Overview of Modway Furniture Brand
Modway is a furniture company founded in 2009 that focuses on providing affordable modern furniture, aiming to make mid-century modern and contemporary designs accessible. Their catalog includes a wide variety of furniture like sofas, chairs, tables, beds, outdoor furniture and more. The company sells its furniture through large online retailers like Amazon and Wayfair as well as through its own website.
Modway promotes itself primarily as an affordable furniture brand. While style and looks are certainly part of their appeal, their prices are typically 20-50% lower than high end designer brands with similar aesthetics. The tradeoff of course is that lower prices generally mean lower quality.
So that begs the question – is Modway furniture actually good quality given the lower prices? Or does their affordability come at the expense of durability and longevity? This in-depth critical review will analyze that question across their product line.
Examining the Quality and Construction of Popular Modway Items
To understand whether Modway makes good quality furniture, we need to dive into the materials, construction and detailing of some of their most popular pieces.
Modway Render Mid-Century Modern Walnut Wood Dining Chair
This popular dining chair has a mid-century style design with tapered walnut wood legs and a shaped plywood seat and backrest. It‘s priced very competitively at around $140 per chair.
Upon close inspection, while the style of this chair is attractive, it does seem to cut some corners on construction:
- The walnut wood legs are solid wood but quite thin, measuring less than 1 inch across at narrow points. Long term durability is questionable.
- The plywood used for the seat and backrest is fairly low grade and thin. Plywood seats can crack or split over time.
- There is no padding or cushions used. The plywood slats may grow to feel uncomfortable over years of use.
- Details like screw holes are visible rather than hidden or capped. Marks an amateurish construction.
Overall for a dining chair under $150, the compromises seem reasonable. But compared to higher end walnut and plywood chairs in the $300+ range, the low quality of materials used is quite noticeable.
While the aesthetic design punches above its weight, structurally there are concerns on whether this chair would survive decades of regular family dining use without issue.
Modway Prospect Mid-Century Modern Sofa
This popular mid-century style sofa features angled solid wood legs, clean button tufted lines, and polyester/linen blend upholstery. It sells on Amazon currently for around $530.
Again upon closer inspection, some construction shortcuts are evident:
- The beech wood used for the tapered legs seems dense and durable enough. However leg joinery relies more on screws and glue rather than strong woodworking joints.
- Cushioning is quite thin. Seat cushions are 4 inches thick while back cushions are 2.5 inches. Long term comfort could be an issue.
- Back and arm structure relies on basic plywood frames overlaid with foam and fabric. Not the strongest construction that may sag over time.
- Linen-poly blend fabric is prone to pilling and wears faster than 100% natural fibers. Tufted buttons add visual interest but open up more areas for potential failure over years of use.
At around $500, the materials and construction is decent for the price, but this is definitely not heirloom furniture built to last decades. Corners were cut to hit the affordable price point. Buyers should expect some maintenance, upkeep and potentially part replacements if used regularly long term.
Modway Shore Outdoor Patio Aluminum Dining Armchair
This coastal inspired dining armchair combines a sturdy aluminum frame with all-weather composite wood seat and backrest. It‘s a customer favorite for affordable outdoor furniture.
Here the story is somewhat brighter:
- The powder coated aluminum is thick (1 inch diameter tubes) and heavy duty. Aluminum does not rust and can survive years outdoors. Joints and welding points seem solid.
- Thick composite wood used for seat and backrest is waterproof and weather/mold/mildew resistant. Should easily last 5-7 years outdoors.
- Support bars and cushion add comfort while quality plastic feet cap the leg bottoms to protect patio or deck surfaces.
Priced around $150, this outdoor dining chair is very competitively priced but does not feel cheaply made. The heavy duty aluminum and durable wood should perform fine outside for years. Much better quality relative to price than the indoor furniture pieces examined previously.
How Does Modway Furniture Quality Compare to Other Brands?
Compared to premium designer furniture brands that can charge $2,000+ for sofas or $1,000 per dining chair, Modway is clearly more affordable. However their brand positioning is not necessarily "cheap furniture" but rather "affordable mid-century modern designs".
