Need suggestions for good place to shop for new furniture (Northern California)

[bornInFlorida]

All, looking for suggestions on where to shop for new furniture that is good quality and good price.

We need to purchase furniture for a new house where we plan to live for 20+ years. What are some good places to purchase furniture (online or instore)? We live in Northern California.

I do not want to buy Ikea furniture because I need something that is better quality that can last long term. Has anyone tried Wayfair.com? How is there quality compared to Ikea. I like West Elm but the prices seem very high compared to Wayfair.com.

Thank you!

[bacchi]

People are getting rid of perfectly good furniture all the time. Use craigslist or nextdoor. Clean the seat cushions, vacuum it, and you're good.

[ysette9]

All, looking for suggestions on where to shop for new furniture that is good quality and good price.

We need to purchase furniture for a new house where we plan to live for 20+ years. What are some good places to purchase furniture (online or instore)? We live in Northern California.

I do not want to buy Ikea furniture because I need something that is better quality that can last long term. Has anyone tried Wayfair.com? How is there quality compared to Ikea. I like West Elm but the prices seem very high compared to Wayfair.com.

Thank you!

I really like the high end, solid wood IKEA furniture. All of the solid wood stuff we got from IKEA is still going strong ten years later. Perhaps with dings and scratches from our small hoard of little people, but nothing more than cosmetic.

[BECABECA]

We found a chain of consignment stores that are really good for very high end furniture at 10-30% original cost:
https://thehomeconsignmentcenter.com/locations/

When we were furnishing our house, we looked for pieces that copied what was in the house when it was staged. The best score from there was finding a massive all leather sectional with power reclining in perfect condition, new it would have been more than $10k and we got it for $1k. It took a few months of checking the various locations within 30 miles of us, but we eventually furnished the whole house with used furniture that looks great. We were a little sad when the hunt was over, as strolling through the consignment shop on the weekend was pretty fun.

(Honorable mention to Offer Up, Nextdoor, and Craigslist but if you live near a Home Consignment Center, you’ve got to check it out).

[marble_faun]

Why does the furniture need to be new?  Tons of high-quality, solid wood furniture is available on Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace/the local antique or second-hand store/etc. for less than what you would pay for poor-quality flimflam at West Elm or Ikea.

Not long ago I bought a solid glass and metal, awesome-looking antique floor lamp for $15 off Craigslist.  The seller even threw in the LED bulb, for more savings!  At Ikea for that price you might get a generic plastic lamp that is destined to break and hit the landfill.

Sourcing second-hand objects is also a fun adventure. So you can meet interesting people in your area, fill your home with beautiful, well-made objects, AND save money. 

If you do buy new furniture, beware of off-gassing from MDF!

[calimom]

Check out Room & Board. Lots of different styles and good quality. They have a location in San Francisco and a big online presence. Plus they're having a sale this month on most of their inventory. It doesn't hurt see what's available locally at resale shops and Craigslist.

[Dicey]

There's also something called Living Spaces. I believe they're in Fremont, but may have other locations. Never been, just heard of them.

Just for fun, take a look at this listing. Most of this was sourced second hand via Next Door, Craigslist and thrift stores. When we were done, we had a garage sale for some of it and sold other things back the same way we bought them. There's even Ikea stuff in there. Check out the master closet. I bought 5 white Billy bookcases from CL for the cost of a single new one, and best of all, avoided a trip to the mothership. Afterwards, I sold the ones I didn't use for more than I paid for the whole lot. Other IKEA items are the island stools in the kitchen and the mirror in the dining room. The mirror was borrowed from a Next Door friend and returned and the stools went at the garage sale.

https://summer-anderson-photography.seehouseat.com/public/vtour/display/1389528?idx=1#!/

When I was furnishing my first home, I heard the adage, "Only the rich can afford to buy cheap furniture." and I took it to heart. I still have the first piece of "real" furniture I ever bought. It pays to buy quality, but you don't have to buy it new.

Don't buy everything at once, because your tastes will change with time. You don't want to be saddled with old stuff you no longer enjoy, but can't get rid of because you paid so much.

[ysette9]

There's also something called Living Spaces. I believe they're in Fremont, but may have other locations. Never been, just heard of them.

Just for fun, take a look at this listing.

https://summer-anderson-photography.seehouseat.com/public/vtour/display/1389528?idx=1#!/

Oh cool, is this your flip? Fun to see

[AMandM]

Furniture depreciates even faster than cars on the trip from the store to your house, so I would buy secondhand instead of new.  Craigslist and freecycle are the best, but it takes a while to find everything and the selection is piecemeal. Going to stores will save you time at the cost of some money. If you like old-fashioned furniture, go to flea markets and antique stores; if you want modern styles, google furniture consignment stores in your area.

[Dicey]

There's also something called Living Spaces. I believe they're in Fremont, but may have other locations. Never been, just heard of them.

Just for fun, take a look at this listing.

https://summer-anderson-photography.seehouseat.com/public/vtour/display/1389528?idx=1#!/

Oh cool, is this your flip? Fun to see

Yup. It was fun to do and we're pleased with the results. It's weird to be doing "nothing" now, but so far, we haven't located another property, despite plenty of searching. People are paying insane prices for total pieces of shit. It feels like such a bubble...

[frugalfoothills]

I am a hardcore Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace advocate. I really don't see a situation where I would ever buy "hard" furniture new. Beautiful wood dressers, tables, dining chairs, desks, coffee tables, end tables, etc. If you don't want all wood, grab some chalk paint for $15 and some fresh new handles/hardware at Home Depot and go to town, it's literally idiot-proof and you'll have a home people envy.

