Design Within Reach

i was pleasantly surprised that the store would price match online vendors in order to compete for and earn business. showroom was well-​organized and beautifully set up, customer service was careful and attentive. we really enjoyed working with bryant, who helped us select the right version of the aeron chair with the options that my husband needed :)

Amazingly helpful and easy to work with. My mom found something she wanted in the DWR catalog. Before going online I called the store to see if they had it in stock and spoke with Annette. She explained they didn’t but she could set up the shipping for me. It was so easy! She was so friendly and helpful, it was hands down the best ordering experience on a phone. The fact that they have such a great unique selection is wonderful, but you cannot beat good customer service. Will definitely be ordering more from her soon.

I love this store! The staff always make you feel welcome and are quick to let you know of any sales they might be having. If you like mid century modern furniture, you’ll be hard pressed to find another store in Austin with as much selection.

Cool design!
I really dig this place. They sell all the classic chairs that you see in the books. I was blown away by how they’ve got all the Eames chairs, and all kinds of sofas and desk sets. It’s really quite amazing what they can sell there. They have fabric swatches, so you can get their designs in a variety of looks and colors.
They’ve got some amazing clocks, which are beyond what Ikea have. These are time pieces. Things that make a room. Incredible stuff. I really like the Eames easy chairs.
All of their furniture is authentic. No knock-​offs.
Although it’s Design Within Reach, I still felt that it was a bit beyond my reach. But they do have good sales, so you might be able to find a deal in there.
The staff was really helpful and knowledgeable, and was able to make lots of recommendations, and really knew the brands they sell. We were welcomed into the store, and they promptly offered us bottled water along with some friendly assistance.
It’s a great spot to get some classic designs!

I enjoy visiting DWR showrooms to see what local designers they might be featuring in addition to the usual assortment of Eames and Knoll and Herman Miller. The staff here is very nice, and immediately greeted us with bottled water and asked if we were looking for anything in particular or would rather wander around and browse.
I think everyone has already defined the «within reach» thing to death but I’ll pile on, too — take it from someone who lives in a town that doesn’t have this, it’s nice to be «within reach» of a showroom when you’re considering a purchase of a pricey, iconic piece of furniture. It doesn’t matter how many pictures of an Eames lounge you’ve seen online… it’s so much easier to understand the size and scale of the piece when you can check it out in person. And yes, these pieces are absolutely an investment price-​wise, but they also gave us a quick run-​down of all the upcoming sales — so, no worries about dropping $ 8k on a sofa only to have it go 20% off a week later.

For those of you who feel that attentive service is an imposition or want furniture which will do until the kids get out of college if they ever do, then this is not the place for you. But if you are willing to put yourself in the capable hands of professionals such as Mia Robert and let her create with the assistance of state of the art technology the room or rooms of your dreams, you’ll be glad didn’t wait another 25 years to live elegantly. The DWR studio provides you with the opportunity to acquire timeless furniture of excellent quality at your own pace and without pressure. I am one satisfied customer and you will be too.

questionable customer service when you want to return bad product. they need to understand what quality really means.

Stephani Rose in the Austin, Texas store is the best! My husband and I are 70 years old and we love quality, but hesitate to spend money at this time of our lives. Stephani guided us to lower end solutions that we absolutely love.
I shopped all the other sources in Austin looking for «cheaper» items and couldn’t find anything to compare to the products at DWR for comfort, style, quality or workability. After receiving discounts by shopping smart at their sales, the net cost was just a fraction more than the competition. At age 70, comfort and easy of operation is a priority and was worth every additional penny.
Now I don’t even shop around. If we need something, like a new umbrella for shade or new patio chairs, I call Stephani and I order whatever she recommends over the phone. I trust her recommendations.
I also appreciate that, unsolicited, Stephani informed me as to when the next sale was scheduled, so I could take advantage of the sale prices.
Thanks, Stephani.
Joyce J
The Hills, Texas

