In the Press

“BASICALLY, I DIDN’T see a risk,” said Eddy Banuelos of paying $1,045 for a sofa he’d never sat on or touched. The couch in question, an 86-inch model, handsomely tailored in a gray called Crushed Gravel, came from the website of new furniture company Burrow.

After 40 hours researching couches from the top online furniture companies, interviewing experts on sofa construction and design, and testing seven sofas with Wirecutter staffers, we recommend BenchMade Modern.

For Edgar Blazona, perfecting the process of creating high-quality American-made furniture at good prices took a few years. In 2011, Blazona borrowed $5,000 from his father-in-law to set up a small store in Berkeley called True Modern.

Edgar Blazona, BenchMade Modern, a L.A.-based firm that sells customizable sofas online: “China has changed the furniture industry forever. They came in and started shipping product that was below value, then they started training us Americans to believe that you can buy a five-piece sofa collection for $1,299.

Seeking to eliminate the challenges that can be associated with shopping for upholstery, Edgar Blazona launched BenchMade Modern in 2015 — a Los Angeles-based upholstery factory that sells directly to consumers online and through a showroom in San Francisco.

During dinner-party conversation, Edgar Blazona kept hearing complaints about the drudgery of buying furniture. Long delivery times. Lack of choice.

Interior Define isn’t the only company in the custom-couch business. On BenchMade Modern’s site, you can customize the length of your sofa down to the inch. It can even make your couch in 24 hours, for a $270 fee, otherwise it will take seven days.

We love the IKEA aesthetic. We don't love that literally everyone we know has the same furniture from there. While the Scandinavian superstore totally is our design jam, we would really like to step up our homes with high quality minimalist wares from new or little known designers.

With its enhanced popularity, there has been a corresponding rise in sources and at different price points: big retailers like West Elm and Restoration Hardware's new modern division, RH Modern, online sites such as AllModern, and new upstart manufacturers, like Edgar Blazona's BenchMade Modern and True Modern, based in San Francisco.

Once upon a time, registries were a way for couples moving in together after the wedding to establish their first home. Now, with so many people choosing to live together before they tie the knot, the purpose of a registry has changed dramatically. Meanwhile, the needs of modern couples have also shifted; gone are the days when every proper household required a minimum of eight soufflé dishes.

Edgar Blazona, BenchMade Modern, a L.A.-based firm that sells customizable sofas online: “China has changed the furniture industry forever. They came in and started shipping product that was below value, then they started training us Americans to believe that you can buy a five-piece sofa collection for $1,299.

Seeking to eliminate the challenges that can be associated with shopping for upholstery, Edgar Blazona launched BenchMade Modern in 2015 — a Los Angeles-based upholstery factory that sells directly to consumers online and through a showroom in San Francisco.

Selecting a sofa usually means figuring out what size will fit in your space, narrowing down all the options in those dimensions, and then hoping you can find the style you want in the color you desire. All followed by a loooonggg wait for your new sofa to arrive. Enter BenchMade Modern...

When DIY isn’t an option, it’s best to go bespoke. And now that you’ve already customized your closet (hello, glitter and zebra sandals) you’ve got plenty of time to rethink your interior motives. First order of business: replacing that boring second-hand sofa with something sleek, cozy and colorful. Introducing BenchMade Modern, a spanking new company designed to simplify furniture shopping with its super speedy, one-stop shop.

Finding the perfect place to call home is one thing; finding the perfect sofa to furnish it: mission impossible. San Francisco startup BenchMade Modern is rising to the challenge, offering modern sofas with your exact dimensions and color preferences. The best part? They can do it in as little as one day.

Nobody wants to wait for anything anymore, says Edgar Blazona, founder and owner of LA-based startup BenchMade Modern, which offers customizable sofas online that can be manufactured in the span of a single day.

"It's f@#$king insane, magic..... for under $2,000." BenchMade Modern makes top 6 for the day!