Where to buy furniture that doesn't suck

Or, *Old Man Yelling At Clouds voice*: why is everything so expensive?

I am famously in the process of moving—and de-molding—and all I can think about are the big, bulky objects that will define this next stage of my life. I am relocating into a beautiful place whose room dimensions have required a radical reassessment of my furniture. Everything I own seems to be exactly the wrong size; my sofa is too large, but my dining table is too small. My chairs are good but there are too few; I now need two night stands, not just one.

You get the picture—it’s a headache. Especially hunting for these big-ticket items:

• A dining table

• A couch (particularly an L-shaped one, per my partner’s request)

• A queen bed frame (preferably one with built-in nightstands)

A truth that I had managed to repress for the last year and a half (aka the amount of time since I last moved) is that it’s fucking impossible to buy furniture these days, but especially in LA. The new stuff is poorly made, and the old stuff is stupid-expensive.

I have thus far been unsuccessful in my shopping ventures, but boy have I put my back into it. In the interest of someone benefitting from my misery, here’s a list of all the vintage furniture stores, IG dealers and FB Marketplace sellers I’ve investigated. The stores and the dealers are master lists, things you may have come across before—but the Marketplace names are when you are going to realize that I’m not messing around. Furniture shopping is my secret passion, and in dumping it all out into one newsletter, I aim only to rid myself of this insane amount of knowledge.

These are my main criteria for a shop. Please note that I’m focusing on furniture, not necessarily smalls/accent pieces.

• How much does it cost?

• What’s the average condition of an item?

• Is the stock good?

And if you have any other tips, for the love of god, send them over. Your girl is desperate.

Los Angeles Vintage Furniture Stores

Wayfair is poorly made, CB2 is too pricey and Restoration Hardware is downright ugly. So what’s a girl to do? I feel I have no choice but to shop vintage.

The Hunt’s vintage pleated couch that is weirdly fabulous IRL.

If you want to spend a ton of money on furniture, you’re in the right town. When it comes to fancy items, Pop Up Home has a good stock and occasionally does fabulous sales; I got my couch from them for 80% off during their last blowout. Den Furniture has also been known to do a substantial sale (in theory, they also have the Den Surplus IG account for cheaper items, but it hasn’t been updated in months). Taste-wise, I am probably most drawn to The Hunt Vintage—it’s just too bad they don’t really clean the items before putting them on the showroom floor... Amsterdam Modern and Midcentury LA are equally expensive, and good places to go if you want the recognizable shit (e.g. a Gerard Van Den Berg ‘Rock’ chair, a Togo sofa, etc). Counter Space is mainly small goods—unless you specifically make an appointment at their furniture shop (I recall it being in Highland Park…?). I feel like Hernandez Furniture used to be cheaper, but it seems they’ve jacked up prices to compete with their neighbor, Vintage Concept. If you count Long Beach as part of the greater LA area, Urban Americana is a sprawling warehouse with some unexpected treasures (and a big range of prices).

A delightful headboard from Sunbeam.

As for places that at least kind of feel like they’re in my price range, Sunbeam Vintage is probably the most popular (though honestly, I find their store’s aesthetic a bit too Adult Toddler for my liking). Be sure to ask to see the annex, where all the good stuff is kept. White Buffalo Furniture also has a wacky, appealing selection that I will be checking back in on. Moti Roma seemed reasonably priced from what I glimpsed, but the stock didn’t call to me. I did like the stock at their neighbor, Sunset Furniture, but most of the prices weren’t clearly displayed so I’m only guessing at their valuation.

A MCM desk from Casa Victoria that tempts me…

And last but not least, the most accessibly-priced shops. These were ones where I tended not to love the pieces—but what they lacked in taste, they made up for in price. Of them, my favorite is Casa Victoria. I also like to dive into Revival Furniture, though it’s a total crapshoot with their ever-changing stock (be mindful of their cash only rule!!). And I finally made my first pilgrimage to Society of St Vincent De Paul. If I’m being honest, the place is so big it almost gave me a panic attack—but hey, I could pop a Xanax if it means finding a bargain on a couch. Also, I have not been, but my friend highly recommends Pepe’s Thrift Shop.

Bonus—not in LA but relatively nearby, I suspect some local dealers are sourcing from Palm Springs store A La Mod. Or at the very least, taking serious inspo from them…

IG Vintage Dealers (LA-based and otherwise)

You can’t talk about furniture shopping in 2024 without throwing some IG dealers in the mix. Many of these folks have a showroom of sorts, but I class them as social media-based because I think that’s where their businesses began in earnest. I fear this type of account is responsible for the dramatic increase in vintage furniture prices, but love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’re here to stay.

A classic NFS item—kooky but compelling.