Showroom
November 5, 2026
6 min read
The question we get most from people about to move: 'When should I order furniture?' The honest answer is earlier than feels natural, and in a particular order. If you're wondering when to order furniture before moving, this is the timeline we walk customers through at our Raleigh showroom.
Short version: big, custom, or made-to-order pieces first. Stock items last. Everything else flexes around your closing date.
Your move-in date is the anchor, but it's rarely certain. Closings slip. Contractors run long. So work backward from the earliest realistic date, then plan for a buffer. Furniture arriving before the house is ready is annoying. Furniture arriving three weeks late is worse.
Ask us about current lead times for the specific pieces you want. They vary by brand, fabric, and finish, and we'd rather give you real numbers than guess. If you want to understand why, read why made-to-order furniture takes weeks.
Sofas, sectionals, and anything with a chosen fabric or leather are built after you order. Get these in the queue as soon as you've settled on a layout. Not sure of the size? Sketch the room in the free Trig Studio planner and export a spec sheet so you're ordering to real dimensions, not hopeful ones.
Solid wood tables, finishes, and extensions often involve their own build time. A brand like Canadel lets you choose size, finish, and chairs, which is great and which also means it isn't sitting on a shelf. Browse by brand in the shop and request a quote early.
These tend to move faster and can be added late. Rugs are a good one to hold until the big pieces are placed, because you'll know exactly where the sofa legs land. Our rug measuring guide helps here.
Nothing ruins a delivery like a sofa that won't fit through the door. Before you commit, do these:
We cover the method in how to measure doorways for furniture. Ten minutes with a tape measure now beats a return later.
Even with good timing, there's often a stretch where you've moved in and your sofa hasn't arrived. Plan for it. Keep your current seating if you can, or pick one stock piece to carry you through. Some people stage the living room first and let the dining room fill in over a couple of months. That's fine. A room that's built right in stages beats a room that's rushed.
Once your pieces are ready, we schedule white-glove delivery across the Triangle, from Raleigh to Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest. If your closing date shifts, tell us early so we can move the slot rather than scramble. Clearing the path ahead of time helps a lot; see how to prep your house for delivery.
Think in three passes. Months out: finalize layout, measure the house, order custom upholstery and tables. A few weeks out: choose rugs, lighting, and accent pieces, and confirm delivery windows. Move week: walk the path, clear it, and be there to direct placement.
Not sure where to begin? Stop by the showroom on Whitaker Mill Road, Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 7pm. Bring your floor plan and your closing date, and we'll sketch an order that works backward from it.
Start as soon as your layout and fabric are settled, and ask us for the current lead time on your specific piece. Made-to-order items take the longest, so they go first.
Usually not until you have access to the home. Tell us your expected date and we'll hold delivery until the house is ready.
Let us know right away. We can usually shift a delivery window if we have notice, which is easier than rescheduling at the last minute.