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Finding furniture that’s affordable, stylish, and made to last is no easy feat these days. But it can also be a major time waste.
Have you ever shopped for furniture online and what shows up looks nothing like it did in pictures? Or worse, you spent days putting it together, and it doesn’t work in your space.
That’s why with over 10,000 5-star reviews, Nathan James Furniture is becoming the go-to online furniture shop for styling spaces on a budget. This young online furniture brand offers modern, minimalist, and affordable furniture for home, office, and outdoor spaces.
But Nathan James has a unique mission. They design all their furniture to be stylish, high-quality, and easy to assemble at a lower price point.
And they offer what most furniture companies won’t dare: 100-day money-back guarantees and lifetime warranties on everything.
But, is Nathan James furniture worth the hype? We wanted to see if their furniture was as high quality as advertised. So we ordered a few pieces and put them together.
About Nathan James Furniture
The stylish Theo Bookcase by Nathan James
This small woman-owned furniture business started in 2017 when Brooklyn Burden needed to furnish her first apartment. A broke college student on a budget, she found she needed to fork over some major cash for the designer pieces of furniture she was loving. Happy to find some decent pieces at Ikea, she wasn’t thrilled with the 8 hours it took to put her bed together.
But she saw an opportunity to design stylish, beautiful and affordable furniture that doesn’t cost a fortune and is easy to assemble. And the company is now a huge success with pieces being sold all over the world.
With a collection that includes modern, boho and mid-century styles with lots of clean lines and natural materials, it’s easy to incorporate Nathan James furniture into almost any home.
For assembly you don’t need any special tools except a screwdriver to put these pieces together. In fact, they don’t recommend using power tools at all.
What Kind Furniture/Home Decor Does Nathan James Sell?
Nathan James is growing their collection quickly. Products in their line currently include:
- Chairs and small sofas
- Bookshelves
- Bar carts
- Desks
- Coffee, console and side tables
- Bar Stools
- Headboards
They also offer some beautiful outdoor seating, patio sets, and lighting fixtures.
Here are some advantages and disadvantages when ordering from Nathan James.
Nathan James Pros
- Stylish, modern and unique selections
- Very affordable
- Designed for easy assembly
- Quick shipping
- Lifetime warranty
- 100 day return period
Nathan James Cons
- Styles may not fit every aesthetic
- Popular pieces often sold out
- Limited amount of selections for certain categories
- Furniture needs assembly
Here’s What We Ordered From Nathan James
Delivery day for our Nathan James furniture!
To test out the quality and functionality of Nathan James furniture, we ordered two popular pieces from their collection – the Sally Bar Cart and the Daisy Wood Vanity Desk. The pieces arrived on time, together, complete, and well packaged.
Read our reviews below on how easy they were to assemble, how they looked in person, and whether we think they’re worth purchasing for your home.
Piece 1: The Sally Metal Rolling Bar Cart
The Sally Bar Cart in matte black finish from Nathan James
- What is it?: A Modern/Industrial Style Bar Cart
- Sale Price: $169.99 (Originally $189.99)
- Color: Matte Black
The Sally Bar Cart is a sleek rolling bar cart that features two glass shelves with a durable black metal frame that makes it easy to keep glassware, wine and food or drinks easy to serve.
Sally Metal Rolling Bar Cart Features
- Raised handle and high quality locking caster wheels
- Tempered glass top and bottom shelves
- Black powder coated metal frame
- Each shelf holds has a 66 lb. weight limit
- Weighs 24 pounds
Sally Metal Rolling Bar Cart Dimensions
19″D x 28″W x 34″H (48.3 x 71.1 x 86.4 cm)
The height from the floor to the bottom of the top shelf is approximately 27.4 inches / 70cm. The glass shelves are about 24 inches long x 16.8 inches wide.
Sally Bar Cart Pros
- Sleek and modern design
- Sturdy construction
- Moves easily
- Assembly in 30 minutes
- Versatile (storage, entertaining, display, etc.)
Sally Bar Cart Cons
- Design may be too modern for some tastes
- Not weather resistant
- Phillips head screwdriver needed for assembly (not included)
How Assembly Went
Assembling this cart was a breeze. Build time only took about 25 minutes, which was five minutes less than the estimated 30 minute build-time in the manual.
The Sally Metal Rolling Bar Cart Verdict
For the price, the Sally Bar Cart is incredibly well made, easy to put together, and the matte black finish makes it look sophisticated in person. It glides smoothly when you want to move it and the locking caster wheels keep it from rolling away.
It’s a really versatile piece. Its tempered glass shelves are strong and perfect for storing wine bottles or your tequila collection. But you can also use this bar cart to display books, glasses, and knick-knacks.
While entertaining or hosting the holidays, turn it into a popcorn and snack cart, salsa bar, candy cart, hot chocolate bar, dessert cart or coffee and tea cart. It would also make a great addition to your patio parties, but be sure to bring it inside afterward to prevent weather damage.
The Sally Metal Rolling Bar Cart looks great, it’s functional, and it’s made to last. We’re obsessed. We highly recommend this bar cart. Get it and you won’t regret it!
➡ Buy The Sally Metal Rolling Bar Cart
Piece 2: The Nathan James Daisy Wood Vanity Desk with Drawers
The Daisy Wood Vanity Desk with Drawers from Nathan James
- What is it?: A Multifunctional Mid-Century Style Desk and Vanity
- Sale Price: $249.99
- Color: Matte White – Gold
White, with brass knob details, the Daisy Wood Vanity Desk’s sleek mid-century inspired design, unique raised bilevel workspace, brassy gold toned accent knobs and tapered legs caught my eye.