The store has awful customer service. DON’T take a child with you unless you want to be treated like a hitchhiker with a pet. Go alone, or with someone absolutely fabulous, and you may get a chance to ask some questions if your timing is good.
Design within reach does have some exclusive products that are hard to find and a reasonable value for the quality. Much of their stuff can be found elsewhere for a better price. Buyer beware, they also hock a lot of veneer-​over-​particle board furniture (which becomes almost valueless as soon as you buy it and comes apart when you move it).
Oh, and be sure you are prepared to WAIT for something to ship. The store is a showroom, so they don’t actually have any furniture for sale outside the odd floor model. When you do place an order (for what is typically several thousand dollars), you will be assured it is in their KY warehouse and will get to you within about 7 days or so. My order didn’t ship for a week after I placed it. I doubt I’ll see it any time soon.
Good luck if you must have one of their exclusive products. Otherwise, find another solution!

I have come here multiple times and I have experienced terrible service. It seems that everyone who works here is too busy scribbling notes at their desks to notice that a client has come in with the intentions of actually purchasing something instead of just walking through the show room. This hasn’t happened once or twice, but about three times and every time I’ve ended up ordering the item online and having shipping waived. I love everything about DWR but your Austin store is horrid.

I love this place. Someone mentioned earlier that they only do repros … this place sells more licensed originals than anywhere in Austin. Herman Miller, Vitra, Knoll, Cassina, etc. I’m not really sure if the aforementioned poster knows anything about modern furniture.
I also get weary of the whole «within reach» debate. «Within Reach» does not mean affordable. DWR started selling licensed modern designer furniture to the public before anyone. Before then, you could only buy these pieces from an interior designer or architect. You could not go in a store and come out with Eames, Saarinen, or the like. When DWR started, then you could do so … hence the «within reach.»
I cannot afford the prices either. But I realize that manufacturers set a «MAP» (minimum advertised price). Everyone sets the prices no lower than «MAP.» You might find the occasional closeout of inventory, but other than that the prices are all the same as long as you are looking at the same product.
This is where most people falsely accuse one store’s prices being more expensive than another’s. A licensed Knoll Barcelona chair from DWR is going to cost more than some Chinese knock-​off at PawPaw’s Modern Chairs n’ Such, or where ever you saw that good deal. And if you can’t tell the difference, then you might want to ask yourself if you really do know about design in the first place. Or if you really want that chair because you saw it on Frasier.
Design is in the details. In most cases, these items that are «good deals» are different in scale, dimensions, materials etc. No different than buying a fake Rolex or that pair of «Adidas» from Wally World with the extra stripe. People who do know about design will laugh at you and pee all over your face. Better to buy another, less expensive good design than the same $$$$ for a Fakey-​McFakester.
The show rooms are museum quality, the staff is nice and helpful, and they offer a physical location to actually try the goods.

Design within reach is awesome. I have been amazed at how helpful manager Vicki Collins is and the products are top notch.
I also appreciate how the Austin branch supports local designers. DWR has turned me on to a few local Austin gems.

I recently purchased the Sapien bookcase from DWR, and love it. I’ve been going to them for years, and have always experienced top notch customer service. I see their products as something that will really LAST, and are really worth the price.

Me: «You close at six? I can be at your store by 5:45. Is that too late? Shall I just come another day?»
Amanda: «Oh no. We never rush customers. Just come by. It’s ok.»
So we did. We looked at their lovely inventory but decided that we could not afford to buy here. Still, we stayed to browse and get ideas. Along came Vicki, who perhaps sensed this. She mentioned that the sofa we’re lounging on (but it was oh so comfortable!) is a sample that has just been marked down to clear it off the floor… for half-​price. We started to feel hopeful. She went off, then returned with a three page listing of available floor samples, all on clearance for half-​price. Yes!
The famous name brand sample sofa is well-​built and absolutely stunning. And we loved it. We bit the bullet and bought it. We reasoned that the children can eat pasta for the next month and never even blink an eye (or four). Vicki helped us load it into our vehicle. By now, she has stayed a half-​hour past closing but by her demeanor, you’d never know it.
When we got home, I realized I left our copy of the sales receipt at DWR. Not to worry, however. Once again Vicki, like a chess master, is two moves ahead of me. I logged on to our computer to send her a message, only to see that she has already emailed a thank-​you note and attached a copy of the forgotten receipt.
I am impressed with our shopping experience at DWR. And now that I know their furniture can be within reach — sometimes — watch for those floor sample sales — I’ll be back.

