Where to buy furniture to make your first place feel like home

Cozy vibes only, please ✌

Faux fur chair, white table, and wooden bar cart on beige background
(Image credit: Future)

Figuring out where to buy furniture for your home away from home? Luckily, we can't resist a good home decor shopping spree, so we're happy to lend you our expertise. 

Whether you're leaving the nest for your very own studio apartment or hitting the books at college—this dorm packing list is a lifesaver, by the way—we'll make sure to help you find functional, chic and reliable goodies that will completely transform the empty space you first walked into. 

Before you pack and make your virtual shopping cart a reality, be sure to have a look at our expert-backed tips for how to get the perfect apartment aesthetic on a shoestring budget. No need to thank us, friends, this is why we're here. Now let's get to it!
 

Where to buy furniture for your first place

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A first place of any kind is a milestone worth celebrating, which means decorating accordingly. These budget-friendly choices don't skimp on style or quality, and they offer plenty of great "firsts" for renters

1. Target

Target dining room with small white table, gold chairs, and a boho rug

(Image credit: Target)

The mecca of great finds, Target's home decor offerings are top-notch. Plus, they get a little help from top designers like Chip and Joanna Gaines, Justina Blakeney, and Shea and Syd McGee. Whether you're going for a modern farmhouse feel or want to channel your inner boho energy, Target has a great selection at a fair price, and it's likely the items you find will carry over from one apartment to the next.

2. Walmart

walmart living room display

(Image credit: Walmart)

Don't sleep on Walmart. It's home to adorable finds in a variety of styles like mid-century, glam, and farmhouse, to name a few. Plus, it exclusively offers brands such as Gap Home and AllsWell. BRB, we're just grabbing a mushroom lamp before we steer our carts down the food aisle. 

3. Wayfair

wayfair bedroom display for adults

(Image credit: Wayfair)

It's hard not to find what you're looking for at Wayfair. Whether it's the first time out on your own, or if you're looking to scale up, Wayfair has furniture and decor for all types of dwellers—and all of their styles to boot.

4. At Home

At Home outdoor furniture display

(Image credit: At Home)

For cute, functional pieces that cater to all types of dwellers, At Home has, quite literally, a warehouse chock-full of things you'll love. We are particularly enamored with some of the outdoor furniture offerings this season. Who's ready to summer?

5. Dormify

dormify study area display

(Image credit: Dormify)

Don't let the word "Dorm" fool you — this online retailer is a must for first-time renters and its playful aesthetic basically screams "Gen Z."

Other places to buy furniture

Danielle Valente
Contributor

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.


Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 


When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again. 

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