Shopping is an art. Some people enjoy it, and some others loathe it. But if you are an interior designer, shopping can give you an adrenaline rush. There is a sense of anticipation when you start the client’s design process, a rush as you find the perfect items to match the design concept and a feeling of satisfaction as you see it all come together on install day like pieces of a gorgeous puzzle that have until now only existed in your creative mind.
So where do interior designers shop for their clients to find great pieces at the right price points? This article lists the favorite (affordable) design stores recommended by interior designers across the States.
Most Recommended Stores for Interior Design Shopping
In alphabetical order:
Article is one of the most loved stores by designers for good quality mid-century and contemporary furniture at reasonable prices. Customer ratings are solid and there is enough praise online for the quality and longevity of items purchased at Article.
Bassett offers fashionable, innovative, and affordable home furnishings with a wide range of customization options. On the website, you can shop by room type and choose furniture and decor which you can then customize to suit your client’s style. Some customers have expressed dissatisfaction about the quality of Bassett products, so make sure to pay attention to their warranties and read and confirm fine print details before purchasing.
This large family-owned furniture company is based out of North Carolina and offers residential, exterior, and hospitality furniture featuring case goods and coordinated upholstery to suit all aesthetics.
This family-owned company caters to the interior design community with furniture and furnishings at affordable price points. Based in North Carolina, this company offers a lot of customization options for upholstery.
A designer, manufacturer, and retailer of home furniture and furnishings, EQ3 is a Canadian company that sells affordable modern furniture for your design projects. The company also offers customization options on a wide range of products to suit every aesthetic. The downside: this company has some poor reviews about their delivery system.
With a wide range of case goods, upholstery, and fabric finishes and selections, Fairfield Chair is a preferred brand. The company specializes in senior living and commercial and hospitality sectors apart from residential.
France and Son boasts reasonably priced products ranging from furniture to art to even waste baskets in select colors and materials. The store also has a trade program that interior designers can benefit from, with a range of services such as product consultation to logistical support. Some customers have complained that the colors of the products shown online differ from the actual product. So make sure to double-check with customer care before making the purchase.
Specializing in the art of custom furniture with a great selection of fabrics and materials, Hendricks Fine Furniture is known by interior designers as a brand synonymous with quality at affordable prices. The company caters exclusively to-the-trade only and has a wide variety of options to choose from.
Many interior designers across the US cannot stop raving about Interior Define, a home merchandise company that offers a wide range of customization options for your choice of furniture. Interior Define specializes in seating, tables, rugs, and upholstery at affordable prices. However, some complain that Interior Define’s customer service is difficult to communicate with.
This Swedish furniture and home decor giant is present in almost every part of the world, and is a hot favorite among DIY designers as well as professional designers alike. The affordable price tag on most items is the USP of Ikea. But keep in mind that you will have to assemble the items yourself or will have to bring in a handyman for the job, which would increase the overall costs. Many designers insist that Ikea quality is too low to use for clients, however other designers say it is all about carefully curating from Ikea’s extensive collection. For example, many designers use Ikea kitchen cabinetry whereas very few would use an Ikea sofa.
With showrooms in AmericasMart, Atlanta, and International Home Furnishing Center, High Point, JDouglas is a favorite among interior designers. They represent brands such as Loloi Rugs, Noir, Arteriors, and others which are highly popular across the US.
With an impressive line of furniture, decor, rugs, lighting, and more, Jonathan Adler is another favorite among designers. The company originally started off with a deep passion for pottery, but gradually built a global chain of commercial and residential designer merchandise that are fun, playful, and classy.
Kristin Drohan is a home merchandise store owned by interior designer Kristin Drohan. The collection includes eco-friendly, sustainable, and quality furniture with a variety of fabrics and finishes. The store also has a to-the-trade program that benefits interior designers.
The store offers contemporary and functional design at affordable prices which makes this Canadian company highly sought after. They specialize in ottomans, chairs, racks, etc, and are known to have quality products at reasonable price points.
This eco-friendly furniture manufacturer is known for its quality and craftsmanship. Everything they produce is made in America and built to last. It is perfect for green interior design projects.
Lexington offers a diverse array of furnishings under six brands that cater to furnishing indoor, outdoor, commercial office spaces, and luxury spaces. Lexington also offers a comprehensive to-the-trade program for interior designers, architects, and project developers. There are a few negative reviews about the quality and sturdiness of Lexington products, so check thoroughly before purchasing.
From rugs, to sofas, to furniture and decor, Lulu and Georgia house stylish and classy pieces to suit every aesthetic. The store is based in Los Angeles, California, and offers friend referral discounts, as well as a designer program that offers trade pricing to interior designers and architects. The customer service has known to be a little cumbersome, so make sure you have all the right specifications before placing the order.
Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, popularly known as MGBW, is another home merchandise outlet that interior designers recommend for all kinds of furniture, furnishings, and decor. Their very attractive to-the-trade program offers personalized concierge services, pricing benefits, and after-hours appointments as well.
Norwalk offers interior designers over 850 fabrics and leathers to customize chairs, sofas, ottomans, settees, dining chairs, swivel chairs, benches, sectionals, and more. Their products are known to be of superior quality and there is praise online for the value for money paid on Norwalk items.
This home furnishings company offers customized upholstered furniture for affordable prices. From case goods, to chairs, ottomans, lighting, and more, Pasha offers a wide variety of customization options for hardware, cushions, fabrics, and finishes that interior designers can choose from.
This North Carolina-based company offers thousands of customization options for beds, seating, and dining chairs which can enable designers to create one-of-a-kind designs for their clients. This makes Precedent a favorite among interior designers for contemporary upholstery.
Rove Concepts is great for modern and contemporary furniture and promises to deliver a sophisticated look for your home.
This company showcases beautiful modern furniture and accessories to boost your creativity by listing items for every budget. The website has a tab called “small budget” which takes you straight to discounted items. While this sounds great, the catch is that Structube only ships to Canada. So if you live anywhere else you might need to use a freight forwarder. The customer reviews online complain about poor customer service, so tread with caution.
Stylus Sofas operates out of Canada and offers home furnishing solutions to interior designers across Canada and the Western United States. It is popular for made-to-order sectionals, sofas, sofa beds, ottomans, upholstered beds, and more.
Taylor King is a great option if you are looking for custom-made upholstered furniture. The company specializes in ‘taylor’ made chairs, benches, ottomans, beds, sofas, swivel chairs, and sectionals.
The Inside is a home furnishings brand that specializes in making custom upholstery for a wide range of furniture and decor items accessible to everyone at affordable prices. The mood boards listed on the website will help fuel your creativity.
If you are looking for editorial-styled magazine-worthy photographs of beauty, fashion or photo collages to decorate your walls, These Fine Walls can be your go-to outlet. On their online store, These Fine Walls showcases photographs from emerging and established photographers from around the world.
With furniture and home decor products sourced from around the world, World Market is a retail decor store full of unique accessories. The company is owned by home merchandise giant Bed, Bath and Beyond and has many customers who vouch for the quality of the furniture. However, World Market has a consumer rating of only 2.5 stars, which has a lot to do with the less than satisfactory customer service.
This company lives by the philosophy that expensive furniture is not reserved only for the elite. This is why they offer rental offers as well as purchasing options. When your rental period ends you can choose to renew the term or return the furniture, thereby reducing waste via discarded furniture.
Conclusion
There are so many options out there for a client who is looking for quality furniture and accessories at affordable prices. As a designer, you can utilize the above-mentioned resources to design their dream home while not busting their budget. Since most of these outlets have to-the-trade programs, you can shop for your clients confidently while maintaining their confidence and your profits.
