Look, there are A LOT of places to buy home decor, especially on the internet. We even made a HUGE list a couple of years ago. Yet still there are countless times I’m reminded of a really great brand or site that maybe I sourced from a while back but then lost track of because there are new options coming at me every day. Can anyone relate?? So as Caitlin and I were talking, we thought it would be really helpful (we hope) to have a nice quick list of our solid go-to’s that we think should get more attention and others that are just under the radar. Decorating is both fun and yet can feel like an endless journey in search of what we hope will be our holy grail vase, or lamp, or sculptural object. Maybe these stores will be your answer! Or simply might be a great place to poke around and see some great options for the future. Let’s dig in with a strong first option:
Finnish Design Shop
photos by sara ligorria-tramp | left from: mountain house living room reveal | right: jess’ living room reveal
I’m sure you’ve seen countless photos of rooms with chic Scandinavian decor (and furniture) all over social media! Well, chances are the Finnish Design Shop carries those pieces. EHD favorite brands like ferm Living (see that little blue jar on the right?) and Skagerak (see that pretty blonde wood tray on the left?) are carried here…so you can only imagine what else they must stock. It’s truly a one-stop shop for all things cool and Scandi. Plus unbeknownst to me, they are currently having a sale in case you are interested! But first, let’s take a look at some of the decor pieces I pulled.
La Femme 02 Poster | Kandili Candle Holder C | Beetle Cushion
Happiness Globe Candle | Isak Throw | Pillar Candle, L
Man, this whole site makes me happy so choosing only six pieces wasn’t easy. I love that graphic yet slightly colorful print. I think it could work in so many homes. That round cushion pattern is SO GOOD! Then all of the candle options are truly so unique. You could easily spend hours on this site with its extensive inventory. Enjoy and sorry if you also fall in love:)
H&M Home
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: 4 ways to style that credenza for “real life”
Ok, so I know people know about H&M (understatement??) but I am constantly shocked by their incredible home section. If you want pretty and super-affordable decor, you aren’t going to get much better than this. We are, of course, lifelong Target fans but H&M is seriously giving them a run for their money. Those candlestick holders are vintage H&M home but look how cute they are!?
via h&m
They are giving a West Elm/CB2 vibe that I am very into. I’ve ordered a couple of vessels from them and Christmas ornaments but I’ll probably be getting more since I’m getting super close to revealing my living room (so I sound like a broken record? I promise I’m still waiting on a custom piece!). But seriously look at this selection below:
Wine Glasses | Stoneware Vase | Checkered Storage Box
Patterned Cushion Cover | Large Glass Vase | Decorative Stoneware Bowl
Chic, right?!? I would happily have every one of these items in my home. Their prices are unbeatable and the style is cool without feeling like you’re trying to design “too young”. 10000/10.
Nordstrom
Ah, the unexpected wildcard! Much like H&M you don’t automatically think “good decor” when you hear the name Nordstrom. But let me tell you there are great pieces at great prices if you are down to search a little. Hey, even Nordstrom Rack has some goodies. But let’s take a look at some of their offerings, shall we?
Circles Door Mat | Wavy Stone Candelabra | Pacino Abstract Statue
Flip Top Glass Vase | Tatum Ceramic Tic Tac Toe Game | Stoneware Face Vase
These are pretty cool, right? They, of course, have plenty of more traditional items but I wanted to show you some “fun” options. How cool is that candelabra or that two-toned vase? Oh, and I am super into that awesome tic-tac-toe set. Go check out what’s on the site!
Ballard Designs
photo by kaitlin green | from: the farmhouse back patio reveal
Ballard has a very special place in my heart. I’ll never forget seeing a Ballard Designs catalog on our counter when I was little and completely falling in love with these white and black fabric-trimmed lampshades. I thought, “I’m going to own those one day!” Unfortunately, I waited too long and honestly don’t think they are my style anymore. It’s crazy how 25 years can do that:) But honestly, they have so many truly great pieces that are traditional in the best way. I mean look at Em’s dining set from her back patio reveal!
photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: cailtin’s balcony reveal
Caitlin is also a big fan and got their outdoor curtain for her balcony reveal! But they have way more than just outdoor items (which they are currently having a sale on) so let’s look at the interior products I spotted.
