Chairish Review: My Honest Take on the Vintage Furniture Marketplace

Hey there, furniture lovers! If you‘re like me, you‘re always on the prowl for those perfect pieces to take your home decor to the next level. And if you‘ve spent any time in the online vintage and antique furniture space, you‘ve probably come across Chairish.

As a self-proclaimed furniture nerd and veteran Chairish shopper, I‘m here to give you the full scoop on this popular marketplace. I‘ve spent countless hours scouring the site‘s 300,000+ listings, reading up on the company, and chatting with other vintage-obsessed buyers. And now I‘m ready to share everything I‘ve learned to help you decide if Chairish is legit, worth your time and money, and the right fit for your furniture buying needs.

In this ultimate Chairish review, we‘ll dive into:

What Chairish is and how it works
The biggest pros and cons of shopping the site
How it compares to other online vintage furniture marketplaces
My insider tips for scoring the best deals and avoiding duds
The final verdict on if Chairish gets my stamp of approval

So grab a cup of coffee and let‘s get into it – your dream vintage sofa awaits!

What Is Chairish? The Skinny on This Chic Secondhand Marketplace

In case you‘re new around here, let‘s start with the basics. Chairish is an online marketplace specializing in pre-owned and vintage home furniture and decor. Founded in 2013 by entrepreneurs Gregg and Anna Brockway (of TripIt and Lulu fame), the site has quickly become a go-to shopping destination for interior designers and decor enthusiasts hunting for one-of-a-kind pieces full of character and craftsmanship.

The Chairish difference is their highly curated, design-driven selection. This isn‘t your average dusty thrift store or hit-or-miss estate sale. Each and every item is hand-vetted by the Chairish team to ensure it meets their standards for quality, style, and condition before it‘s approved to sell. So you can browse with confidence knowing you‘re seeing the crème de la crème of pre-owned furniture and decor.

Chairish by the numbers:

4M+ unique monthly visitors
300K+ total listings at any given time
20K+ verified sellers based in the U.S.
10K new arrivals added each week
Order volume has grown 70% year-over-year

So yeah, it‘s fair to say Chairish is dominating the high-end vintage furniture e-commerce game. The site is a total treasure trove for unique finds from all design periods and styles. You‘ll see everything from mid-century modern sideboards to antique Louis XVI chairs to Memphis-era lighting, and every fabulous thing in between. It‘s like the most incredible estate sale of your dreams, available to shop 24/7 without leaving your couch.

One thing to note – Chairish‘s focus on premium vintage means prices can be on the higher end. This isn‘t the place for $50 furniture flips or cheap starter pieces. Most items are a true investment, with prices to match the quality, rarity, and excellent condition. But for many design lovers (myself included), it‘s well worth it for the chance to own a piece of furniture history and elevate your space with something truly special.

The Pros of Shopping Chairish, From a Fangirl

If you can‘t tell, I‘m a bit of a Chairish superfan. As an avid collector of all things vintage and someone who hates having the same mass-produced furniture as everyone else, the site is a dream come true. These are a few of the biggest reasons I keep coming back to Chairish for my home decor needs:

1. The Most Incredible Vintage Furniture Selection

I know I‘ve said it already, but it bears repeating: Chairish‘s selection is just chef‘s kiss. The breadth and quality of the vintage pieces you can find on the site blows my mind on a daily basis. It puts every antique store and flea market I‘ve ever stepped foot in to shame.

And I‘m far from alone in my Chairish obsession. Design stars like Emily Henderson, Justina Blakeney, and Bobby Berk have all spoken about sourcing items from the site, and it‘s been featured in AD, Elle Decor, and Domino. You know you‘ve made it when the industry pros are singing your praises.

No matter your decor style, you‘re pretty much guaranteed to find a vintage piece to fall in love with on Chairish. The site makes it a breeze to filter by period and style to find exactly what you‘re looking for, whether it‘s a campaign dresser, Murano glass chandelier, or cane peacock chair. I‘ve personally scored an amazing Milo Baughman burl wood dining table, a set of velvet Chesterfield chairs, and countless pieces of quirky retro barware over the years. My home would be a lot less interesting without Chairish.

2. Top-Notch Customer Experience

I‘ll be real with you – buying furniture online can be stressful. Especially when you‘re shelling out a pretty penny for an antique or rare vintage piece. Is the listing accurate? What if it shows up damaged? Will I be able to return it? So many questions.

Chairish seems to understand this, because they go above and beyond to make the process as hassle-free and transparent as possible. It starts with the listings themselves, which include an impressive amount of detail and tons of high-res photos. Sellers are required to disclose any flaws or signs of wear, so you know exactly what condition the item is in. No nasty surprises upon delivery.

Speaking of delivery, I‘ve been wowed by Chairish‘s white glove service every single time. They only work with specialized furniture delivery companies who know how to handle high-end and antique pieces with care. Your items show up at your door (or inside your room of choice, depending on the seller), fully assembled and ready to enjoy. No sketchy freight trucks dumping a pallet on your lawn.

I‘ve also had great experiences with their customer support team the few times I‘ve needed to reach out. They‘re super responsive, knowledgeable about the products and policies, and just all-around lovely to work with. When one of my items showed up with a small unexpected nick, they helped me get a partial refund without any pushback.

Essentially, Chairish succeeds in making the whole antique and vintage furniture buying process feel approachable, trustworthy, and even fun. For a vintage-lover and worrywart like me, that goes a long way.

3. Endless Home Decor Inspiration

Honestly, even when I‘m not actively furniture shopping, I still find myself browsing Chairish on the regular. The site is just an amazing source of home decor eye candy and inspiration. I‘m always discovering cool new design styles and ideas I want to try out in my space.

