As a commerce editor and “professional shopper,” I can say with good authority there are precisely three major events when you should buy a big-ticket item like a couch. The first is Black Friday as this is typically when brands put on the biggest sales. The second and third—in no particular order—are Memorial Day and Labor Day. While the discounts might not be as steep as they are on Black Friday, they’re still pretty impressive, bound to save you major cash on otherwise lofty items. And even though Memorial Day has come and gone, some deals remain better than ever—for a few more days.
Case in point: Burrow’s comfy, sleek couch-in-a-box that’s quickly become my new favorite piece of living room furniture. It’s also become my guests’ favorite piece of living room furniture, invoking many a, “Where’d you get that from?” when they’ve come to visit.
A little about Burrow
A direct-to-consumer (DTC) furniture brand, Burrow makes modular furniture that doesn’t feel like traditional modular furniture. While boxed furniture was once less pretty, less comfortable, and less high-quality, Burrow’s furniture looks like it was shipped as is off the showroom floor, never giving away that it was stuffed into a box. Not that there’s anything wrong with being packed in a box—these pieces are often easier to get in and out of spaces or moved when the time comes. But Burrow wanted to elevate that experience, and set out to “reverse-engineer a luxury sofa to separate into modules, and that ended up unlocking a whole menu of additional benefits,” per the website.
Currently, Burrow sells a wide array of modular furniture, but its couches are arguably what its best known for. Its seating is easy to assemble, easy to move, and also easy to expand upon; since everything is modular, sofas can be customized by adding and taking away pieces, literally growing with the customer depending on their spaces and needs. In seating, this level of customization goes even further as shoppers can choose their upholstery colors, leg finishes, and in some cases, arm styles. There’s also the option add additional touches to each purchase, like ottomans and “sleeper kits” that transform the couches into a sleeping sofa for overnight guests.
Currently, Burrow has five collections of seating to shop, each with its own unique aesthetic: The Nomad, a best-selling classic design, Range, a modern, angular vibe, the plush, overstuffed Union, the elegant, luxe Nomad, and finally—the one I tested—Field, which is minimalist with a hint of Scandinavian flair. Specifically, I tested the Field 4-Piece Sectional Lounger, a hygge-inspired L-shaped sofa that fits my small space (and family) well.
Burrow, Field 4-Piece Sectional Lounger — $1,499.00
Originally $1,890 now $1,499 + free shipping through June 4
Dimensions: 91.5″ L x 60.5″ D x 33″ H
Configurations: 6
Colors: 4 fabrics, 3 wooden leg finishes
- Affordable + delivers for free
- Easy to assemble
- Sleek and modern—great for small spaces
- Modular and versatile
- Easy to spot clean
- Requires two people to put together
- Spot-clean only
- Seats not as deep as other sofas—better fit for small spaces and apartments
Delivery
As you can imagine how a couch-in-a-box could possible arrive, my Burrow Field Couch showed up in a box—four boxes, to be exact. After choosing my fabric color (“plush oatmeal”) and leg finish (oak), my couch arrived two days later, neatly packaged and ready for assembling. It’s worth mentioning that all Burrow pieces ship for free, something not every furniture brand can boast.
Important note: Get a friend or roommate to help you lift these. They are *very* heavy and while easy to maneuver around tight corners or stairwells, definitely require a second set of hands to move. That said, the boxes are convenient, smartly packed, and labelled for clear consistency. For example, the inline seats are clearly labelled “inline seat” so you know before you even open the box what you’re about to put together. As mentioned, there were four boxes total: An Inline Seat, two Corner End Seats, and a Platform. There was also a hardware box that was packed with everything we needed to connect the modules together and stand up the couch (more on that below).
Assembly
I definitely recommend grabbing a buddy to help you put together the Burrow Field couch, or any other piece of modular seating from the brand—it’s not that simple to do on your own. While the instructions are pretty easy to follow, physically lining up the pieces and screwing them together can be difficult.
That said, I enlisted my boyfriend to help me, which helped the process go much more smoothly. The cool thing about Burrow is that, with the Field collection, you get one of six core modules that can create any Field configuration. (Key if you plan on expanding or shrinking your sofa in the future.) Each “module” is built individually. Once they’re all complete, you attach them together in the arrangement desired. In this case, we just followed the standard 4-Piece Sectional Lounger configuration as outlined by the directions.
