The best websites to buy discount furniture and home decor on the cheap

I’ve been writing about furniture, decor, home hacks and online shopping for years, so I feel confident when I say I know a thing or two about where to buy furniture and decor online without going broke. In 2020 I redesigned my old 500-square-foot Brooklyn one-bedroom apartment into a stylish two-person live and work space on a budget. Now, I am meticulously renovating and restoring a 100-year-old house in London while trying not to break the bank.

I’m often asked by friends and followers where I shop for home decor and how I find the best deals. My number one piece of advice when renovating or redecorating is that you shouldn’t buy furniture or decor with the idea that it will just be replaced eventually. My philosophy is that it’s better to go without a nightstand or a desk temporarily rather than buy something impulsively that isn’t exactly what you want.

The other thing I tell people? You should rarely — if ever! — buy furniture or decor at full price. Bulky items like mattresses and sofas tend to have major markdowns cyclically on major shopping holidays like Presidents’ Day, Labor Day and the Fourth of July. Home linens like towels, bedding and throw pillows can be found in retailers’ sale sections throughout the year, especially when the seasons are changing. If you’re looking for something in particular, like twisted barley side tables, apothecary-style storage draws or a child’s sized desk, those items can — with a bit of luck — be found at thrift stores, vintage stores and online resale shops like Etsy.

From A to Z, below I’m dishing on all of the online furniture and home decor sites that should be on your radar before you begin your next renovation. Happy decorating!

Albany Park

Albany Park is a direct-to-consumer brand that exclusively sells its furniture online, which is why it’s a great destination for affordable furniture and decor. We, in particular, recommend it as a destination for buying sofas and couches, armchairs, and other bulkier items that can be expensive at other retailers.

AllModern

The mid-century-modern cousin to Wayfair, AllModern is the destination for modern and mid-century-inspired furniture such as Danish modular seating, abstract fiber wall hangings and wooden tapered legs on sofas, chairs and tables. In fact, I bought my faux leather sofa from AllModern over five years ago and to this day people still think it’s a convincing dupe for Article’s pricier Sven sofa — though I paid a fraction of that price for it. There’s a reason mid-century-modern decor has staying power, after all.

Amazon

Of course, you’ve already probably browsed for furniture on Amazon, but we have a few tricks and tips to keep in mind when trying to find products that are actually good on Amazon (which, yes, can sometimes be very tricky). We recommend sticking to Amazon's Premium Home brands for items that are from trustworthy sources, as well as sticking to general brand names you recognize. Amazon, like Walmart, Target and Wayfair, has an open marketplace, which means products sold on its site can come from third-party sellers. We typically advise against buying products from third-party sellers, especially those with little or no reviews or low ratings. Overall, we recommend sticking to four-star items and above on Amazon and double check where and who you’re ordering from when it comes to high-ticket items on Amazon.

Anthropologie

Before you say it, no, Anthropologie is traditionally not a super affordable place to buy furniture. But it can be an affordable place to buy decor and tchotchkes on the cheap if you know when and where to browse. Anthropologie runs several furniture and decor sales throughout the year, marking down stylish brands such as House of Hackney and GP & J Baker to prices that are easier to swallow. I own a lot of items from Anthropologie, but I’ve never — and I mean never — purchased anything at full price. I’ve stocked up on cute decor such as iridescent wine glasses, colorful kitchen towels and washcloths, bathroom rugs, shower curtains and more from the sale.

AptDeco

AptDeco is the place to buy and sell used, vintage and antique furniture. The brand makes it easy by handling pickup and delivery for you. Shop names brands such as West Elm, Article, Jonathan Adler and Pottery Barn on the cheap. I’ve purchased several items for my home from AptDeco over the years like a vintage china cabinet and a West Elm desk, even bringing them with me when I moved abroad. AptDeco is available to anyone located in the contiguous United States.

Apt2B

Apt2B is an LA-based online furniture and home decor brand that specializes in fun, functional and quality furniture for the home. In fact, the brand’s Harper Sleeper Sofa is one of the best-reviewed sleeper sofas on the internet. It’s a great brand to invest in bulkier pieces like sectional sofas and sleeper beds.

Birch Lane

Birch Lane is the most traditional decor brand under the Wayfair family umbrella, specializing in styles such as farmhouse, coastal, traditional and rustic. From shaker-style bedroom furniture to colonial rush-seat dining chairs, Birch Lane is the destination for those who are looking for classic, traditional looks with modern flair.

Burrow

Burrow is a U.S.-based luxury furniture company that specializes in scratch- and stain-resistant seating that’s modular and designed to grow with you and your family. The modular pieces mean that even their bulkiest pieces, like sofas and armchairs, are easy to move and arrange in any room of your home.

Castlery

Castlery is a Singaporean-based online furniture store that leans toward mid century-modern styles, with a contemporary twist. Find traditional silhouettes, like spindle-wood frames and swivel chairs, with modern fabrics such as boucle and flax linen.

Crate & Barrel

For home essentials such as modern furniture, small kitchen appliances and dinnerware, Crate and Barrel is the destination. The brand specializes in contemporary furniture that’s designed to fit seamlessly into traditional and modern homes. Whether you’re going for coastal-inspired decor or want to lean into “quiet luxury” in your interior design, there’s something for all tastes at Crate and Barrel. Plus, the brand frequently collaborates with the biggest names in interior design, such as Leanne Ford and Emily Henderson.

