Furniture Retailers in the UK

Finding a good furniture shop in the UK

Furniture is the thing most worth buying in person. A sofa's comfort, a mattress's firmness, the finish on a table and the drawers on a chest cannot be judged from a photograph, and an independent furniture shop with a showroom lets you sit, lie, open and compare. The independents survive against the retail parks and the online sellers on exactly that, plus made-to-order pieces, British-made ranges, advice from someone who has sold furniture for thirty years, and delivery by their own van with the old sofa taken away.

The sector divides by what you need: sofa and bed specialists, whose ranges go deep in one thing; general furniture shops covering living, dining and bedroom; bespoke and made-to-measure makers for fitted wardrobes and tables to a size; pine and oak specialists; and the second-hand, vintage and charity furniture shops where the bargains and the solid old pieces are. Most independents offer interest-free credit, and the good ones are members of the Furniture Ombudsman scheme, which settles disputes.

Delivery lead times are the other thing to ask about: stock items in days, made-to-order sofas and beds in six to twelve weeks. The listings here show each shop's reviews, what they sell, opening hours and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who has a showroom, who delivers and removes, and where people in your town bought the sofa they still like.

What furniture shops sell

Sofas and chairs: fabric and leather sofas, corner and modular sofas, sofa beds, recliners and armchairs, in stock or made to order in your choice of cover.

Beds and mattresses: divans, bed frames, ottoman storage beds, mattresses from budget to pocket-sprung and memory foam, with the chance to try them, and adjustable beds.

Dining and living: tables and chairs in oak, walnut, pine and painted finishes, sideboards, TV units, bookcases and coffee tables, often extendable or made to size.

Bedroom: wardrobes, chests and bedside tables, fitted and sliding-door wardrobes measured and installed, and children's furniture.

Second-hand and reclaimed: vintage, antique and pre-owned furniture, solid wood pieces that outlast new flat-pack, and charity furniture shops that collect and deliver.

Before you buy furniture

• Measure the room, the doorways, the stairs and the hallway; a sofa that will not turn the corner is the most common delivery failure.
• Sit on a sofa for ten minutes and lie on a mattress for as long as you dare; comfort is personal and cannot be read.
• Ask about frame construction, cushion fillings and fabric ratings for sofas, and spring count and firmness for mattresses.
• Get the lead time for made-to-order pieces in writing, and the delivery and old-furniture removal charges.
• Check the guarantee — frames are often ten years, mattresses five to ten — and the shop's returns policy.
• Ask whether they are members of the Furniture Ombudsman scheme, and pay by credit card for purchases over £100 for the extra protection.

What furniture costs in the UK

As a rough guide, a three-seater sofa costs £600 to £1,200 at an independent for a decent fabric model and £1,200 to £3,000 for leather, British-made or made to order; a double mattress £300 to £800 for a good pocket-sprung or hybrid, and a divan bed with mattress £500 to £1,500; a solid oak dining table with six chairs £800 to £2,000; a fitted wardrobe £1,500 to £4,000 installed. Second-hand solid furniture is typically a quarter to a half of new. Delivery runs £30 to £80, with old-furniture removal £20 to £50 extra.

Independent prices are close to the chains for equivalent quality and often better on made-to-order and British-made ranges; the sales in January and the summer are real at most independents, unlike the permanent 'sale' elsewhere.