Affordable Resources for Furnishing a New Home (Contemporary / Modern)

 A few years ago, we purchased a new home.  It was our first house, and we were leaving an apartment that we had furnished (or threw together) with many mismatched hand-me-downs.  We wanted to avoid spending a lot of money on furnishings since we had put so much money into the down-payment, so I spent a lot of time exploring affordable furniture resources.  Below is a list of some of my favorite go-to places when buying furniture and home accessories.  I tend to be drawn towards contemporary and modern styles, so keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive.

• Target.com
• HomeGoods
• cb2.com
• westelm.com
• chiasso.com
• zgallerie.com
• Kartell furniture
• Ikea
• ballarddesigns.com
• onekingslane.com
• homedepot.com
• amazon.com
• Crate and Barrel Outlet
• Floor samples at more expensive stores
• Overstock.com (great for window treatments!)
• Local stores that sell unfinished wood furniture that you can paint yourself

 Before you furnish your new home, think about how you want it to look.  What energy and style do you want it to exude?  Don’t buy all of your furniture at once.  Take your time and think about what you like.  Look at interior design magazines, browse web sites, and just “shop around” before you commit to buying anything.  You should check out local furniture stores because they will often have great deals, too.  Another important thing to remember—there are usually furniture sales in January and July.