Its raised outer edges make it the perfect place for books, office and craft supplies. Things like pens and makeup brushes won’t roll off the sides. Stash everything in one of the three drawers and cabinet space on the bottom.
It can easily function as a makeup vanity, writing desk or laptop desk. Or use it for all three.
Daisy Wood Vanity Desk Features
- Bilevel desktop
- 4 storage spaces (3 drawers + a larger lower cabinet space)
- Tapered solid wood legs
- Gold Brassy knob details
- Matte white finish
- Made of solid wood, engineered wood and laminate
Daisy Desk Dimensions
Length (Depth) 19.1 inches x Height: 32.1 inches x Width: 42.1 inches
Daisy Wood Vanity Desk Pros
- Sleek and modern, timeless mid-century design
- Unique and functional bilevel desktop
- Sturdy construction
- Versatile
- Plenty of concealed storage
Daisy Wood Vanity Desk Cons
- Took longer to build than 60 minute estimate
- Phillips head screwdriver needed for assembly (not included)
How Assembly Went
By myself, the Daisy Desk took longer than the 1 hour build time estimated in the desk’s manual. It took me over 2 hours but I was taking lots of breaks. The only additional tool we needed was a Phillips head screwdriver.
The pieces of this desk were well-packed; the hardware was nicely divided, and the directions were very easy to understand. There’s little reading involved since the instructions are mostly diagram-based.
All the parts overwhelmed my brain initially, but once I had everything laid out, the build was very easy. If you order this desk, I recommend putting the drawers together first to clear all the smaller pieces out of the way. This step is saved for last in the instruction manual.
The Daisy Wood Vanity Desk is constructed with real wood panels, which means it’s sturdy, but it’s also heavy. Assemble it on the same floor of your home where it will stay or plan to have someone to help you move it.
The Daisy Wood Vanity Desk Verdict
For the price, this is a really beautiful desk. Not only does it look great, but it’s sturdy and the quality is stellar for the price point.
It has plenty of storage with 1 large center draw, 2 smaller side drawers and a cupboard space for larger items on the bottom.
Whether you need a work desk, writing desk or vanity, the Daisy Vanity Desk is a solid choice. I’m 5’2” and it felt comfortable sitting at it with my laptop.
You can’t beat its combined versatility and chic, classic style. And it feels higher quality than its price suggests.
Verdict? Get it if you need a multifunctional desk at a great price.
➡ Buy The Daisy Wood Vanity Desk with Drawers
Who is Nathan James Furniture Best For?
If you don’t mind putting things together, Nathan James is perfect for anyone who wants new furniture that looks great, affordable, and made to last.
If you’ve been frustrated with furniture building in the past you may have more luck with Nathan James. All their furniture is designed for easy assembly.
Does Nathan James Offer Free Shipping?
Yes! All products are shipped free and ship the next business day from their warehouse in Nevada, unless out of stock.
Nathan James estimates that if you’re on the West Coast, you’ll receive your order in 3-5 business days.
If you’re on the East Coast, you’ll receive your order in 8-11 business days.
Return shipping is free too!
Is it Easy to Return or Exchange Nathan James Products?
Even with proper planning and measuring, sometimes you have to get a piece in your home to see if it works for you. But with Nathan James you don’t have to worry.
All purchase orders have a 100-day return window and 100% money-back guarantee.
Does Nathan James Offer a Warranty?
All Nathan James products have a lifetime warranty.
You can register your items here after you order.
Does Nathan James Offer Assembly Services?
As of 2023, Nathan James doesn’t offer assembly services. But all pieces are designed for easy assembly. The Sally Bar Cart took less than 30 minutes to put together.
If you find something you like, but don’t want to put it together yourself, consider checking out websites like thumbtack.com or taskrabbit.com to hire someone locally to assemble anything you need.
Is Nathan James Worth It?
- We loved both the Nathan James Sally Metal Rolling Bar Cart and Daisy Wood Vanity desk, much more than we were expecting to. The quality, sturdiness and design of these pieces are impressive for the price point, but they’re also functional.
- Did I ever think I needed a bar cart? No. But the Nathan James Sally Bar Cart has made me a convert. Not only is it sleek and stylish, but it only took about 25 minutes to assemble. It feels solid and high-quality and glides nicely when I move it.
- Plus, it’s also great for entertaining or displaying other things like books, plants, knick-knacks, candles, crystals or collections of your favorite things in a sleek way.
- And while I was apprehensive about the desk, I’m definitely team Daisy’s Desk now. Not only is it constructed with real wood (hard to find at this price point), the bilevel desk surface is unique and convenient. Three drawers and a cupboard help keep your space tidy.
- It makes a nice vanity, laptop or working desk. It would make a great addition to any guest room.
- For us, it took longer than the estimated 60 minutes to build. And you’ll need a Phillips-Head screwdriver for assembly if you don’t have one.
Conclusion
With stylish high-quality pieces that are easy to assemble, great prices, a 100-day money back guarantee, free return shipping and lifetime warranties you can’t go wrong with Nathan James.
Where to Shop Nathan James Furniture
Visit nathanjames.com to shop their latest furniture collection.