Leather Back Cushion | Gallery Wall System | Samson Candleholder
Mims Firewood Holder | Fringed Signature Velvet Pillow Cover | Eleanor Vase
See?! Traditional and modern all at the same time. I mean that leather back cushion is beautiful (and on sale), that gallery wall system is so pretty and takes away the frustration of trying to DIY something similar, I love that oversized firewood holder, and well everything else. Basically, DON’T SLEEP ON BALLARD DESIGNS!
Jayson Home
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: emily bowser’s kitchen reveal
Ok so we haven’t forgotten about one of our absolute favorite retailers, Jayson Home, but we definitely want to make sure everyone knows about them and thinks about them every time they are decorating their house or needs a gift. They are another one-stop shop! Emily and the team have used them for years (remember Em’s vintage chaise lounge?? Yes, they have vintage too!). Also, see that very cool vase ontop of the dresser in the photo above? Ya, they carry that too:)
photos by sara ligorria-tramp | from: the feel-good modern romantic bedroom makeover
I actually reached out to them for my friend’s bedroom because their products are so so good and there were so many things both my friend and I wanted for the room. We didn’t want to be greedy so we asked for that sweet glass matchstick cloche (I have the tall one and it’s stunning), that paper mache shell tray, and two of their alphabet vintage brass coasters with each of their initials. They really were the perfect unique touches this room was asking for. But let’s check out some of their other pieces (which doesn’t even scratch the surface!)
Hermosa Vases | Rift Wall Shelves | Talisman Stones
Bristol Serving Trays | Peele Candlestick | Baxter End Table
See?! Everything is hand curated and you can tell. I love everything. How cute would love rattan shelves be in a vintage-style home?? Or those beautifully wrapped rocks as an extremely cool gift? I would happily have one of those in my home. What I also love about Jayson Home is that they have a wide selection but not so wide that you are too overwhelmed. This is a must-bookmark.
54Kibo
photos by sara ligorria-tramp | left from: a mid-century eclectic living room | right: my updated living room
Ah, another incredible shop that’s definitely a luxury brand, helping to preserve Africa’s artisanal heritage. 54Kibo offers stunning pieces that will bring so much depth and beauty to your home. Look at the examples above! Julie used one of their wall mirrors in an MCM eclectic living room she designed and it’s so cool! Then in Emily’s old LA living room, that black drink table is a show stopper. The angles and cutouts make it such a unique piece that brought more dimension into the room. Let’s see some other pieces, ya?
Wall Mirror | Ethiopian Navy Throw Blanket | Binga Decorative Woven Wall Basket
Blue Dusk Nala Pom Pom | Nayali Stretch Yellow Throw Pillow | Naka Beaded Turquoise Artwork Mirror
See how textured and joyful everything is?? And that turquoise mirror is all BEADED! This is truly a special shop that we suggest you check out frequently:)
Lumens
When you hear the online shop Lumens you think of lighting, right? Well, you aren’t wrong but you are also missing out on so much more! Now, Lumens does sell incredible lighting with a lot of intention behind them. Remember my Paris post and that incredible department store I went into with all the lights I loved? Well, they sell ALL of them! BUT, they also sell furniture and decor! Say it with me – a real one-stop shop. Most everything leans pretty modern but don’t run if “modern” isn’t your style! They have so much and a little style contrast makes for interesting homes if we do say so ourselves. Enjoy!