Mid-​Century Modern Furniture Showroom
These are apparently the original designs, not that cheap stuff that looks and feels exactly like it. Which is why I feel this place won’t last. Austin likes cheap stuff and you can find it elsewhere.
But I will say for what it is, I guess it fits the bill. Would still like to be able to walk out with furniture and not have to wait on delivery.

My husband is a big fan of modern furniture, so he used to get this catalog in the mail regularly. The sleek style did grow on me, but we’ve never bought anything from here due to the prices. Most times we get ideas here and look for cheaper versions at IKEA or similar places. We like to call this place «Design Within Everyone’s Reach But Ours».

It’s not that DWR is overpriced, which it pretty much is. But this store isn’t a store — it’s a showroom. They don’t have cash and carry here. Basically, you come here and can see what you are buying, before you buy online. The problem, is that you are now forced to pay both sales tax and shipping. Eventually your purchase will have an additional 20% added to the price tag of that chair you want.

I usually stop in this store whenever Im wandering around the 2^nd district. While its prices wouldnt be claimed as anything outside of expensive, it really does represent a good collection of designers.
However, my main issue is that although the designers are well known names like Eames, Knoll and whatnot, quite a bit of the product they carry are repops of designs from 40 – 60 years ago.
I suppose, if I wanted to pick up a LCM or similar Eames chair I could go there, but for a similar price one could actually buy the real thing from any number of respected dealers around the US. This vintage chair true (rather than what I would consider a reproduction) would actually hold its value or increase over time.
As for their name, I think that Chris M hit it right on the head — this design isnt really «within reach.» I might go with the title: «Still Peddling Full Price Designer Furniture 50 Years After The Fact.»

Ok, let me start by explaining a few things about myself. Keep in mind I’m not trying to brag but this information will help support points that I plan to make in this review.
According to the most recent financial data I reside in the top 3% of all household incomes. Now it’s not the top 1% but it’s not bad either. Also I am employed as Creative Services Professional. Which for the purposes of this review means that I am more likely to spend more money on things that I feel have a cultural value. Things like technology equipment, music/​entertainment, art, food, and FURNITURE.
Upon walking into the showroom and reviewing some of the prices, I feel as though I have been sold a giant lie. Now I would expect to pay $ 3 – 5,000 for a Mies van der Rohe chair, but the name Design Within Reach implies to me that through their close relationships with designers or the volume at which they buy furniture, that they will in some way be able to get a better price for their products. NOT TRUE! I have seen better prices for mid century modern furniture at a number of retailers, most of them privately owned without the buying power of a chain like DWR.
If someone like me doesn’t feel they can afford the prices, or can’t be convinced that it’s worth it. Then who the hell is shopping here? I really think that this store plays to a group of people who are compelled to project a gratuitous display of wealth on those around them. Like it’s a damn competition. I can see maybe being convince to buy one great piece, but some of the stuff here is just ridiculous. Do I really need a Herman Miller waste basket, or a pencil holder designed by Le Corbusier?
Don’t get me wrong the furniture is beautiful, and I think every piece here is a quality item. But I’m reviewing the store, and I have issues with being misled by the name. A better name might possibly be Full Price Designer Furniture, and I don’t think this name change would discourage any of people who are shopping here to stop. In fact they may spend more. They should know that buying «designer» furniture doesn’t mean they have style or taste, but it does show that they’re willing to spend some serious cash to give the illusion that they do.

DWR is all about high-​end mid century modern furniture. I’m not a big fan of mid-​century modern furniture but if you are going this direction and your interiors beg for sleek, honestly designed, architecturally stunning furnishings this is the store for you. Some of the lounge seating and chairs are actually quite comfortable. To help a little, Knoll Classics are on sale through May 11^th.
Parking is horrendous. I have attempted to visit the store for months and can never find a place to park. Finally, as I was passing through downtown, I felt a pull towards the DWR showroom. There it was – a park – just a few blocks away. Michael, a fine sales person greeted me and we had a nice chat. If I had a client in the market for this style, I would be back and ask for him. Prices are not at all «within reach», however.