Etsy

Etsy is an obvious choice for gifts, but how often do you turn to this site full of artists and artisans for home decor and furniture? If you’re looking for something specific, from floating nightstands to custom shelving, Etsy is a great first stop. It’s also a perfect place to look for vintage and secondhand furniture and decor, too. I’ve purchased everything from secondhand cut crystal vases and vintage tablecloths, to antique mirrors and custom-cut scalloped trim for a bookcase from Etsy. It’s truly a magically one-stop-shop for

H&M Home

If you thought H&M was only a destination for clothes, think again. The brand’s Home line is surprisingly cute and shockingly timeless. I probably wouldn’t buy major pieces of furniture here like console tables or bed frames, but I would instead recommend stocking up on essentials you might seasonally or annually want to refresh, like throw pillows, accent tables, bedding, serveware and wall decor.

Joybird

Joybird curates and custom-makes furniture that’s high-quality and tailored to modern tastes. The brand is perhaps best known for its sofas, you can also buy furniture for your dining room, bedroom, home office and even outdoor furniture. Though furniture from the brand doesn’t come cheap, we do recommend keeping tabs on the brand during major sales events like Presidents’ Day, Labor Day, Black Friday and more, because it usually had really decent savings on big-ticket items.

Macy's

If you only shop at Macy's for clothes and jewelry, you're missing out on one of the best retailers for home decor and soft furnishings. I've purchased everything from kitchen knives to cookware from Macy's over the years during some of the brand's excellent annual sales. Shop home decor brands such as Lenox, Cuisinart and Sealy.

MoMA Design Store

If the MoMA Design Store isn't on your radar, it should be. It's an excellent site for browsing artsy gifts and designer-approved home decor. While I wouldn't call it affordable, per say, it is a reliable curation of unique and one-of-a-kind home goods. Shop designer-forward brands, like Areaware, HAY and Bodum.

Nordstrom

You might think of Nordstrom as a destination for nice clothing and luxury beauty, but it’s also a surprisingly good place to browse for home decor. Linens such as bedding and towels, in particular, can often be spotted in Nordstrom’s sale section, as can decor treats like string lights, candles, cookware and small appliances. Plus, Nordstrom has a couple of major sales throughout the year when you can score discounts on brands like The Conran Shop, Parachute, Le Creuset, BoySmells and more.

Pottery Barn

Part of the West Elm and Williams-Sonoma family, Pottery Barn is an upscale furniture and furnishings brand that is probably already on your radar. But we’re here to tell you that Pottery Barn can also be affordable, too. The brand was founded with comfort, quality, style and value in mind, which is why it's possible to find some pretty good deals at Pottery Barn if you know when and where to look.

Target

This probably doesn’t surprise you, as Target’s home decor and furniture is surprisingly great quality and extremely stylish. The company has invested in several in-house brands over the years like Hearth & Hand with Magnolia — i.e., a home and lifestyle brand by Chip & Joanna Gaines — as well as Project 62 for modern designs and Opalhouse for bohemian aesthetics pieces that look like they’re from Anthropologie without the Anthro price tag. Target, like Walmart, Amazon and Wayfair, has an open marketplace, which means products sold on its site can come from third-party sellers, so we always recommend double checking who and where your times are coming from, and double checking that they’re actually a good deal.

Urban Outfitters

If you thought Urban Outfitters was only a place to shop for your kids and grandkids, you’re missing out on some fun and cute home decor that’s relatively inexpensive. Though Urban’s furniture can be quite pricey at full price, the brand always has sales, especially on its furniture and home decor items. We especially recommend buying soft goods like duvets, sheets, blankets and towels from Urban Outfitters when they’re on sale, as well as curtains and storage systems like bookcases and wall shelves. Most of Urban’s pieces are quite unique and often extremely trendy, so if you’re looking to modernize a space in your home or just breathe new life into it, adding in a few statement pieces from Urban Outfitters is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to do that.

Walmart

Walmart has nearly always carried furniture, especially from its own brands like MainStays and Better Homes & Gardens. But in recent years the company has been solidifying its foothold in the furniture space with collections from big names such as Drew Barrymore and The Pioneer Woman. Walmart, like Target, Amazon and Wayfair, has an open marketplace, which means products sold on its site can come from third-party sellers, so we always recommend double checking who and where your times are coming from, and double checking that they’re actually a good deal.

Wayfair

Wayfair is the be-all and end-all of online furniture stores, especially if you’re looking to save some money. Wayfair has such a behemoth collection of furniture to sort through, which is both good and bad, so it’s good to go in knowing exactly what you’re looking for. We recommend Wayfair especially for functional pieces rather than statement pieces, such as for bar stools, bookcases and wall shelving. Wayfair, like Walmart, Amazon and Target, has an open marketplace, which means products sold on its site can come from third-party sellers, so we always recommend double checking who and where your times are coming from, and double checking that they’re actually a good deal.

West Elm

We’ll be the first to say that West Elm really is not affordable. But just because the brand’s furniture is quite pricey doesn’t mean you should immediately dismiss it as a destination for some affordable pieces to round out your home. Bedding such as sheets and throw pillows and decor like vases and serveware are often relatively affordable when you can catch them in the brand’s sale section. I’ve purchased well-made ombré sheets and eye-catching decorative vases from West Elm’s sale section on the cheap.

World Market

World Market is an American chain of specialty and imports retail stores that carries bohemian-inspired furniture, decor, curtains and rugs. You can even find imported and international food products like coffee, wine, craft beer and more. For our purposes, it’s an affordable place to buy unique and inexpensive home pieces like well-made woven rugs and statement mirrors.

Zinus

Zinus specializes in hybrid and memory foam mattresses, easy-to-assemble bed frames and versatile sofas and seating. The brand’s mattresses are made with antioxidant-rich green tea that keeps your mattress fresh and charcoal microparticles that block moisture and odor to help it last long term. When it comes to furniture, choose from modern Scandinavian-inspired design elements like minimalist platform beds, spindle-backed headboards and simple slingback chairs.