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The Spruce / Sabrina Jiang
Whether looking for a key statement piece or to outfit your entire home, you want to buy furniture from a retailer with a robust product assortment. We conducted hours of research on the best places to buy furniture, carefully evaluating each retailer on variety, return policy, return window, payment options, and delivery time. Our top picks include in-store or online retailers including Burrow, Wayfair, and Rove Concepts.
Ahead, find the best places to buy furniture, both in-store and online.
Burrow
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Courtesy of Burrow
Stand-out modular pieces
Easy to move
Stylish, functional, and modern pieces
Excellent variety
Free shipping
High price point
For comfortable modular furniture, consider Burrow. This company focuses on creating stylish and functional sofas, shelving units, and coffee tables and is rapidly expanding into rugs, lighting, and accessories as well.
The modular seating options are superior when it comes to selection and versatility of pieces, as you can rearrange as your needs change. You will need to purchase an additional set of arms or a corner piece to make conversions possible, but the flexibility of changing the use or configuration of your current furniture is well worth the cost.
If you’re an apartment dweller or frequent mover, you’ll also appreciate how easy it is to move Burrow sofas and sectionals. Each modular piece connects with hidden, heavy-duty clasps—so moving is as easy as unlatching each piece and transporting the individual sections.
Wayfair
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Courtesy of Wayfair
Free shipping on orders over $35
Budget-friendly
A one-stop furniture shop
Not the best selection of kids' furniture
Wayfair is a one-stop shop for furnishing any room in your house. The online retail giant offers everything from sectionals to dining sets, and it stands out for its free shipping options. The mix leans heavily into budget-friendly furniture options, so it’s a good pick if you need to furnish a space for cheap and want to save costly shipping fees on large item deliveries.
While there are plenty of ready-to-ship items to choose from, check out Wayfair’s custom furniture options in categories like armchairs, sofas, beds, dining tables, and more. Find the silhouette that fits your style, then make selections on items like finish, fabric, and dimensions.
Rove Concepts
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Rove Concepts
High-quality, long-lasting materials
Company has a hands-on approach to the making of their furniture
Contemporary design style
Must be a member to get the best price
Shipping incurs a fee
The contemporary looks of Rove Concepts will turn heads, but the quality of the materials means comfort and longevity for years to come. Based in Vancouver, Canada, the company owns an artisan workshop where it oversees the production of the majority of its furniture. This hands-on approach to the quality of materials and construction gives real staying power to this brand's sofas, beds, dining tables, and more.
Best described as a luxury for every day, furniture from Rove Concepts represents an investment. However, members gain access to better pricing and early sales, and they also receive a voucher with every purchase equal to 10 percent of the value of the item. These vouchers can be applied to any future purchase. At just $150 (and with the potential to save this sum many times over), it's worth enrolling as a member if you plan to purchase even one piece from this furniture retailer.
Poly & Bark
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Courtesy of Poly & Bark
High-quality, yet budget-friendly
Solid customer-first approach
Great for first-time homeowners
$99 repackaging fee if returning an item without packaging
Aimed at providing quality furniture for an affordable price, Poly & Bark is a direct-to-consumer furniture brand. Outfit every room in your home with options for sofas, armchairs, dining sets, desks, beds, dressers, accent lights, décor, and more. This is a great place to buy furniture for first-time homeowners or anyone looking to furnish a home with quality pieces that won’t break the bank.
Premium materials, like full-grain, pure-aniline leather for the bestselling Napa sofa, are key to the Poly & Bark collection. However, these spendier items are complemented by more budget-friendly options—like dining tables with rubberwood legs that feature medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and veneer top.
Poly & Bark also stands out for its customer-first approach to doing business. For customers on the fence about colors or materials, Poly & Bark offers unlimited complimentary swatches. Order the colors and fabrics you’re most interested in, check them out in your space, then buy with confidence.
Everything ships free to your door, and there is a generous 100-day return window. If you don’t love what you bought, take advantage of the company’s no-cost return shipping (which applies to all purchases other than sale or clearance items). Just be sure to keep the original packaging or you'll face a $99 repackaging fee.
Article
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Courtesy of Article
Emphasis on quality materials and construction
Offers furniture bundles
Simple and modern aesthetic
Free delivery only if your order is over $999
$49 pick-up fee if you return an item
If you’re shopping for modern furniture, head straight for the stylish options available from Article. This online-only furniture business caters to those looking for a simple, modern aesthetic for their home or apartment. A neutral-heavy color palette prevails, but you’ll see options for accent color, especially in fabric upholstery options for items like armchairs and ottomans.
An emphasis on quality of materials and construction is evident, with solid wood construction for the majority of pieces or full-aniline leather upholstery designed to patina with age. Article offers discounted furniture bundles when purchasing multiple items.
IKEA
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Innovative, affordable, and ready to assemble
Quality, space-saving furniture
Delivery only available in select areas
$49 large item shipping fee
While wandering through the supersized blue-and-yellow warehouses is one way to shop IKEA's selections, you can also check out everything from futons to folding dining tables online. Shop the Swedish home retailer for products that are innovative, affordable, and ready to assemble. IKEA is a top place to buy furniture on a budget, and it's much-loved by college students, first-time renters, and enthusiasts of simple Scandinavian style for cheap.
While IKEA has made a name for itself with its affordable and space-saving furniture, there’s no shortage of variety in the retailer’s offerings. Shop the basics or splurge on premium materials and finishes. Professionally designed and carefully engineered features mean the dressers, beds, tables, desks, and other items from IKEA are capable of standing up to daily use for years to come.
