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The Spruce
We have a secret to share: It's possible to find high-quality furniture that will last you decades.
Typically, furniture nearly wipes out your wallet between interest, delivery, and shipping, and whether you're furnishing a new home or just replacing a creaky dining table, costs add up quickly.
We are huge fans of shopping at accessible retailers that specialize in furniture without the crazy price tags—and designers are too. Take it from interior designer Kim Frencho, who loves adding more budget-friendly choices, such as multi-functional futons, to her designs.
"A well-thought-out, curated room can make even the least expensive items look more high-end," Frencho tells The Spruce. Below, we introduce you to our favorite retailers for finding beautiful furniture that only looks like you spent a lot.
Our Top Picks
Amazon is home to many secretly chic pieces, which can't be beaten for a budget-friendly, mid-century modern look. The selection includes reversible sectional sofas, tufted loveseats, and more.
Amazon's private brand, Amazon Basics, can't be beaten for its massive selection and budget prices. Whether you're furnishing your outdoor patio, home office, or living room, there's something for you. Not to mention, Amazon sells hundreds of reputable brands, so you can take advantage of the quick shipping as an Amazon Prime member.
To save even more, look for products that have a gently used version, which knocks off a few dollars. Also, the Featured Deals section has sale items that can be up to 30 percent off. Keep in mind that we recommend thoroughly reading all of the details and reviews on Amazon furniture, because the quality can vary widely.
Wayfair has just what you need; we guarantee it. The retailer has a humongous inventory of furniture spanning styles from traditional to farmhouse. We highly recommend them for new homeowners, first-time apartment dwellers, and anyone in between.
It's hard to find an item of furniture that Wayfair doesn't sell. The accent chairs and vanity sets often have some of the most statement-making styles available. When you have a corner in a room that needs a stylish yet functional chair, you'll find sleek armless styles or wider designs that even swivel or come with a matching ottoman.
Wayfair often has sales, but for extra savings, some pieces have "Open Box" pricing, for items returned by a customer, that are inspected and sold for a discount. Unfortunately, sometimes the furniture sets are difficult to assemble, which Wayfair doesn't have quality control over because it is a multi-seller platform.
Etsy is a treasure trove of amazing gifts, curated home decor collections, and vintage/reclaimed finds, making it one of the best spots for finding underrated furniture. You’ll be supporting a small business and saving some dough at the same time.
Etsy's general furniture category alone has almost half a million items, but it is a great place to shop for vintage furniture full of character. You can also find modern styles, more minimalist pieces, mid-century modern, and more. There's also a great selection for DIY additions like knobs and hairpin table legs if you want to upgrade any of your current pieces.
While Etsy is full of wonderful small businesses, it's always best to research and avoid fake product listings or storefronts. Shipping times will also vary based on each shop's size and capacity.
Walmart has stepped up its home furnishings game—and that includes offering chic furniture at nice prices. We love that you can head to your local store and check options out in person, but they also have an expansive selection online, where you’re sure to find the right fit for your style.
In many cities, you can head to the closest Walmart location and check out the furniture in person. With many items offering 90-day returns, you'll have ample time to try an item before deciding it's for you.
Just note that products that have been delivered or picked up from a store have to be returned to the store. And for products that aren't sold directly from Walmart, the return policies can be different, so it's always great to read the fine print.
Ah, IKEA. It’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about budget-friendly places to furnish your home, and for good reason. If you don’t shy away from building furniture, this is the perfect spot to find selections for your kitchen, bathroom, and beyond.
TJMaxx used to have a thrill-of-the-hunt factor that required you to go into the stores to find bargain deals. You're still more likely to find those deals in brick-and-mortar locations, but the e-commerce site also has a steady supply of online bargains—especially on ottomans or storage solutions.
You can find ottomans and poufs for less than $50 and in fun colors and prints. Many are handcrafted and have beautiful woven details that add texture to a room.
Understandably, the quantities of these affordable goods can be quite limited, so you'll need to commit to your purchase quickly. For some larger items, the shipping returns have a surcharge, and items returned in stores have a return window of up to 40 days after purchase.
Bob’s goes far beyond the showroom now with a sleek selection of furniture online, too. They’re going after the newest trends and introducing options to suit all styles, which we were super impressed with. The best part: shipping is included on most items.
This nationwide retailer, which sells online and in stores, offers ways to deliver furniture to your home, and the living room sets are great options. You can search for pieces based on material, the number of seats, and even arm styles. The coordinated sets often come in solid, classic hues like black, tan, or navy, but there are some occasional prints.
While shopping, you might notice the option to add on Goof Proof protection. This five-year warranty can range from $40 to $400, depending on the price of the actual furniture. It covers rips, scratches, stains, and more.
With collections from famed designers like Joanna Gaines and Shea McGee, it’s no wonder Target is such a hot destination for on-trend yet affordable furniture. We love their classic-meets-fresh options that bring the right amount of charm to your home.
Though Target sells a range of furniture (sofas, tables, desks, shelves, and more) at affordable prices, it specializes in colorful statement pieces. It's easy to shop for pieces by prints like florals, geometric patterns, or animal prints and even by color combos that perfectly complement one another, like red and gold or gray and silver.