So it is useful context to compare their quality against similar on-trend furniture brands focused on price-conscious young professionals and first time homeowners. Some apt comparisons:
vs. IKEA – At first glance Modway furniture resembles the affordable but decently made IKEA aesthetic. However IKEA product quality has improved leaps and bounds over their particle-board stereotypes. Overall Modway lags IKEA substantially in materials, construction quality, and durability testing.
vs. Wayfair – As a furniture e-commerce site, Wayfair sells items across a wide range of brands and quality levels. But their in-house brands like Alwyn Home are more comparable price-wise to Modway. Here Modway lags a bit in average quality but exceeds the lowest end Wayfair items. They are largely on par depending on specific item comparisons.
vs. Amazon Basics/Rivet Furniture – Amazon‘s private label furniture brands aim for that optimal balance of quality and value. Modway furniture quality tends to be a notch below Amazon Basics or Rivet Furntiure picks. But they compensate by offering more variety and style flexibility.
vs. West Elm – While positioned as an upscale modern furniture store, many West Elm items are affordably priced under $1,000. At this modest level, West Elm furniture clearly eclipses Modway in quality, construction and materials value. But of course comes at double or triple the prices.
So in summary, Modway furniture quality lags behind true premium furniture brands but is on par or exceeds ultra low-cost discount furniture. Compared to other mid-priced, modern furniture competitors, Modway furniture trails slightly in durability but counters by offering more affordable options for a variety of contemporary furniture needs.
What Do Customers Have to Say About Quality?
Customer sentiment and reviews on Modway‘s product quality ranges quite widely:
Positive Quality Reviews:
- "Pleased with quality given the price"
- "Held up nicely after 1 year of use"
- "Happy it has survived my kids and dogs"
- "Looks far more expensive than it actually was"
Neutral or Mixed Reviews:
- "You get what you pay for"
- "Decent but nothing special"
- "Not the most sturdy but does the job"
- "Better quality than expected but not heirloom furniture"
Negative Quality Reviews:
- "Cheap quality materials, broke after light use"
- "Fell apart quickly with regular use"
- "Materials are flimsy, questionable long term durability"
- "Looks nice but does not hold up over years"
The wide spectrum of reviews and somewhat average 3.5/5 star ratings reflect the mediocre but very-budget-friendly nature of the brand.
Customers understand they are not buying premium furniture to pass down generations at Modway‘s prices. So expectations are managed on getting attractive designs that last a few years with light use. But manufacturing shortcuts become evident under heavier family use.
Where Does Modway Furniture Excel and Fall Short?
Where Modway Furniture Wins
- Price and perceived value
- Stylish and trendy designs
- Wide range of furniture categories and choice
- Mix and match collections for complete rooms
- Easy online ordering and delivery
Where Modway Furniture Falls Short
- Materials quality and durability
- Construction techniques
- Structural strength and integrity
- Fabric performance and longevity
- Quality control and consistency
Modway delivers exactly what they promise – an affordable way for price-sensitive homeowners to quickly furnish their spaces stylishly. But the adage of getting what you pay for applies here.
Customers need to align expectations around enjoyable short to mid-term use furniture rather than indestructible heirloom pieces for generations. Appreciate Modway items for what they are but inspect pieces carefully for defects and proactively maintain, reinforcing potential structural weak points over years of use.
Should You Buy Modway Furniture?
Here is an assessment of when Modway furniture does or does not make as much sense:
Good Fit for Modway
- College students furnishing dorms or first apartments
- Entry level bachelor pads or spare bedrooms
- Vacation homes or rental properties
- Patios/decks/outdoor spaces
- Workspace furniture for home offices
- Test driving styles before investing in luxury pieces
Questionable Fit for Modway
- Heavy family use spaces – living/family rooms, common areas
- Dining room sets for daily use
- Only furnishings for master bedrooms
- Customers wanting quality materials and lasting builds
Evaluate your specific needs. Modway makes more sense for light or temporary use scenarios where style matters more than longevity. Think twice for high traffic spaces needing durable construction.
Assess specific pieces carefully for quality rather than assuming all Modway products offer amazing value. Variability is high given the vastness of their catalog. Seek out their best rated items on Amazon for safer bets.
While some shoppers surely find gems, upgrading budget expectations by 25% opens quality furniture options substantially. Compared to Modway at the same price, brands like Thriftwood Home or Copeland offer better materials, construction and style.
So in the market for quick and affordable instant furnishings? Then Modway likely fits the bill if settling for "good enough for now" quality. But for furniture intended to last years with family and pets, increase the budget slightly. Better quality and value awaits!