We started with the Inline Seat which was boxed with the following pieces: the seat platform and back panel, two cushions and cushion covers, two hand screws, two slot screws, and a brace. To put the seat together, we simply had to lie the back panel on the floor and nest the seat platform inside of it, lining up the screw holes as to connect them together with the hand screws. This is why I suggest grabbing a friend—it’s nearly impossible to hold the two together straight and steady, and tighten the screws at the same time (trust me, I tried).
Once the Inline Seat was complete, we made our way to the two Corner End Seats, which followed the same process as the Inline Seat, only with these, you added the arm rests, which also used hand screws to attached. The last module we had to make was the Platform, which was by far the easiest. All we had to do was flip it over and screw in the legs—easy peasy.
Once all the modules were built, we needed to attach them, which is another step you’ll be glad to have a friend to help you with. With a buddy, you have to flip everything upright so that the bottoms are facing you. Pro tip: Try and do this exactly where you want your sofa to live, because once it’s connected, it’ll be tough to move it around. My boyfriend and I flipped everything over and proceeded to connect each module with the flat braces that were included in the hardware box. Once that was complete, I went to work screwing on the legs. (This is optional—the Field Lounger can live on the floor or be raised with legs—your choice.) Once that was complete, we gently put it upright and connected the back panels together with flat braces, too. Then, we promptly stuffed the cushions into their appropriate covers (which were also marked, by the way), placed them on the couch, and admired our work. Everything took about an hour, from start to finish.
Quality + price point
From an aesthetics POV, this couch is so cute—the plush white coloring looks gorgeous with the warm, honey oak legs, and looks like something out of a Scandinavian design magazine. At 31.5-inches-high, it’s very low-profile and sleek. Personally, I like this look and find it especially handy in my small living room. But if you like the giant, over-stuffed look of some other couches, don’t go with the Field.
Comfort-wise, it’s very cozy to sit on, especially in that corner seat on the lounger. The cushions are soft but supportive, so you can sit comfortably without feeling like you’ll get stuck or sink too deep into the couch. Bonus: They’re free from any nasty chemicals, metals, or other suspect materials, so you can relax without worry. My only complaint is that because the couch is so low-profile, the seat cushions aren’t that deep and measure out at 21 inches. Again, this is great for small spaces like apartments or lofts where you don’t have a lot of room. However, it’s not the most comfortable to spend all day on or snuggle up with a partner.
Finally there’s the fabric, which is made from an ultra-durable, premium polyester that’s stain-resistant and so easy to spot clean. Spills, paw prints, dust from my vacuum bag—it’s also easy to get off with a simple spot clean. That said, the cushion covers aren’t machine-washable. So if you’re someone who prefers the ease of throwing your slipcovers into the laundry, you can’t really do that with these covers, since they weren’t designed to be taken off and on. But because they are really hardy and clean easily, you don’t really need to. A quick dab with some soap and water or some fabric cleaner will work just fine.
That said, is Burrow furniture worth the price? I definitely think so. I think the Field Lounger, specifically, is particularly great for people who want to create a chic, luxurious look on a tight budget or in a tight space. TBH, it’s the perfect first “adult” purchase for apartment dwellers who want something comfortable, stylish, and that grows with them. Because if they move to a bigger apartment or—gasp—a house, the couch can grow with them, too. Or, if they end up downsizing even further, all they have to do is un-do one of the modules and reconfigure. That remaining module can be slipped under the couch or stored in a closet until needed again. Tl;dr—it’s a dream for space savers. And it’s pretty affordable, considering most DTC custom sectionals can range in the higher ballpark of $2,000-$5,000 dollars.
Final thoughts
Take it from me: The next time prices will be this low is going to be in another four months—do you really want to wait that long?! Now is the *perfect* time to snag furniture on sale, and this easy-to-assemble couch-in-a-box will have you invoking many a “where’d you get that from?”s too. Snag your Field 4-Piece Sectional Lounger while it’s on sale now, or shop the rest of Burrow’s Memorial Day deals here.
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