I especially love their editorial content and email newsletters, which highlight the latest trends, tips for decorating with vintage, and peek inside the incredible homes of Chairish shoppers and sellers. It‘s so much more than just a marketplace.

Following Chairish on Instagram is also a dangerous rabbit hole of gorgeous vintage furniture and decor. Don‘t say I didn‘t warn you! But it‘s awesome to get the first look at new inventory and see how other vintage-lovers are styling their finds IRL.

At the end of the day, Chairish is really more than a store – it‘s a community of design enthusiasts who geek out over furniture history and craftsmanship as much as I do. And that‘s pretty darn cool.

Things to Keep in Mind When Shopping Chairish

For all my Chairish evangelizing, I‘ll admit the site isn‘t completely perfect. These are a few potential drawbacks to be aware of before you dive headfirst into a vintage furniture shopping spree:

1. Premium Prices

We‘ve established that Chairish isn‘t exactly a budget furniture source. While you can occasionally score a great deal on the site, more often than not, you‘ll be paying top dollar for premium vintage pieces in excellent condition.

Designer names, rare finds, and items located in major cities like NYC and LA can be especially spendy. I‘m talking $500 for a side table, $5,000 for a credenza. Prices you‘d expect from a high-end antique dealer.

Of course, the value is definitely there. When you buy a well-made vintage piece, you‘re getting furniture that‘s stood the test of time and has a history and character that can‘t be matched by something brand new. You have to decide if it‘s worth the investment for your style and budget.

But I will say this – thanks to Chairish‘s advanced search filters, it‘s easy to set your price range and only browse items that fit your budget. Start on the low end and go from there. I‘ve found some amazing steals in the under $300 category over the years. It just takes some patience and a lot of checking back for new inventory.

2. Slow Shipping Turnaround

All of Chairish‘s items are located with individual sellers across the country, so shipping is rarely a super speedy process. Sellers have 2 business days to confirm and process your order. And depending on where they‘re located in relation to you, freight shipping can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

In my experience, most items are delivered within 2-3 weeks from order placement. But I‘ve waited up to a month for a couple of pieces coming from the opposite coast.

The lesson here: Chairish is not the place to shop if you need a furniture piece, like, tomorrow. I always try to plan in advance and be flexible with my timeline when I‘m shopping the site. Trust me, the anticipation only makes finally receiving your piece that much sweeter! Just expect to be patient.

3. Limited Stock and One-of-a-Kind Items

The blessing and curse of vintage furniture is that once a piece is sold, it‘s gone for good. You aren‘t going to find another one just like it.

This scarcity model can work in your favor if you‘re shopping for something super specific or rare. Chairish is a goldmine for hard-to-find pieces. But it also means you have to act fast if you see something you love. Highly-coveted items get snatched up quickly and the early bird definitely gets the furniture worm.

I can‘t tell you how many times I‘ve hemmed and hawed over an amazing piece, only to have another eager design lover beat me to the punch. It‘s vintage heartbreak! These days, I‘ve learned that when I love something, it‘s always better to go for it. You never know if you‘ll have a second chance.

The flip side of this one-and-done model is that Chairish‘s selection is always changing and there‘s a constant stream of fresh inventory being added. While you may miss out on one dream piece, there‘s a good chance another one is right around the corner. I actually love the thrill of the hunt and how the site always keeps me on my vintage-loving toes!

The Final Verdict: Is Chairish Legit?

If you‘ve made it this far, you can probably guess what I‘m about to say. In my opinion (and the opinion of many other in-the-know vintage furniture shoppers), Chairish is 1000% legitimate. Yes, I‘m a fangirl, but I have plenty of excellent reasons to be.

The quality and curation of the site‘s inventory, the seamless and trustworthy shopping experience, the drool-worthy inspiration – it‘s just unmatched in the vintage and antique furniture space. I‘ve purchased countless pieces from Chairish over the years and never once had a bad experience. The listings are always accurate, the customer service is top-notch, and the items themselves are even more incredible IRL, without fail.

But you don‘t have to just take my word for it. Chairish has an excellent reputation in the design community, with endorsements from some serious industry pros and shelter mags. They have a 4.7 rating on Trustpilot, with gushing reviews from satisfied buyers. And the fact that the site does hundreds of millions in sales each year speaks to how much vintage-lovers trust and rely on it.

So is Chairish legit? In my mind, there‘s simply no question. But is it right for you? Well, that depends on your unique budget, style, and shopping preferences.

You Might Want to Shop Elsewhere If…

You‘re furnishing an entire room on a tight budget and timeline
You prefer a risk-free return policy and generous trial period
Buying used furniture sketches you out and you‘d rather pay for something new
You need to see a piece in-person before buying, no matter how detailed the photos and descriptions are
You have super specific taste and need a guarantee that you‘ll find exactly what you‘re looking for

Of course, these are just guidelines based on my own experience and chatting with other Chairish shoppers. You know yourself and your furniture needs best. My biggest piece of advice? Browse the site, make a wishlist, read some reviews, and see how you feel!

The beauty of Chairish is how easy (almost too easy) it is to shop amazing vintage furniture from the comfort of your couch. And with their no-questions-asked returns on most items, you can shop with confidence knowing you‘re not fully committed until you see a piece in person. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that once you take the Chairish plunge, you‘ll become just as pathologically addicted as I am. Don‘t say I didn‘t warn you!

To me, the thrill of a truly killer vintage find will always be worth the price tag and the wait. And no one serves up killer vintage finds quite like Chairish. Happy hunting, design lovers!

Chairish Review: My Honest Take on the Vintage Furniture Marketplace

What Is Chairish? The Skinny on This Chic Secondhand Marketplace

The Pros of Shopping Chairish, From a Fangirl