Design Within Reach
Design Within Reach
Est. 1998
About
Design Within Reach (DWR) is an American retailer of authentic modern and contemporary furniture, lighting and home accessories. The company was founded in 1998 by Rob Forbes and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, in the United States. It operates through a network of retail locations branded as Studios, an e-commerce website at dwr.com and a print catalogue. The business specialises in licensed, authored design rather than reproductions, distinguishing its catalogue from lower-cost imitations of well-known modern pieces. The company originated from a problem Rob Forbes encountered when furnishing his own home. Having admired clean, simple modern classics while living in Europe, he found that works by designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Le Corbusier and Eero Saarinen were difficult to obtain in the United States, often requiring long lead times or insider industry connections. The name "Design Within Reach" reflected the founding goal of making authentic modern design more accessible to general consumers. The early business model relied on a mailed catalogue and a stocked inventory that allowed faster delivery than the months-long waits typical of the period. Design Within Reach grew into one of the larger premium retailers of authored modern design in North America, combining direct-to-consumer catalogue sales with physical Studio locations across the United States and Canada and an established online presence. The Studio format functions as a showroom where customers can view furniture in person, while the catalogue and website extend the brand's reach to a national audience. The product assortment spans living, dining, bedroom, office and outdoor categories, alongside lighting, storage and accessories. A defining characteristic of the company is its emphasis on authenticity. The retailer sells officially licensed and manufacturer-authorised versions of modern classics, working with established producers and design brands rather than offering unlicensed copies. Its assortment includes products from manufacturers such as Herman Miller, Knoll, HAY, Muuto and Louis Poulsen, as well as pieces developed under its own label. This positioning targets customers who value provenance and the rights-holding manufacturer's specifications over price alone. Ownership of Design Within Reach changed in 2014, when Herman Miller, the Michigan-based office and home furniture manufacturer, agreed to acquire a majority stake. The transaction valued the acquisition at approximately 154 million dollars for around 84 percent of the company, and it brought DWR's consumer-facing retail expertise together with Herman Miller's manufacturing operations. The acquisition supported Herman Miller's broader move toward a consumer and lifestyle orientation in addition to its long-standing contract and office business. In 2021, Herman Miller completed a merger with Knoll, another major American design furniture manufacturer, and the combined company adopted the name MillerKnoll. Design Within Reach continued to operate as a distinct retail brand within the MillerKnoll portfolio, alongside other brands such as Herman Miller, Knoll, HAY, Muuto, Maharam and Geiger. Under MillerKnoll, the Stamford, Connecticut headquarters serves as a base for the group's global retail operations. The company's pricing reflects its focus on premium, licensed design, placing it in a higher tier than mass-market furniture retailers while remaining oriented toward residential and professional buyers rather than exclusively bespoke or ultra-luxury markets. Its customer base includes individual consumers furnishing homes as well as professional buyers in office, hospitality and design-trade settings. The brand's terminology around authentic design classics and modern furniture remains central to how it presents its assortment. Design Within Reach is frequently cited in discussions of the modern furniture retail market for its catalogue-and-Studio model and its concentration on authored, manufacturer-authorised design. Its primary market is North America, with Studio locations in the United States and Canada and online sales serving customers across the region. As a contemporary furniture retailer, it occupies a position focused on licensed modern and contemporary pieces drawn from a range of established design manufacturers.
Specifications
- Categories
- homeofficehospitality
- Price Range
- $$$
- Founded
- 1998
- Headquarters
- Stamford, United States
- Certifications
- FSCGREENGUARD GoldOEKO-TEXGOTS
Resources
Common Questions
Design Within Reach is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, in the United States. The Stamford location also serves as a base for the global retail operations of its parent company, MillerKnoll. The retailer additionally operates Studio locations across the United States and Canada.
Design Within Reach was founded in 1998 by Rob Forbes. He started the company to make authentic modern design classics more accessible to consumers in the United States, who at the time often faced long delivery waits or limited access to such pieces. The early business relied on a mailed catalogue and stocked inventory.
Design Within Reach is known as a retailer of authentic, licensed modern and contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories. It is recognised for its Studio retail format, its print catalogue, and its emphasis on authored design from established manufacturers rather than unlicensed reproductions. Its assortment includes classics by designers such as the Eameses, Le Corbusier and Saarinen.
Design Within Reach is owned by MillerKnoll, Inc. Herman Miller acquired a majority stake in Design Within Reach in 2014, and Herman Miller was renamed MillerKnoll in 2021 following its merger with Knoll. Design Within Reach continues to operate as a distinct brand within the MillerKnoll portfolio.
Design Within Reach products are sold through its Studio retail locations in the United States and Canada, its e-commerce website at dwr.com and its print catalogue. The brand serves both individual consumers and professional buyers. furniture.directory is an independent directory and does not sell furniture directly.
Design Within Reach sells officially licensed and manufacturer-authorised versions of modern design pieces rather than unlicensed reproductions. It sources products from established manufacturers and design brands, including Herman Miller, Knoll, HAY, Muuto and Louis Poulsen, in addition to items under its own label. Authenticity and provenance are central to how the retailer positions its assortment.