think I’ve appreciated a piece of furniture more or sat in something as comfortable—I’m literally sitting on the couch as I write this. Fortunately, I don’t plan on moving anytime soon, but if I did, Burrow’s Nomad would make it so much easier—no more pivoting.
Written by: Jada Wong
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