That’s us! Of course, we’re a little biased. We are the area’s home furnishings destination offering healthy, design-forward furniture, accessories, and our own exclusive line of green, envy-worthy pieces. With roots in the Asheville Design District, we have locations in Asheville and Cashiers, where we host a variety of events including makers markets, design education, trade networking, and more! We believe living green is not only better for the environment but essential in building a happier, healthier home.

Rustic, yet modern, Dwellings prides itself on providing an eclectic mix of local and global furniture and home accessories, including an extensive selection of upholstery made right here in North Carolina. Founded in 2003, the store boasts a beautiful location in historic Biltmore Village, 10,000 square feet of showroom space, and an ever-changing inventory, ensuring visitors will always find new treasures every time they come in to one of the best furniture stores in Asheville.

The Arhaus Studio is an inspiring place to curate your home’s design. Offering a new experience and the highest level of service to Asheville shoppers, Arhaus provides a unique assortment of products inspired by the community. Their robust Design Center is equipped with hundreds of swatches and samples and the latest 3D room-planning technology to help bring your vision to life. With personalized service and a focus on quality, Arhaus helps you create a space that reflects your style and meets your needs.

Founded 30 years ago, at a time when few stores in North Carolina carried contemporary European furniture, Ambiente is still known for its premium selection of stylish modern pieces.
Today, Ambiente offers furniture from more than 200 manufacturers from around the world, and features showrooms in both Asheville and Raleigh. Ambient’s goal is to help clients achieve sophisticated, functional designs for their homes that are fun and easy to create.

When Four Corners Home opened in 2004, it was a 450-square-foot retail space. Today it’s a 7,000 square-foot warehouse replete with a hand-selected collection of high-quality transitional furniture and accessories.
Calling itself “a different kind of furniture store,” Four Corners forgoes high-pressure sales tactics in favor of a fun, informative, client-focused shopping experience. Its small, friendly team of associates offer shoppers creative solutions and knowledgeable advice on selections.
In 2009, Four Corners acquired the contemporary furniture store Mobilia, enabling the store to offer an even wider selection of quality merchandise.

Nadeau’s motto is “furniture with a soul,” and their guiding principle is “everyone should be able to attain great furniture.” The result is a community-minded store that features beautiful, unique, handmade items at a superb value. The kind of place Asheville is proud to call its own.
Founder Tommy Nadeau first began selling furniture wholesale at age 22. Today Nadeau is flourishing, with over 30 locations across the country. Even so, Nadeau remains committed to its original values. All Nadeau pieces are crafted from solid wood by artisans Tommy Nadeau knows and trusts, and his store offers localized distribution, sustainably sourced materials, and quality craftsmanship.

Focused on sustainability and upcycling, this unique furniture store was a natural extension of the founders’ original business, Junk Recyclers Inc. But as the company notes, this is “not grandma’s antique mall.”
The Regeneration Station is a wonderful source for versatile, locally-sourced, eclectic furniture pieces and accessories that are full of soul. A stop here is not just a shopping trip; it’s an affordable visit to a fun-filled wonderland of unearthed treasures, music, oddities, and new things to see and do.

In 1998, Rudy Pelle began a new hobby: repairing antique furniture, and buying surplus high-end furniture. Today, that hobby has grown into a 40,000-square-foot mega-showcase of high-end furniture finds.
Rudy’s wife, Dixie, and his daughter, Sharon, continue his legacy by offering high-quality items, reasonable prices, and warm and friendly customer service. They’ve also kept Rudy’s quirky and eclectic spirit alive, making every visit a fun and original experience.

Atomic Furnishing and Design was built on Megan and Todd Walsh’s love story, which began when she bought a piece of furniture off of him on Craigslist. Today the couple enjoys owning their dream business together.
Atomic offers an eclectic mix of vintage mid-century modern furniture, as well as bold, one-of-a-kind artwork and fun vintage accessories. Megan and Todd are passionate design professionals, hand-picking each item for their inventory. Visitors to Atomic are treated to a gallery experience, where they can admire the artistry, shop for great pieces, and browse local vendor booths.

Since its founding in 1996, High Country Furniture & Design’s mission has been to offer quality, unique home furnishings that fit every taste, lifestyle, and specific need. From elegant mountain homes, to rustic cabins, to lakeside villas, to cozy apartments, they have furnishings that will perfectly fit.
High Country boasts a perfectly sized selection that features everything from well-known brand names to custom furniture crafted by local artisans. They’re also known for their highly knowledgeable, insightful staff; and their reasonable prices.

At the heart of Sunnyside Trading Co. is a passion for travel, a love for family and community, and a commitment to protecting the planet. Sunnyside offers beautiful, unique furniture items that are rich in texture, color, and culture. They’re also ethically made; the business is cruelty and animal-product-free, and ninety percent of its pieces are antique or made from reclaimed woods.
Ethical sourcing is important to Sunnyside as well; they directly purchase products from antique dealers, artisans, and manufacturers around the world as they travel. This direct access keeps prices affordable and ensures that Sunnyside supports not only the Asheville community but global communities and the world economy.

