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Even paint has gotten the direct-to-consumer startup treatment.
Clare
As a child, I was obsessed with interior design and cooking games, drawn to the promise of domestic bliss and ignorant of the fact that it was simplified and filtered through my computer screen. As an adult, I've learned shopping for my house and making it look and feel like home is much harder than my 10-year-old self was taught to believe.
In a way, however, I've come full circle. With online shopping becoming the new normal, I'm back in front of my computer, this time actually purchasing everything I need for my bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen, from the mattress I collapse into every night to the framed art prints lining my walls.
It can seem risky to buy furniture, hefty cookware, and delicate home goods online, but the payoff — the money and time saved, the long-lasting quality, and the curated product selection — is significant.
We've tested and reviewed numerous online, direct-to-consumer startups that deliver on their promise to take the stress out of shopping for your home, and have organized them into an ultimate home shopping guide for you below.
Mattresses
Leesa/Instagram
The most exciting reason to come home is to sleep and relax on a comfortable, supportive mattress, a universal desire that has spurred the creation of the online mattress industry. We've highlighted a few of our favorite startups leading the way below. If you're able to wait, we recommend holding out until any national holiday to buy one — they're always on sale then.
To find the two best mattresses you can buy online, shop at Leesa. Though pricey, its Sapira mattress is perfect for anyone who switches positions often throughout the night.
To sleep on a hybrid mattress designed for your specific needs, shop at Helix. A short quiz asking you about your sleeping habits and preferences will ultimately lead you to the perfect mattress.
If you're an athlete or lead a very active lifestyle, shop at Bear. Its mattresses feature a clinically tested infrared textile that helps your body recover faster.
To learn everything you'll ever want to know about how you sleep, shop at Eight. Its special smart technology will track your sleep, adjust and maintain the mattress temperature, and set smart alarms.
Bed and bath
Parachute/Instagram
Sometimes the most simple home goods, like bed sheets and bath towels, can bring you the most joy. If you consider your home a sanctuary of comfort and relaxation, then you'll want to buy new bedding and bath linens from one of these popular startups.
For Internet- and editor-approved luxury sheets, shop at Brooklinen. It provides the best value you can find online for comfortable, quality bedding.
For Fair Trade, organic bed and bath products, shop at Boll & Branch. It proves ethical manufacturing and sustainable sourcing only make for a stronger business.
To recreate your five-star hotel room experience right at home, shop at Parachute. You can take your pick from percale, sateen, and linen sheets, then upgrade your bathroom linens while you're at it.
If you want to sleep with a top sheet without dealing with its inconveniences, shop at Primary Goods. Its top sheet snaps to its duvet cover so you'll never wake up with it bunched up by your feet.
To try an innovative and unique fabric (hint: it's made from bamboo), shop at Ettitude. Bamboo translates to soft, silky, breathable, and anti-microbial sheets and towels.
To shop for, purchase, and set up furniture has traditionally meant investing an unreasonably large amount of time and money. The reality is that most of us don't enjoy spending an hour tinkering with tools and deciphering bad instructions, and we don't realize buying furniture can be stress-free, or even fun.
If you like easy assembly, but want the flexibility to add or take away seats from your furniture, shop at Burrow. You'll love the hidden USB charger and stain-resistant fabric.
To fill every room of your house with high-quality, mid-century modern furniture, shop at Sixpenny. Best of all, you won't have to wait long for your order to arrive — it ships for free in two weeks.
Cookware and kitchen tools
Made In/Instagram
Regardless of your cooking expertise or style, the foundation of every home-cooked meal starts with your cookware, knives, and small tools. Cycling through cheap, poorly constructed models wastes money and figuring out what your kitchen actually needs while faced with a sea of brands and products is overwhelming.
To make your shopping experience simple and stress-free, shop at Brigade Kitchen. It only sells four products — a skillet, sauce pan, saute pan, and Santoku knife — but they're made with the best materials and guaranteed to last.
For USA-made pots and pans that take the intimidation out of cooking, shop at Made In. It helps you build a kit based on your needs and shows you how to properly use and clean your cookware.
For a highly curated set of thoughtfully designed kitchen tools, shop at Material. Its goal is to equip you with everything you need to create a memorable, shared food experience, and nothing more.
To replace your current pans, knives, and utensils with one easy click, shop at Potluck. The no-frills 22-piece Essentials Bundle offers unbeatable value at less than $300.
To find brand-less small appliances and tools for surprisingly low prices, shop at Tobox. It works with the same manufacturers behind big name brands and even features a $3-and-under section.
Dinnerware and entertaining
Year & Day/Facebook
Whether you regularly host friends and loved ones in your home, or you're eating and drinking for one, don't underestimate the power of a beautiful and durable table setting. If you're in desperate need of matching utensils, glasses, and serving pieces, you've come to the right place.
For Portuguese porcelain dinnerware and Italian glass drinkware that's as simple (and thus as versatile) as they come, shop at Snowe. You can mix, match, and save on everything you use to eat and drink when you Build Your Own Table.
If semi-matte ceramic dinnerware that's equally elegant and minimalist is more of your style, shop at Year & Day. Millennial shoppers love the aesthetic of its blush and dark navy blue color options, and you can also build a complete set to make a setting of your own.
Home decor and interior design
Modsy/Instagram
Once you've set up the main pieces in your home, make sure your floors, walls, and countertops feel the love, too. Art and decor add visual interest and make your space feel bigger, all while reminding you that real people with real personalities live in this home.
If even the thought of browsing endless paint chips gives you a headache, shop at Clare. The interior designer-founded startup simplifies the paint shopping experience and uses a paint formula that's better for you and the environment.
For handmade vintage rugs that come straight from Turkey but don't cost an arm and a leg, shop at Revival Rugs. The company works directly with local craftsmen to create its one-of-a-kind rugs, many of which you can buy for less than $400.
To let an interior designer reimagine your room and design a 3D model complete with shoppable furniture, sign up for Modsy. It takes the guesswork out of interior design and pricing starts at just $59 per room.
To vote on designs that eventually become real art prints that you can buy, shop at Minted. Take advantage of the site's free art styling service, which shows you what art will look best on your wall and how to arrange it.
For unique designs printed across almost any type of home decor and wall art you can think of, shop at Society6. You'll find pillows, posters, tapestries, towels, and more.
To custom frame your art and photos for less, shop at Framebridge. All you have to do is select a frame style and upload your digital file or send in the physical print, then it will ship the completed piece to you for free.
To decorate your space with anything green and natural (flower bouquets, succulents, small house plants), shop at The Bouqs Co. The Shark Tank alum gets its flowers and plants from local, eco-friendly farms and lets you refresh your desktop blooms with its flower subscription option.