Where To Spend Vs. Save In Your Home Decor and Furniture

It goes without saying that furnishing a home is expensive. Like, I’m pretty sure if you gave me an unlimited budget, I could spend a few hundred thousand dollars furnishing my dream home-expensive.

But, in the real world, most people have a fairly finite budget to work with … and it can be tough to decide what to use it on.

After writing about home decor for more than 15 years, and furnishing 9 (yes 9!) homes in as much time, I have some pretty hard-and-fast guidelines about what is worth spending money on, and where you can go for budget-friendly buys. Here’s the rundown.

What to spend on in home decor

Overall, you should invest your money on the items you touch or use every day. Things that are tactile should be comfortable, substantial and high-quality so they last for years to come.

While these are “splurge” categories, in some cases you can still find things secondhand or at a bargain … they should just be good-quality things. My dining table, for example, is a Facebook marketplace find, but it’s incredibly sturdy and well-nmade.

Sofa

This is the one piece you should invest the most in since you sit on it every single day, and a bad sofa — one that sags, pills, or loses its shape after a year — will drive you crazy. I don’t mean you should go into debt buying a couch, but spend as much as you reasonably can here, and look for solid wood frames and high-density foam if you’re comparing options. Some of my favorite places to look for good quality sofas that are still pretty affordable include Crate & Barrel (where I got our Lounge II sectional from, that I’m obsessed with), Pottery Barn, West Elm and Bassett.

Mattress

Same logic as the sofa! You spend a third of your life on it, so it’s not the place to save $200 if it means a big sacrifice in comfort. There are SO many mattress brands out there, and it can be overwhelming to navigate, but I’ve always loved Birch Mattress (we current have their original mattress), Tuft & Needle (my boys have these) and Awara (my daughter has this one). All of the online mattress brands have generous return policies, but if you’re super picky, I would also suggest going into a store to lay on a few.

Bedding

I’m a huge believer that quality sheets and a good duvet make a real difference in how well you sleep and how long they last. Cheap bedding, like polyester sheets, just feel plasticky, or it pills quickly and just never feels quite right. I have a post on my favorite sheets for all budgets here.

Dining table

This is the anchor of the room and it takes a beating — dinner every night, homework, holiday gatherings. You want something solid and well-made. That doesn’t mean you have to buy new (mine is a Marketplace score), but don’t sacrifice quality for price here.

Dining chairs

Like the table, these get daily use and need to hold up. Wobbly, uncomfortable chairs are one of those things that seem fine at first and then slowly become the most annoying thing in your house.

Cabinet hardware

This one surprises people, but cheap hardware feels cheap every single time you open a drawer. Good hardware is one of those small details that quietly makes everything feel more expensive and intentional — and since you’re touching it constantly, it’s worth the upgrade. Again, it doesn’t have to be over-the-top expensive, but it should feel hefty and solid.

Dressers

I’ve purchased two cheap dressers, brand new, from online retailers and have regretted both of them. (Neither were from IKEA, actually!) Both were for my boys, and I’ve since thrown one away. The problem with cheap dressers is that the drawer slides often end up breaking or getting misaligned (especially if you tend to stuff them full), or the bottom portion of the drawers gets loose or bent and falls out.

Now, I will always buy good dressers and just keep them forever. Again, there are lots of people selling Pottery Barn dressers or good-quality antiques on Marketplace, so if you have only $100-$300 to spend, go there first.

Where you can save

Decorative accessories

Vases, coffee table books, throw pillow covers — this is absolutely where you shop Target, TJ Maxx, and thrift stores without a second thought. These things often get swapped out seasonally or every few years anyway, so there’s no reason to spend a lot.

Art

Flea markets and thrift stores are genuinely some of the best places to find art. If you’re on a budget you’re not looking for investment pieces — you’re looking for something that speaks to you, and you can find that for $20 at an estate sale just as easily as you can for $500 online.

Lighting

Honestly, this is one category where I think the price difference between high and low end is the least noticeable. There is so much beautiful, well-made lighting available at every price point right now. Shop around before you commit to anything expensive. Chances are you’ll find something you love for a fraction of the cost.

Accent furniture

Ottomans, end tables, accent chairs, these pieces aren’t load-bearing in the same way your sofa or dining table are, and they’re not used nearly as hard. There are tons of great options at accessible price points, and this is a good place to take a swing on something trendy without a lot of financial risk.

Rugs

I know, this is technically something you can touch every day, and I don’t mean you should buy those terrible low-pile rugs that are basically foam pads with a pattern printed on them. But, brands like Loloi and NuLoom make a decent rug for a few hundred dollars, where you can easily spend a few thousand on a hand-knotted wool one. If you’re on a budget, you can cut back here without a huge deficit to your decor.

Questions about other areas of you home decor? Drop them in the comments!