When Couch Potatoes started, Austin wasn't what it is now. North I-35 was still a lot of open lots, interior designers worked out of their homes, and the only way to get custom upholstery in town was to ship it from Dallas or build it yourself.
Twenty-five years later, the city has changed around us. We haven't changed as much — the same workshop lot, the same hand-tying, the same insistence on kiln-dried hardwood. A few of the same faces, too.
What stayed
Our lead upholsterer started in 2004. Our shipping manager started in 2006. Our first designer still comes by every Tuesday. We count employee tenure in decades because the craft rewards patience, and we reward the craft.
What changed
In 2001 we had one sewing machine, three employees, and a waitlist. In 2026 we have 45+ employees across the workshop, the showroom, design, and delivery. We've added the Reserve Collection line, curated the best brands we can find to sit alongside our own work, and opened a 12,000-square-foot showroom that functions more like a gallery than a furniture store.
“The city tripled in size. Our wait time didn't.”
What's ahead
We're not going back to the one-sewing-machine days, but we're trying to keep the essence of that era: furniture you can point at and say, a person I know made this. That seems increasingly rare. It's worth protecting.
Come visit. The workshop is open for tours. The showroom is open for walk-ins. The coffee is usually good.