The Home Depot
The Home Depot is home to all of your renovation needs—and furnishings, too. Their furniture selection is surprisingly stylish, with several designer-curated collections and options for all price points.
The Home Depot's furniture selection is vast enough to outfit every room in your house. The retailer's wide-ranging list of categories includes chairs, nightstands, and plenty of desks. The quality is top notch, and we love that many of the products have great customer reviews breaking down the pros and cons.
If contemporary style is your thing, AllModern is for you! This Wayfair-owned online retailer is your one-stop shop for all things sleek and minimal, bringing you high-quality pieces for budget-friendly prices.
This Wayfair-owned online retailer focuses on contemporary-looking furniture (as well as textiles, lighting, and more). And if you suddenly want to redo your living room, many items can arrive within two days. The site makes it easy to find exactly what you're looking for, even if you don't know what you need.
Though you’ll need a membership to shop, it’s worth it to score the amazing furniture Costco offers. They carry name brands at a fraction of the price, and as a member, you’ll have access to all of them, from mattresses to sofas to outdoor dining tables.
If you're in the market for a large leather sectional, there are dozens of options for buttery soft brown, beige, and black leather couches. Some of them look quite similar, but the "compare product" feature makes it a bit easier to narrow down choices.
While membership is necessary to shop in stores, anyone can shop for furniture via the Costco website, with a few pieces reserved solely for members.
How We Picked Our Retailers
We researched dozens of retailers that offer budget furniture for all rooms of the house, have quality materials, and include easy delivery options at checkout.
We also consulted interior designers Wilfredo Emanuel and Kim Frencho for their best tips for buying budget recliners and other wallet-friendly furniture. They shared some excellent insights, including what to avoid and how to tell when a piece is made with high-quality materials.
What to Look for When Buying Budget Furniture
A Comprehensive Inventory Size
There’s nothing more inconvenient than shopping in-store or online at a retailer that only sells a particular type of furniture. When shopping around for budget furniture, a large, diverse inventory ensures you can easily narrow down what you like and don't like as well.
Our list includes retailers specializing in one decor style and others offering various furniture styles. Larger retailers like Walmart have pieces for the bedroom, living room, outdoor spaces, and more. This is great if you don’t want to visit multiple stores or incur shipping fees from different retailers.
However, if you want to design a room around a specific piece of furniture, we recommend researching retailers with unique offerings in that category. We love AllModern because it sells mid-century modern and contemporary furniture at reasonable prices.
A Flexible Return Policy
Shopping for furniture, especially if you’re doing so online, can come with challenges. Making returns has to be one of the biggest hassles. That’s why it’s important to find a reputable retailer and read the return policy (especially look at the fine print).
Some retailers make returns a breeze with free pickups from your home, but other experiences might be less convenient if you have to re-package and return a large item like a dining room table or sofa. Not only can this feel like a hassle, but it can be quite expensive, which makes that affordable piece of furniture quite costly.
Despite being known for challenging assembly instructions, Ikea offers the best return policy on our list with 180 days on used items. This means that you can return items that have already been painstakingly assembled if you decide they're not a fit for your home.
Simple, Straightforward Delivery and Assembly
Many retailers advertise free shipping for most furniture, but that’s not always available. Before checking out online, calculate your shipping costs, which usually entails entering your delivery zip code. Some businesses will charge a flat fee, while others base the total delivery cost on weight or order amount.
Assembly is another issue to factor in. A store like Ikea is known for keeping prices low, but you assemble the furniture yourself. You can pay an extra fee for someone else to assemble furniture, and some stores like Bob’s Discount offer white-glove service.
"The key to shopping affordably is to be selective and look for items that are made with better materials so that they last longer," Emanuel says. This means avoiding pieces made from thin particleboard and sticking with solid wood (when available) and metal-reinforced frames.
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When’s the best time to buy furniture?
Just like purchasing outerwear or a swimsuit, certain times of the year are just better than others when it comes to buying furniture. January and July can be great times to find great deals before new styles are released. And, of course, there are holidays like Memorial Day and Fourth of July where shoppers can save more than 20 percent on some furniture.
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When on a budget, is it better to opt for new or used furniture?
The choice to buy new or used furniture can come down to budget, but also personal style. Buying new pieces can provide a more immediate solution if you know exactly what you’re looking for and have a specific type of furniture in mind, like a modular sofa that perfectly complements your existing decor.
That same amazing piece can be found used, but it might take a bit more time to find just what you’re looking for. However, if you’re not beholden to a specific timetable, you can absolutely find used furniture that ranges from a functional, classic piece to a decor stunner that makes any space pop.
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How can you make furniture look more expensive?
One of the easiest ways to make furniture look more expensive is to add in the high and low mix, whether that means actual pieces or even material choice. A few stylish pillows or a throw blanket in materials like velvet or super soft fleece can make a wallet-friendly couch look way more expensive than its actual price tag.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was written by Mia Ingui, an editor at The Spruce. She recently just purchased her first home, and because of that, is desperately looking for ways to furnish it without emptying her savings. She has shopped at several of these retailers and has first-hand experience testing and building furniture to give them her stamp of approval.
Our Experts:
- Wilfredo Emanuel, interior designer
- Kim Frencho, interior designer
- Emma Phelps, associate editor at The Spruce