The best home decor stores in NYC

Add a chic touch to your pad with a mix of contemporary furniture and add-ons from this Williamsburg emporium. Items range from the big-ticket—sofa chairs and sectionals with more than 200 fabric options ($1,299–$4,500), and wooden end tables ($175–$649)—to the purely decorative: knickknacks like wire-mesh alphabet letters filled with miniature toys ($229), wall-mounted papier-mâché deer, goat and bull heads ($169–$269), and bowling-pin–shaped porcelain vases ($69).

Don’t be fooled by the name: This furniture joint carries anything but junk. Owner Chris Houghton prowls Pennsylvania Dutch Country for refurbishable thrift-store finds. Tap into your retro side with a 1950s dinette set (a round table and four vinyl chairs was $650 when we visited). The center room of the three-part shop houses new Amish-made goods exclusively for the store, such as reclaimed-barnwood dining tables ($1,000–$1,800), coffee tables ($175–$525) and bookcases ($150–$550). Those willing to rummage through the floor-to-ceiling stock (don't forget to look up for hung chairs) are bound to be rewarded with an affordable, original piece.

At the Future Perfect, the work of independent artists—both long-established figures and emerging talent in the design scene—is disguised as items mere mortals could have in their apartments. The super-modern pieces are nearly museum-worthy, which means that for the right amount of money, your studio can have that perfectly curated look, too. Lust after the 300 Waste Table in Scrapwood ($11,685) and admire the Aura Chimes ($275).

A sign outside the warm, cozy store says its mash-up of eclectic vintage and modern goods is less expensive than it looks. And it’s true, despite the collection of one-of-a-kind items, created by artists both local and global, starring antique chandeliers and New York Academy of Art prints. Our faves: hipster-approved ironic cross-stitches ($25) and an Antonio Massarutto wire rhinoceros sculpture ($440). Oh, and the prettiest little crescent moon stud earrings ($135).

Turn your digs into the cool NYC apartment of urban lore with one-of-a-kind pieces from this vintage depot. Pick up oversize armchairs ($550), ceramic puzzle-piece coffee tables ($400), mod-style chrome floor lamps ($450) and handmade slab benches ($695)—there's even a luggage set ($125) that could double as a nightstand. Meanwhile, Oscar the Grouch trash cans ($99), bronzed-shoe bookends ($99) and retro mah-jongg sets ($200) are the collectibles you never knew you needed.

If you love vintage-style duds and wish your entire apartment was an extension of your closet, think of this as your one-stop shop for retro and repurposed furniture. It just expanded to a new location in March, dubbed the Backroom, where you can expect to find barnwood frames ($20–$95), metal-locker baskets ($20) and recycled rugs ($40–$65).

Complete your abode with furniture and trimmings from this Soho flagship, where various decorated vignettes provide a dash of inspiration. Find a luxe velvet Martine Art Deco settee (starting at $3,045), a Sabine ottoman available in a range of fabrics (starting at $424), and safari-animal paperweights ($25–$39) and bookends ($55–$720). Hit the back of the store for a library—complete with ladder—containing the house brand’s assortment of bedding ($80–$440) and decorative pillows ($80–$125).

There’s a seemingly endless supply of kitchen and vintage finds at this quirky staple. Unused vintage dineresque pieces, circa ’50s–’70s, are priced as low as a dollar, and even the more expensive items, such as jadeite glassware cake stands ($57–$100), are still within reach. Tableware collections are organized by themes, like the NYC skyline ($4–$36), cats and dogs ($6–$24) and striptease ($5–$24). We’re coveting the cow-shaped cream dispensers ($10) and the label’s “intervention-ware” range ($11–$15): think bowls emblazoned with "Finishing your meal in two minutes does not make you a winner."

This off-the-wall home and giftware boutique is the city’s must-visit destination for kitsch buys, thanks to the fun-loving personalities of owners and former musical-theater performers John Soroka, Michael Quinn and Gary Alaimo. These guys go all-out, stocking affordable everyday kitchen and bath essentials with a twist, like Kikkerland's spooky Psycho shower curtain ($20), Fred brass-knuckle tumblers ($20 each) and brightly colored Corkcicles ($25) to keep wine cool.

Sure, Brooklyn’s decor scene is a bit of a cliché: Most shops are strewn with Edison bulbs and mason jars filled with wildflowers. But this recently revamped ’Burg joint, with its bold colors and cheeky posters—is "Constantly fucking challenge yourself" motivational enough for you?—feels like a breath of fresh air. We’re most psyched about the Bronsen Project Safari ceramic hippos ($95 each) and the Seletti x Diesel Living candle holders ($90–$133).