Pottery Barn
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Courtesy of Pottery Barn
Complimentary fabric and leather swatches available
Offers eco-friendly furniture
Free design assistance
Items can't be returned without a receipt
Shipping incurs a fee
Consider Pottery Barn, both in-store or online, for traditional furniture. Free design assistance helps you find solutions for spaces large and small. Make an appointment with the Pottery Barn Design Crew in-store or at your home, or chat with a designer online. A virtual room planner lets you visualize and rearrange furniture pieces to find an ideal combination. Complimentary fabric and leather swatches are also available.
You’ll find everything from simple sofas to supersized sectionals, nursery furniture, home office essentials, and more. Keep an eye out for designations like Fair Trade certified or GREENGUARD Gold certified items if you’re shopping for eco-friendly options.
West Elm
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Courtesy of West Elm
Many wooden items are sustainably sourced
Furniture can be customized
Best for midcentury modern furniture
Shipping surcharge may be added to items that are bulky, heavy, or of limited availability
If you’re shopping for midcentury modern furniture, West Elm is a top retailer to check out, with online and in-store destinations. With a focus on quality finishes and sustainably sourced materials, this furniture doesn’t just look good, it's durable. Many wooden furniture items (like dressers, beds, and side tables) are made with wood that is Fair Trade Certified. You can also customize upholstery and color options using the site’s online shopping tool. For some items, like sofas or sectionals, you can even choose options like width and seat depth for semi-custom furniture that fits your space.
Keep in mind that the greatest selection of furniture is found at West Elm’s online storefront, but the brand does have brick-and-mortar locations where you can check out pieces in person.
Urban Outfitters
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Courtesy of Urban Outfitters
Emphasis on natural materials and rich textiles
Unique and eclectic options
Majority of furniture is only sold online
Couch, bed, and armchair selection is limited
$99.95 shipping fee
For unique options to outfit your space, shop the eclectic selection at Urban Outfitters. This retailer is a great place to buy furniture if you want décor that isn’t boring or basic. Instead, you’ll find an emphasis on natural materials, unique forms and shapes, and rich textiles.
While the selections for large furnishings (like couches, beds, and armchairs) are more limited compared to retailers, Urban Outfitters is worth a look for unique options you won’t find elsewhere.
Home Depot
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Courtesy of Home Depot
Large selection and variety of furniture
Free delivery to your home or local Home Depot
Carries furniture from other popular retailers
In-store selection is limited
You can shop a surprising selection and variety from Home Depot. Find furniture for the bedroom, dining room, home office, or living room in traditional, modern, or contemporary interior design styles and more. Across the categories, Home Depot’s in-house brand, Home Decorator’s Collection, dominates the product picks. But you’ll also see products from home retailers like Safavieh, Noble House, Serta, and StyleCraft.
The in-store selection for anything other than patio furniture is limited, but you can shop online and arrange for free delivery to your home or a nearby Home Depot store.
Amazon
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Courtesy of Amazon
Arrives quickly
Most items ship free
Many budget-friendly options
Less likely to find premium materials
You can find furniture fast on Amazon to meet your needs. Although you’re less likely to find premium materials like leather or solid hardwoods, most items ship for free and arrive quickly.
If you’re searching for complementary furniture pieces to finish a guest room or outfit your home office, Amazon is a great resource. There are plenty of choices for items like futons, desks, headboards, and coffee tables. Larger furnishings, like sectional sofas or entertainment centers, are more limited but can be found when perusing the site’s selections.
Walmart
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Courtesy of Walmart
Budget-friendly furniture for every room
Free shipping
Only certain stores carry a limited selection of furniture
For basic, affordable furniture options, consider Walmart. The big-box retailer offers budget furnishings for any room of the house. Shop for couches, accent chairs, media consoles, bed frames, and more. You’ll be hard-pressed to find premium materials like leather or solid wood construction for most items; an emphasis on value means that most items are going to be made of MDF. But for a quick, affordable furniture selection, Walmart is worth a look. Some stores carry a limited selection of furniture, but the widest variety is found online.
What to Look For When Buying Furniture
Product Assortment
John Maxim, a real estate investor and master house flipper tells The Spruce that customers should keep in mind that "furniture defines our spaces." Look for retailers with a range of product assortment, because many times, you're not buying furniture for the entire home in one go. "It can cost $20,000 to $30,000 to furnish an entire home with matching sets. So, depending on your budget, you're probably going to be buying furniture room by room. Mixing and matching can be fun; you don't always have to copy looks right out of the catalogue."
Return Policy
Get an upfront understanding of return policies. "Most furniture suppliers offer great return policies these days," says Maxim. Returns can be done easily if you follow instructions, he says. "If there's a tear or missing piece when the furniture arrives, takes pictures and address it right away. If you wait three months, it will most likely be too late."
Shipping Time
Shipping varies depending on the retailer. "If you buy something that's in stock and on the floor," Maxim says, "expect it within the week. But many times that's not the case." Maxim notes that the pandemic has affected the supply chain and the average wait time is up to six weeks.
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When is the best time to buy furniture?
Maxim says the best times to buy furniture is when suppliers want to get rid of surplus inventory following a big sale, particularly "one week after Black Friday and Father's Day sales."
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How long does it take to ship most pieces of furniture?
Maxim says that in-stock items "ship within the week." He notes that supply chain delays result in longer wait times, and customers can expect to wait up to six weeks.
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Do most furniture retailers offer different payment options?
Maxim says "most furniture retailers offer financing. I tell people to avoid Affirm or Afterpay and stick with a regular credit card. Some financing offers no interest for the first year, but subsequent interest can be hefty."
Why Trust The Spruce?
This story was written by Erica Puisis who has been a contributor to The Spruce since 2017. She considered dozens of online and in-store furniture retailers for this story, evaluating each on product assortment, return policy, shipping time, and payment options. Additional input was provided by John Maxim, a real estate investor and master house flipper.