I am weird, though, about buying "soft" items used... sofas, bedding, etc. For that I suggest OUTLET SHOPPING. You mentioned West Elm... they have outlets all over the country. Outlet prices are already discounted from the retail price online/in the "real" store, and then they'll throw an additional 40%-60% off. I follow West Elm outlet, Pottery Barn outlet, even Restoration Hardware outlet on Instagram and they are posting in their stories DAILY about new arrivals and deals. If you make a point to watch you can hit some really awesome sales. Friend of mine got a huge Andes sectional from West Elm for $600 from the outlet.

[affordablehousing]

The best furniture is the stuff found for free on the street or at flea markets. If you aren't going that route, buy Room and Board. Anything in between is a silly compromise.

[frozen]

Check out Room & Board. Lots of different styles and good quality. They have a location in San Francisco and a big online presence. Plus they're having a sale this month on most of their inventory. It doesn't hurt see what's available locally at resale shops and Craigslist.

I just have to say that Room and Board is my favorite furniture store! I have some new pieces from Room & Board, but much of my furniture from them was pre-owned by the previous owner of my condo.

[robartsd]

I am weird, though, about buying "soft" items used... sofas, bedding, etc. For that I suggest OUTLET SHOPPING. You mentioned West Elm... they have outlets all over the country. Outlet prices are already discounted from the retail price online/in the "real" store, and then they'll throw an additional 40%-60% off. I follow West Elm outlet, Pottery Barn outlet, even Restoration Hardware outlet on Instagram and they are posting in their stories DAILY about new arrivals and deals. If you make a point to watch you can hit some really awesome sales. Friend of mine got a huge Andes sectional from West Elm for $600 from the outlet.

Another frugal way to get "soft" furniture without worrying about the history of the hard to fully clean soft parts is to find used pieces for free and reupholster them to replace just the soft parts (I haven't done this myself, but do know people who have).

[Loretta]

I do not want to buy Ikea furniture because I need something that is better quality that can last long term. Has anyone tried Wayfair.com? How is there quality compared to Ikea. I like West Elm but the prices seem very high compared to Wayfair.com.

Prior to major surgery, I bought a cheap headboard and a cheap recliner from Wayfair and don’t recommend.  The headboard fits poorly and the recliner has a usb that only charges a few things successfully.  If you have a vehicle and muscles, the secondhand market is probably the way to go. 

[Dicey]

I do not want to buy Ikea furniture because I need something that is better quality that can last long term. Has anyone tried Wayfair.com? How is there quality compared to Ikea. I like West Elm but the prices seem very high compared to Wayfair.com.

Prior to major surgery, I bought a cheap headboard and a cheap recliner from Wayfair and don’t recommend.  The headboard fits poorly and the recliner has a usb that only charges a few things successfully.  If you have a vehicle and muscles, the secondhand market is probably the way to go.

I agree. Wayfair and its kin consist of cheap stuff, cheaply made. It's designed to be sold for an alleged discount, but the quality is not there, because they can't afford to put it there. How do you think they pay for all that product placement on HGTV and all the other advertising they do? Hint: Not by using quality materials.

The best furniture is the stuff found for free on the street or at flea markets. If you aren't going that route, buy Room and Board. Anything in between is a silly compromise.

Who the heck are you calling silly? CL, ND, and FBM all have pictures and allow back-and-forth communication with local sellers, from the comfort of your own favorite chair. Street shopping and flea markets have their charms, but they're by far not the most optimal. And Room and Board is retail and must be scrutinized, because, you know, we're mustachians.

[affordablehousing]

@Dicey the way I see it, you have to see furniture up close and feel it to determine if it will work in your house or not. Curbside and flea markets let you do it. Plus, and this is my taste, older is better and you find more of that not on CL, ND and FBM. Plus, I have to deal with emailing back and forth, setting up times, going odd places to pick up one thing, only to have it maybe not be as advertised. But primarily I was critiquing other stores. I just think there's not much quality difference (all low) between all the low and mid-end retail stores. So, if you want to go to a place that has slightly better built stuff, go to Room and Board.

[Dicey]

@Dicey the way I see it, you have to see furniture up close and feel it to determine if it will work in your house or not. Curbside and flea markets let you do it. Plus, and this is my taste, older is better and you find more of that not on CL, ND and FBM. Plus, I have to deal with emailing back and forth, setting up times, going odd places to pick up one thing, only to have it maybe not be as advertised. But primarily I was critiquing other stores. I just think there's not much quality difference (all low) between all the low and mid-end retail stores. So, if you want to go to a place that has slightly better built stuff, go to Room and Board.

I get that. My point is that you said anyone who deviated from the path you laid out was making a "silly compromise". That seemed unnecessarily critical. There are more ways to achieve the goal and there is no need to mock others who choose a different way.

Curbside and flea markets are pretty random and take more time. CL, ND and FBM can all be searched locally. You can always ask for more pictures and look at them very carefully before you leave the comfort of your own home.

[affordablehousing]

I am admittedly pretty zealous in my street picking beliefs. I honestly have found most of my best pieces on the street. And hiring the homeless to help you carry things home even brings extra employment benefits to the economy- and they're always available! Like an Uber!

[Cranky]

I suspect that this is a little bit location dependent. I rarely see nice furniture out at the curb around here, but I have seen decent stuff out in NY and Chicago. I do find lots of gardening stuff here on trash day, though.

I see wonderful furniture at the thrift stores here, so cheap. I wish I had another house to furnish! And the West Coast of Florida was like that, too, but my sister is in Texas and says she never sees decent furniture in her neighborhood.

I feel like CL is pretty expensive? People are trying to get back most of what they paid for something. Church rummage sales are cheap, though.