Ownership Is Overrated: App Provides Furniture For Rent

The sharing economy is extending into our homes. HARTH provides high end furniture, decoration and artworks for Londoners to rent and switch out as their taste changes.

Though the app is currently invitation-only, London’s interior enthusiasts will soon be able to change their furniture on a regular basis. HARTH looks like a well-curated interior magazine, but with the option to search and rent out items directly from the manufacturer. You don’t need to worry about carrying a heavy sofa or staining a valuable carpet — the service includes delivery and every item is insured.

HARTH will also make it possible for Londoners to rent out their pieces to other members

The founders of HARTH observed a growing demand from urbanites who don’t dare to invest in a statement piece of furniture, but yet would like to switch up their living space to reinvent themselves. This trend is also sparked by Instagram, where we are constantly flooded with colorful bold interiors that we want to replicate inside our own homes.

Nowadays we want to be bold but also get bored more easily by our furniture

Moreover, city dwellers are moving more frequently nowadays, and starting a new job in a new city naturally comes with the urge to shake up the furniture we live with, too. These needs of urban nomads were considered in the business plan — HARTH is planning to expand to other cities. As fewer young people are purchasing furniture, a whole industry probably needs to rethink its strategy.

Some might only want to get this sideboard for an Instagram photo

According to HARTH, our current urban lifestyle causes manufacturers to produce colorful cheap items that we want to replace after a few years. They often end up in the landfill, which makes redecorating your aparment a pretty unsustainable habit. With their service you can get a brigh orange sideboard and switch it out for something less bold without regret.