Rent the Recliner

Try-before-you-buy furniture company delivers style on-demand to Dallas

The process of moving gets a bad rap, but a lot of the stress is often attributed to one thing: furniture. Moving it. Assembling — or reassembling — it. Having to buy more of it.

What if there was a way to opt out of this part of moving, but still have a place to sit in your new home? To seamlessly rent high-quality pieces, just like you rent your next outfit?

That’s exactly what motivated Fernish founders Michael Barlow and Lucas Dickey to launch their company. In fact, it has been described as Rent The Runway for home furnishings.

Fernish’s online platform not only allows you to lease out furniture and home décor from premium brands like CB2, Crate & Barrel, and EQ3, it also rescues you from the expense and drudgery of moving existing furniture that might not suit your new digs, plus the time-intensive ordeal of shopping for more.

Available in Dallas-Fort Worth as well as Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Austin, and metro areas of New York City and Washington, D.C., Fernish is expanding into key markets that are popular outposts for relocation, especially for young, urban professionals.

With rent, rent-to-own, and purchase options, Fernish makes it easy to “try before you buy” — or not buy at all, if you’re on the move and don’t want the financial or logistical burden of committing to furniture.

They even have a three-day swap policy if something doesn’t fit, look, or feel right. Naturally, it all comes with free delivery and assembly, and free pick-up at the end of your rental term.

What’s more, you can line up delivery in as soon as seven days, bypassing the long weeks or even months of backlogged orders and delivery that's common right now with traditional furniture suppliers.

All items are delivered in new or like-new condition, as every piece is put through repairs, cleaning, and quality checks by Fernish’s expert in-house team.

Now you can revel in the exciting parts of moving — new place, new city, new job, new friends — without worrying about finding a headboard, rug, or sectional to fit your space.

If you’re ready to create a home-sweet-home without the hassle, head over to fernish.com and save 25 percent off your first month of furniture rental with code MAP25.

Photo courtesy of Fernish

Stop worrying about moving your furniture.

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HAUTE PROPERTIES

Southern Living to open 2026 Idea House in Texas Hill Country

Southern Living Idea House Fredericksburg

Rendering by Jon Messer.

Southern Living Idea House will be open for tours beginning September 18.

Whether Texas is part of the South may still be an open question, but Southern Living is settling the debate with a big investment. The Birmingham, Alabama-based lifestyle magazine will build its newest Idea House in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg.

For more than 35 years, Southern Living has drafted Southern builders, architects, and designers to build new homes that not only showcase the latest innovations in home design but are the epitomes of Southern style. This year, the magazine chose Fredericksburg's Friedën community, a 130-acre development featuring parks, nature trails, and lakes.

"We're excited to call Fredericksburg home for the year and to celebrate the distinct character of the Texas Hill Country,” says editor-in-chief Sid Evans in a release. “Surrounded by rolling hills and wide-open views, this home reflects the region's natural beauty and the relaxed spirit of the Lone Star State."

The design of the versatile home proves the modern farmhouse trend still has some legs. Southern Living’s designers update the look by ditching whitewashed everything for a more contemporary color palette that blends in with the Hill Country’s natural landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows further “dissolve the boundaries” between the interior and the great outdoors.

To bring their vision to life, Southern Living drafted a local team, including builder Kurk Homes, architect Andrew Bray of Mustard Architects, landscape designer Melissa Gerstle, and interior designers Jean Liu, Marcus Mohon, and Paloma Contreras. But real estate gawkers will have to wait to see most of the details. The house won’t be unveiled until September 18, when public tours open and the October issue hits stands.

Southern Living, however, did tease a few details, saying the home is being built for “multi-generational” living with sustainable products and appliances, a motor court entry, and a private casita. No doubt, interior design buffs will also find inspiration in the decor's bold choices. Last year’s Idea House in Virginia mixed in everything from garden florals and African mudcloth to animal prints and kitchsy cottagecore art.

The Idea House will be open to the public for tours from September 18 through December 20, 2026. Tickets will be available beginning in April, with a portion of the proceeds supporting area charities. After the open house, the home will be available for sale at an undisclosed price.

homes home design interior design fredericksburg hill country southern living