Buying furniture doesn’t have to mean settling for whatever’s closest. Whether you need a sectional sofa for a new apartment or a solid wood dining table that lasts 20 years, the right store depends on your budget, timeline, and how much assembly you’re willing to tackle. Below you’ll find brick-and-mortar chains, online-only retailers, and a few options most shoppers overlook.
Best Stores to Buy Furniture In Person
Walking through a showroom lets you test cushion firmness, check drawer slides, and see actual fabric colors. That matters more than most people realize. Here are the stores worth visiting.
IKEA
IKEA sells affordable, Scandinavian-inspired pieces for every room. Everything ships flat-packed and requires assembly, so budget an extra hour or two per item. Some lines come unfinished, which actually gives you the freedom to stain or paint them any shade you want. If there’s no store nearby, the IKEA website ships to most U.S. addresses, though delivery fees can add up on bulky items.
Ashley HomeStore
Ashley HomeStore operates over 1,000 locations across the United States, making it one of the most accessible chains for in-person shopping. Styles range from traditional to contemporary, and the company often runs financing promotions. One thing I’ve noticed: their online prices sometimes differ from in-store tags, so check both before committing.
HomeGoods
HomeGoods carries a rotating selection of accent pieces, small tables, and decorative storage. The inventory changes weekly, which means you might score a designer accent chair at a steep discount or find nothing useful on any given visit. It’s a treasure-hunt experience, not a plan-ahead one.
Mor Furniture for Less
West Coast shoppers can browse Mor Furniture, which operates 32 stores across seven western states. Their website lets you filter by category and collection. Prices sit in the mid-range, and they run regular clearance events that can save you 30% or more on floor models.
Walmart and Target
Walmart stocks smaller items like computer desks, TV stands, and coffee tables. Quality leans toward the budget end, and most pieces require assembly. Target offers a slight step up in build quality and design, with broader options for mirrors, organizational items, and small accent pieces. Both stores work well for dorm rooms, guest rooms, or starter apartments where you don’t need pieces to last a decade.
Rooms To Go
Rooms To Go is one of the largest chains in the country. They sell coordinated room packages that simplify the matching process, and pricing ranges from entry-level to mid-tier.
Costco
Costco members get access to surprisingly good deals on sofas, dining sets, and mattresses. The no-pressure warehouse environment lets you browse at your own pace, and their generous return policy removes most of the risk. Selection rotates seasonally.
Ethan Allen
Ethan Allen sits at the higher end of the spectrum. Expect solid hardwood construction, upholstered pieces with quality fabric, and designs built to last for decades. Prices reflect that craftsmanship. If longevity matters more than upfront cost, Ethan Allen is worth a visit.
Where to Buy Furniture Online
Online shopping opens up thousands of options you’d never find locally. The tradeoff is that you can’t sit on a couch before it shows up at your door. Accurate measurements and a clear return policy matter here.
Amazon
Amazon #ad carries everything from budget bookshelves to mid-range sectional sofas. Filter by room type to narrow results. Read customer reviews carefully; the quality gap between brands on Amazon is enormous. Free shipping on many items with Prime membership offsets the inability to see pieces in person.
eBay
eBay is a solid option for secondhand or discounted new pieces. Auction listings can yield steep savings, while “Buy It Now” sellers often price below retail. Inspect seller ratings and return policies before purchasing anything heavy that would be expensive to ship back.
Wayfair
Wayfair is one of the top online-only retailers for home items. You can shop by room, style, and price point. Their “Open Box” deals section offers returned items at discounts of 40% to 70%. Free shipping on orders over $35 keeps costs predictable.
CB2
CB2 is the modern, design-forward brand from Crate & Barrel. Styles lean minimalist and contemporary, with price points above IKEA but below luxury retailers. If you want pieces that look current without spending Restoration Hardware money, CB2 fills that gap well.
Ralph Lauren Home
Ralph Lauren Home brings the brand’s classic aesthetic into living rooms, bedrooms, and dining spaces. Expect premium fabrics, traditional silhouettes, and prices to match. This is aspirational shopping for buyers who value brand heritage.
Restoration Hardware (RH)
Restoration Hardware sells luxury-tier sofas, beds, lighting, and decor. Their RH Members Program charges an annual fee but offers 25% off everything. Pieces tend to be oversized, so measure your rooms and doorways before ordering.
Overstock
Overstock lets you shop by room type (office, bedroom, living room, kids) and filter by price. Flash sales run frequently, and you can find name-brand items below their typical retail price.
How to Choose the Right Store for Your Needs
The “best” place depends on what you’re actually buying. A $200 bookshelf from Amazon works fine for a home office. A dining table your family will use daily for 15 years needs better materials and construction, which points toward stores like Ethan Allen or Costco’s hardwood lines.
One mistake I see repeatedly: people buy an entire room of items from one store just for convenience. Mixing sources almost always produces a better result. Grab your sofa from a mid-range showroom, accent office chairs from a specialist, and decorative pieces from HomeGoods or CB2. That approach stretches the budget and avoids the “catalog showroom” look.
If you’re setting up a new home and need moving boxes alongside your shopping list, plan delivery timing carefully. Most retailers offer scheduled delivery windows, but coordinating multiple orders takes some effort. Also consider picking up curtains and a lap desk while you’re at it, since those smaller items round out a room faster than waiting on a second order.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buying Furniture
What is the best time of year to buy furniture?
Presidents’ Day weekend, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Black Friday are the four biggest sale periods. Retailers clear inventory before new product lines arrive, so discounts of 20% to 50% are common during these windows.
Is it better to buy furniture in store or online?
In-store works best for seating and mattresses where comfort testing matters. Online tends to offer lower prices and wider selection for items like bookshelves, desks, and storage units where you mainly care about dimensions and finish.
How long should quality furniture last?
Solid hardwood pieces (oak, maple, walnut) with proper joinery can last 25 years or more. Particle board and MDF items from budget stores typically last 3 to 7 years with regular use. Frame construction and joint type matter more than brand name.
Should I buy a warranty on new pieces?
Warranties make sense on upholstered items and anything with mechanical parts (recliners, adjustable beds). For solid wood tables and simple shelving, the manufacturer’s standard coverage is usually enough. Read the fine print, as many extended plans exclude normal wear and staining.
What should I check before ordering online?
Measure the space and every doorway the item must pass through. Confirm the return policy covers assembled items. Read at least 15 to 20 customer reviews to spot recurring quality issues like wobbly legs or color mismatches with product photos.
Finding the right place to buy furniture comes down to matching your budget, quality expectations, and timeline. Use the stores listed above as starting points, compare prices across at least two or three options, and don’t skip the reviews. A little research upfront saves you from returns, disappointment, and wasted delivery fees.