Well, it’s a new world for millennials when it comes to outfitting their apartments. Unlike those of us of a slightly older age who still had our college dorm room furniture until deep in our 30s, today’s young people have far more fashionable choices when it comes to furniture. Enter Feather, a new startup that aims to deliver rental furniture on the dash, and make it disappear just as quickly when it is time to split.
We’ve already seen studies that say that what millennials want in a home is rooms that change as they do. Feather aims to cater to this trend by allowing its customers to change furniture and other interior design items on the fly.
The company says its products are designed to appeal to people with a “liminal lifestyle,” meaning millennials, freelancers or other professionals whose work does not lend itself to the settled life.
“Maybe you want to furnish an entire apartment with your new roommates,” the company says on its website. “Maybe you’re testing out a new city and aren’t ready to commit to staying. Maybe you’re looking ahead to a semester of school before heading back home. Maybe you’re starting a company and are building out an office space. Maybe you’ve got a place full of things you love, but you’re missing something — a cool lamp, a nice soda or a coffee table to bring everything together.”
While the products that Feather offers are not that far off from what typical dorm room shoppers find at IKEA, the company is making an effort to provide more variety with three pricing tiers: standard, “hip,” and premium. The company has also invested in brands familiar to its customer base like West Elm, Wayfair, and Eight. Feather’s shortest lease term is three months, and the company charges a $99 delivery fee, a minimum pickup of $99, and a required $99 returnable deposit, as well as a $49 charge for weekend deliveries and a $199 restocking fee if an item cannot be delivered for some reason.
Depending on the amount of furniture being delivered, Feather aims to be in and out of the apartment in under three hours. It’s also a full-service company with a pre-delivery appointment to discuss any delivery challenges and whether the company needs to pre-assemble your furniture or assemble it on location.
Currently, the service is only available in its two target markets: The five boroughs of New York and parts of New Jersey and the San Francisco Bay Area.
It is not the first time a startup has tried to change the furniture industry, and Feather certainly won’t be the last. From 3D-printed furniture to robotic furniture to transformable furniture to secondhand furniture delivery, plenty of other companies have taken a shot at upending the business.
