Good furniture is expensive, but often not as expensive as continually replacing bad furniture. And although some new purchases are just more practical to buy new — things like containers and hard-to-fix appliances — shopping used and vintage doesn't just save money in the long run. It also makes things easier to turn around for a large percentage of what you originally paid, resulting in much less risk when just trying something out.
"Vintage" may call to mind fancy collectors items, but there are plenty of places to go in Austin that range from practical, to fun, and even to high-brow, if that's your sort of thing.
Here are the best places to get some preowned furniture around Austin and occasionally beyond.
Non-commerical
This will mostly be a list of preowned furniture stores around Austin, but it would be silly to overlook the huge, often very inexpensive market of consumer-to-consumer sales. Let these be a reminder if you haven't used one of these tools in a while.
- Something about the general lawlessness of Craigslist is intoxicating, and there are some great, unique finds from people without social media accounts.
- Facebook Marketplace generally has more listings, and they're more up-to-date, too. But the sleekness of the site compared to Craigslist may sometimes lead to more competitive shopping.
- Buy Nothing groups, as described, connect online users who have something to get rid of with people who want it. Some people want to pay it forward; others just want to get things out of their house. A lot of these groups are organized by neighborhood on Facebook, but other platforms participate, too. There's an entire project to explore at buynothingproject.org.
- For more adventurous furniture finders with flexible standards, there's always surfing the curbs. The City of Austin schedules residential bulk collectiontwice a year, making it easy to guess when the most people will be casting out perfectly good furniture. Just perform a careful check (perhaps with a flashlight) for bugs before putting anything in your car. Some furniture flippers like Texas content creator Maggie McGaugh have made a whole career out of refurbishing discarded finds. Many discarded items don't even need work; some people put things on the curb with no pickup scheduled (especially at the end of the month, before common move-out days) in the hopes that someone else will want it. It's a win-win for people who don't want to put time and energy into selling several items at once.
- Estate sales are extremely hit-or-miss, and of course you'll only find one or two sets of anything in each house. (If you're looking for a dining room table, you'd better like that one dining room table and get there early.) But with lots of pictures and an interactive map, EstateSales.Net is a helpful tool for maximizing browsing success.
Side Kitsch Vintage
6535 N Lamar Blvd.
Possibly one of the most overlooked spots in all of Austin, Side Kitsch Vintage is a funky, accessible treasure trove for mostly midcentury finds by several collectors. The curators' personal preferences really show in this store; expect to find rattan, bright colors, brass, unique light fixtures, and lots of little sculptures. This store is also quite affordable for the level of curation, with some finds priced below what they cost via online collectors.
This writer's dining set when it was still at Side Kitsch.Side Kitsch Vintage's Google profile
Uncommon Objects
1602 Fort View Rd.
Highly stylized, well-marketed, and densely packed, this store is famous for good reason. This maze-like store contains a bit of everything, including some oddities, as the name would imply. It's especially good for shoppers who care about finer art and history, and in comparison to other Austin stores is quite serious — with prices ranges to reflect that. Bargain hunters can stop by the monthly Uncommon Flea market for a more causal look around. There are some smaller furniture items here, but you won't find a sofa.
Room Service Vintage
117 N. Loop Blvd E.
Another one of the more popular Austin furniture stores, Room Service is known for its accessibility. This store definitely has a sense of humor, and is set apart by its eagerness to stock kids' furniture and toys. Room Service takes a nonjudgmental approach, stocking lots of silly and approachable finds alongside very stylish focal pieces. It's a great choice for people who want their homes to feel lived-in, not like a showroom.
Far Out Home Fittings
1500 W. Ben White Blvd.
The only rule at Far Out Home Fittings seems to be that there are no rules. This eclectic store carries a lot, including specialized and hobby equipment like musical instruments and cameras. This would probably be a great stop for someone who doesn't have a strong preference for certain styles or eras. This shop also offers custom upcycling, resulting in even more chaotic and unique "franken-furniture," as they call it.
Antiques of Oakmont
1803 W. 35th St. Ste. A
We know about this very artsy new store, which just opened August 1, 2024, through a favorite dealer who shows items there called Dearly Departed Vintage. Both Dearly Departed and the whole of Antiques of Oakmont heavily feature wall art and sculptures, but there's some very unique furniture and other worldly decor sprinkled in. From Dearly Departed, check out the always-growing, dramatic lighting collection.
Antiques of Oakmont already has a strong point of view.Antiques of Oakmont/Instagram
Austin Habitat for Humanity ReStore
500 W. Ben White Blvd.
Austinties who have lived in other cities might already be familiar with other ReStore locations, but Austin's was the first in the United States in 1992. The home-building nonprofit Habitat for Humanity used its handiness and public goodwill (not to invoke another well-known store) to turn donations — from architectural salvage, to appliances, to furniture — into cash for its mission. The result for Austinites is a warehouse full of high-quality items at incredible prices. Plus, with a no-nonsense layout and a huge selection, it's very easy for shoppers to find what they need.
City-Wide Vintage Sale
900 Barton Springs Rd.
A true modern, urban equivalent of a flea market, the sprawling City Wide Vintage Sale takes over the Palmer Events Center about once a month. Each event brings together about 80-100 vendors so Austinites can shop in one place. However, there is a small limitation; because vendors have to pack everything up to bring it, they usually only bring a few furniture items each, if any. Still, decor and clothes abound.
Original Round Top Antiques Fair
475 TX Hwy. 237 S.
This gigantic, mostly-outdoor antiques sale about 75 miles east of Austin, is spread out across 11 miles of imported goods, vintage furniture, antique collectibles, clothing, fun junk, architectural salvage, and even snacks. It happens twice a year in the spring and fall, plus a smaller winter show. This reporter has purchased a driftwood candelabra (plus more driftwood on the side), an antique bench, Turkish lamps, a cow skull, a broken trombone, a ferris wheel for plants (seriously), and other small junk at the Round Top Fair. Respectful negotiating is essential. CultureMap Houston publishes lots of insider tips about Round Top.
