Design Within Reach, the modern furniture retailer known for its rugs, dining furniture, bedding, outdoor pieces, sofas and coffee tables, is set to open its first Triangle-area store at Raleigh's North Hills on August 21. The new showroom is taking over a retail space that formerly housed Mattress Firm, which closed its North Hills location in April.
According to the News & Observer, the 4,790-square-foot showroom will occupy Suite 103 at 4351 The Circle, marking the retailer's first Triangle-area address. Its closest existing location has been in Charlotte's South End, which opened in 2019. Triangle Business Journal first reported the store's plans, and neither Design Within Reach nor Kane Realty Corporation had responded to the News & Observer's requests for comment before that story published.
A Showroom Built From North Carolina Materials
The store's interior weaves in regional materials, according to Midtown Magazine. Custom oak millwork, reclaimed oak flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows and 100% recycled pale brick sourced within North Carolina all appear throughout the space.
"North Carolina has contributed greatly to American modernism and furniture-making," Debbie Propst told the News & Observer. "Raleigh values authentic, enduring design," she added.
Showroom displays highlight mid-century modern icons such as the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, the Womb Chair, the Artichoke Pendant and the Wishbone Chair, per Midtown Magazine, alongside pieces from Herman Miller, Knoll, Louis Poulsen, Fritz Hansen and Carl Hansen & Søn.
North Hills' Growing Design Row
The retailer's arrival builds on a push into upscale home goods that began in earnest in early 2024, when Restoration Hardware opened RH Raleigh, a three-story, nearly 50,000-square-foot gallery with a glass-encased rooftop restaurant, barista and wine bar, according to Tri Properties.
Design Within Reach joins RH Raleigh, La Maison and Ethan Allen in North Hills' furniture lineup, and it will carry European lines including Audo, Gubi, FDB Møbler, Flos and Frederica, the paper reported. Nearby, Jubala Coffee is expanding into North Hills' Main District later this year, and Raleigh art dealer Willa Kane plans to open a fine art gallery in the district by November.
North Hills itself is a 165-acre mixed-use district developed by Kane Realty Corporation, which began transforming the site of a 1960s enclosed shopping mall in 1999. The district now holds nearly 1 million square feet of retail and more than 1 million square feet of office space.
A Billion-Dollar Innovation District Adds Density
Kane Realty is pushing further growth through the $1 billion North Hills Innovation District, which includes The Strand — a 20-story, 362-unit residential tower with 9,000 square feet of retail space slated to open in summer 2027, according to Multi-Housing News.
The developer has also filed plans for another North Hills tower, part of a broader bet that a denser, more walkable Midtown Raleigh will keep feeding shoppers to stores like Design Within Reach.
Ribbon-Cutting Set With Raleigh's Mayor
Design Within Reach's grand opening is set for August 21, with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony that Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell is scheduled to attend, per Midtown Magazine.
Once open, the North Hills location will operate Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., the paper reported.
A National Brand With Carolina Roots
Design Within Reach is owned by MillerKnoll, formed in July 2021 when Michigan-based Herman Miller acquired Knoll in an $1.8 billion transaction, according to Dezeen. MillerKnoll is based in Stamford, Connecticut, the paper reported.
North Carolina's furniture industry is anchored by the biannual High Point Market, the world's largest home furnishings trade show, which generates $6.73 billion in annual economic impact for the state and draws roughly 75,000 attendees per session, according to the High Point Market Authority. Raleigh's own modernist streak traces back to the NC State College of Design, founded in 1948, which helped seed mid-century design work across the Research Triangle.
MillerKnoll is also staffing up locally: job postings published in July for Design Specialist roles at the North Hills store advertised hourly base pay with uncapped sales commission, a 401(k) match and transit benefits up to $150 a month, according to EarnBetter. The retailer also offers complimentary design services, including 3D space renderings, material samples and space planning, the paper reported.
What Remains Unclear
Whether the store's Raleigh debut will draw significant commercial and residential design business away from established hubs like High Point and Charlotte remains an open question, as does how quickly Kane Realty's growing cluster of residential towers will convert new Midtown tenants into furniture shoppers.