Miyabi Ceramic Vase | BORDA Oak Tray | Natural Mahogany Organic Sculpture
WILO Round Hardwood Wastepaper Basket | Black Urban House Mahogany Object | Retro Bullet Planter
Classic, modern, and cool! I love the wooden sculptures and the simple but stunning other pieces. So many good options if you want to pop on over:)
Bloomist
photo by sara ligorria-tramp | from: sara’s living and dining room reveal
If you’ve been with us for a while then you’ve likely heard of Bloomist. They are a beautiful online shop that sells pretty plants and decor pieces. Like really pretty decor pieces. They did go out of business for a hot second but are back and boy are we happy about it! It’s a very organic natural style with a little bit of edge at times which I love. Come see:
Japanese Maple Kokedama | Forst Candle | Stoneware Bottle Vase
Stacking Sculpture Set | Amish Peg Rail | Jikoku Shell Pot With Pale Wood Base
Right? I could look at their site all day because it’s so calming and hopefully you can see that from these photos. That black candle is actually a 2-for-1! When the scented candle burns out, you can then flip it over and place a taper candle in it. What a genius way to get a life-long use out of something. Then that shell pot with a wood base is so unbelievably beautiful it almost hurts. You just have to go to the site and see it all!
Burke Decor
We hope Burke Decor is on your radar and if it isn’t, it should be. They really have EVERYTHING. Since this post is all about decor (and not things like furniture) we’ll focus on that. But if you do want interesting, beautiful furniture you should take a look. They give you options! However, look how cute this decor is…
Small Mus Plant Pot | Blue & Ivory Resin Photo Frame | Gullfoss Tray
Handmade Stoneware Basket Dish | Booknd Set | Serveur Bowl
A little modern, a little contemporary, a little natural. See? Everything! If you’ve never checked them out it’s a definite must:)
Ok! That’s it for today. Hope it was helpful and you were either reminded of or introduced to a new brand (or both!). Have a great Friday and we’ll see you all tomorrow.
Love you, mean it.
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Sara’s Living and Dining Room Reveal
Two more for me: I often forget to check World Market but love their stuff. And on three different occasions I’ve gotten beautiful mirrors for a steal from Kirkland’s! One was $20 on clearance and is currently hanging in my mom’s brand new bathroom looking like it came from a high end store. Another I bought for $50 and sold for $50 three years later.
I also like Baskets of Africa — have found several lovely handmade items there. They are fair trade, reasonable and offer an enormous selection organized by country/type of basket. basketsofafrica.com
Okay, Jess, now you’ve done it, ha! I was pretty happy with my decor, but now I want to edit, update and hone some of my accessories–so many of these finds are so tempting. The pillar candles from Finnish Design Shop are something I’ve never seen before and I’m, um, a bit of a candle hoarder!
Thank you for calling out Ballard. That’s much more my design style than Scandi or modern and while I mostly have bought small things there, I get some ideas from their styling, especially if you add in a lot of vintage to make a little less slick. I miss the old Wisteria too. I know they are back strictly online, but their previous catalogues and style/feel were some of my favorites.
I completely missed this revival! https://businessofhome.com/articles/inside-the-revival-of-wisteria. One of my favorite things is a wonky wooden finial I bought from them many, many years ago.
I used to link people to many of these sites when I worked for Zillow on their design section (no longer exists- I guess it didn’t bring in enough money). It is easy to forget about (or not know about) so many great sources, isn’t it? Thanks for the reminders!
Lumens is great, but they have so many products I find their site exhausting to browse. Same with Lightology.
A few thoughts…
That double-purpose candle is COOL
Not sure about the talisman stones – AKA rocks. Reminds me of when people paid a lot of money for “pet rocks.” 🤨
A good hack when using a lot of online retailers is to just Google the item name – and since many retailers carry the same items (even under different names) – it will pull the item up from the different sites and you can see who’s having the best sale. I do this a lot for clients!
I moved into my new house in October 2021 and it wasn’t until last month that I first visited the Ballard Designs outlet less than two miles away! My bestie and I both got counter stools and are super happy with the quality.