Shopping for furniture in Asheville is a unique experience thanks to its proximity to High Point, NC, the furniture capital of the world. Here are five tips to help you make the most of your furniture shopping trip:

1. Take Advantage of Quick Lead Times

Living near High Point means many stores can offer quicker lead times for custom orders. Ask about delivery times so you can get your custom pieces faster than in many other regions.

2. Know What You Need

Make a list of the furniture items you need before you start shopping. This will help you stay focused and avoid impulsive buys. Measure your space to ensure the pieces you choose will fit perfectly.

3. Set a Budget

Determine your budget ahead of time. This helps you narrow down options and ensures you get the best value for your money. Remember, quality furniture can be a worthwhile investment.

4. Research Stores in Advance

Each store in Asheville has its own unique style and offerings. Do some research online to learn about the stores you plan to visit. Look for reviews and customer feedback to get an idea of what to expect.

5. Consult with an Interior Designer

If you’re unsure about your choices, consider consulting with an interior designer. Many designers in Asheville have partnerships with local furniture stores and can help you create a cohesive look for your home. They might also have access to special discounts.

Multi-Generational Living

For a variety of reasons, multigenerational living was trending even before the pandemic began. “That trend has been amplified over the past year,” Sean says. We see even more adult children moving back in with parents and older parents moving in with their grown children. Everyone wants to be together and take care of each other.”

Depending on the family’s specific needs, a multigenerational home could mean an accessory dwelling unit that’s separate from the main house, a separate floor with full kitchen elements, or a garage apartment.
“Many times, it involves creating an aging-in place design for older generations, with options for in-home health or some type of assisted living so they can stay in the house as long as possible,” says Sean.

Enduring Challenges

Some challenges that came along with the pandemic may just outlive it. “Product availability issues will persist for a while,” notes Sean. “Commodities like lumber have come back down a little in price, but inflation is here and here to stay, and it’s raising the prices of homes and goods in general across the board.”

Labor shortages, too, have caused extended problems. “The building industry in Asheville is always busy, and there’s a higher demand for labor on our limited trades.”
Put together, these problems are causing delays, added costs, and added headaches, with no surefire solution on the horizon.

There are practical steps you can take to mitigate today’s building issues. “To keep costs low, look for a design-build firm, as they have an integrated budget-focused approach. Use a right-sized building plan that makes the most practical usage of every square foot. If you plan well, budget well, and exercise some patience and understanding, there’s no real reason to wait to build your dream home.”

Green Built

Qualifications

Minimal prerequisites must be met to qualify for Green Built certification, including compliance with federal, state, and local standards; a specific Energy Star rating; and the installation of specific items, such as energy-efficient doors, windows, appliances, weatherstripping, and carbon monoxide detectors. Once the minimum criteria is met, certification levels are determined by a points system. The beginning level in the Green Built program is certified, followed by bronze, silver, and then gold certified. The highest level is platinum certified.

How It’s Made

“Organic furniture does cost more, and justifiably so,” says Laura. “The most significant factor has to do with manufacturing. Organic furniture simply takes more time and effort to make. It’s very much like the organic produce you see in the supermarket. It has a higher price tag because the farmers had to work harder to grow and nurture the plants without the use of chemicals.  

“Before the advent of mass-production, crafting furniture was a slower and much greener process. Once mass-production began, the priority for many manufacturers became making the highest amount of furniture for the lowest possible cost. Cost-effective production requires more machinery, more shipping, and more hazardous chemicals.”

It’s all About Location

Surprisingly, where a furniture piece is made affects its price, its toxicity, and its environmental impact. “Manufacturing in other countries saves on labor and material costs,” Laura observes. “But the materials and manufacturing techniques can be more toxic. Also, cargo containers and their contents are fumigated after every shipment, and this can leave toxins embedded in furniture. Ideally, you want to buy something that comes from the U.S. In addition to higher safety standards, there’s no carbon footprint.”

Machine Made

VS. Hand Made

One of the most curious conundrums furniture shoppers run into is the wide price disparity that can exist between retailers. Two similar-looking sofas can have price tags that are miles apart, creating additional confusion for buyers already overwhelmed by a myriad of choices. As it turns out, there are solid reasons for price disparities, and understanding them can greatly smooth out the shopping process. 

Retailers make decisions about which brands they will carry based on their own priorities, which typically involve a specific balance of quality and affordability. Production costs are directly related to both.

It’s all About

The Artisanship

Other, smaller craftsmanship elements affect cost as well. Specially-treated fabrics cost more than untreated fabrics, natural fabric pigments cost more than synthetic dyes, and natural latex costs more than petroleum-based foam. Even the quality of something as small as a spring gauge can influence cost.
Then, there are manufacturing techniques. “I can’t even tell you how complicated and labor-intensive the eight-way tie process is,” says Boris. “But you’ll have that sofa forever.”
Manufacturing isn’t the only cost issue. Because of the pandemic, there are fewer delivery drivers, and fewer shipping options, which means higher prices in general. And smaller, lower-producing manufacturing companies have less access to affordable, expedient shipping.