Sourcing Cool Accessories without Breaking the Bank

Amy
Oct 20, 2020
4 min read

In the market for new throw pillows that won't break the bank? Fabulous trendy lamps at an affordable price? Faux plants that look so legit your husband will accidentally water them? It can be a bit daunting to source new accessories and accent pieces, but I can help with that! Read on to see my top store picks, broken down by accessory type.

Throw Blankets and Pillows

When you're in the market for some cozy new textiles, it can be tempting to look at high end websites and catalogs like Restoration Hardware and Arhaus. While those stores do have gorgeous throws and pillows, they can really break the bank, especially if you need more than a few. My advice is to save your big money for the pieces you'll have for years to come (like couches, bookcases and coffee tables) and do a little bargain shopping for accessories you'll more than likely want to change out seasonally or according to changing trends. My top spots to find affordable, trendy, quality textiles are Homegoods, World Market and Target, respectively. Kirkland's will occasionally have some I like, too. My favorite place to source pillows and blankets is Homegoods; I have found so many amazing quality down pillows there, starting at about $19.99 each. Click the image below for (affiliate) shopping links.

Baskets

Baskets are one of my favorite elements to use to incorporate texture and create an authentic look, but I'm especially choosy about the ones I use in my own home. I love baskets that are made with natural fibers and that have slight imperfections and no visible thread showing. In other words, I love for them to look handmade without the high price-tag. If you've ever been to Charleston, South Carolina, you know how expensive those tiny sweetgrass baskets are, so if you're in the market for several baskets or larger ones, I love the selection at World Market, Homegoods,Target, and Kirkland's in that order. My absolute favorites are from World Market, closely followed by Homegoods, which is more hit and miss. Both stores have amazingly authentic looking baskets, at relatively low prices. The selection at World Market is more reliable, but the prices of baskets at Homegoods are truly unbeatable, and when you can find them, the quality is amazing. Click the image below for (affiliate) shopping links.

Plants

You weren't expecting to get through this post without me talking about plants, were you? I could go on all day about how much plants, either real or faux, can add to a space. Not only do they add incredible texture and my favorite color, they also can make a stuffy or stark space feel alive and fresh. Bringing nature inside is a huge trend right now that will never go out of style. The trendier plants right now are of course, fiddle leaf figs, aloe, rubber trees, lace-y fern type plants (not super thick leaves), olive trees, and especially succulents. My favorite store to source plants is, by far, Hobby Lobby. The selection and price (when you catch the 50% off sale) can't be beat. Distant runners-up are World Market, Target, Homegoods, and Kirkland's respectively. Home Depot and Lowe's have a great selection if you have a green thumb and would like to try your hand at keeping live ones healthy! I'm a huge fan of Silver Queen Pothos, aloe, and String of Pearls. Click the image below for (affiliate) shopping links.

Wall Art

Wall art is such a personal thing, but finding affordable, on-trend art is something most people find challenging. Whether you want framed art, wrapped canvas, or something else entirely, I've narrowed down my top picks. My favorite places to source art are Homegoods, World Market (website rather than store), Hobby Lobby, and Target, in that order. I don't know about your local store, but my Homegoods has not the best wall art selection since the pandemic hit, but in general, you can find some high quality pieces at a fraction of what you'd pay if you bought straight from that company (example: Bassett). World Market doesn't carry that much wall art in my local store, but I have found awesome quality, heavy duty pieces on their website. Hobby Lobby has their art arranged in my favorite way - THEMES! I love this, because you can decorate your whole space by shopping in one section - just try not to go overboard. One thing I recommend avoiding at Hobby Lobby, though, is too much word-y wall art. Check my post about "Creating an Curated Farmhouse" for more on that. Lastly, Target's wall art often seems a little cliched to me, but I found one I love there for my office refresh recently, so I thought it was worth a mention. Click the image below for (affiliate) shopping links.

Lamps

Last but not least, I want to get into one of my favorite accessories (plants and lamps are neck and neck for me). Lamps can add SO MUCH warmth and coziness to a space, so often that is one of the first things I will add to a room that needs to feel more homey. They can cost hundreds from higher end stores, but if you look in the right spots, you can find gorgeous, trendy, and quality lighting for less. My absolute favorite place to find affordable lamps is Homegoods. They often have a wide selection of styles, trends and textures, at very affordable prices. I recently found an awesome modern brushed brass floorlamp there for $79.99. Anywhere else it would have been double that, at least. My second favorite store for lighting is definitely World Market. While they're a bit more pricey, the unique styles they have to offer are often reminiscent of what you'd find at a much higher end store. Whether you're looking for boho, farmhouse, or industrial, they've got it. Distant seconds are Kirkland's, Hobby Lobby, and Target, though lately Target's special collections have had some amazing pieces, like my recent find for my office, the "Large Seagrass Table Lamp" by Threshold designed with Studio McGee. Click the image below for (affiliate) shopping links.

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