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I bought all of my furniture from IKEA and wayfair. My splurge was paying for assembly. No shame in living below your means, you’re buying more financial freedom and the option to quit biglaw sooner if you want. Also lots of people take pay cuts when they leave biglaw, so consider the spending habits of your future self.
My first year, a group of 3 other associates made fun of my shoes, to my face. I came from poverty and I worked very hard to pay for those $80 shoes that I wore to work every day. All 3 of them were wearing louboutins to work and we all made the same salary as 1st years. Fast forward a year later, I was on a business trip with the head of my group and she told me how she buys all her work shoes from Amazon. Most of the people who are both secure and successful do not waste their time putting others down. So do what makes you happy.
But also, specifically, I buy all vintage furniture. It’s almost always better made than the new stuff and lasts much longer :)
Is IKEA really looked down on? End of the day, spend money where you want to, if you care about furniture go for it but if you don’t what’s wrong with IKEA? Side note I’ve seen a couple videos on how you can spruce some things from there up and make it look more chic if you can stomach some DIY.
Why do you care what your colleagues think of your furniture?
My first big furniture purchase was from Anthropologie, but generally I try to buy vintage (partially out of design preference but also because I think the quality is better than most new furniture sold in the U.S. today).
Coach
West elm is pretty common
It’s not the best quality. I don’t think I’d buy any of the West Elm stuff we have again.
Mentor
Started with ikea as a junior and as I bought a house and paid of my loans I upgraded when needed (but still have some of my ikea stuff which i like and it still looks good!)
Mentor
I threw out the dresser and nightstand during a move because I wanted to upgrade (and bc I had messed up some of the drawers when I was building it years ago lol) - I had them for almost 10 years though. Still have the bookshelves I bought in 2013 because they still look good. They'll likely get replaced in the next year or two but TBD.
Go cheap on furniture, but spend on a great mattress.
5k. It lasts a lifetime. Worth it. Get the Macy’s generic Hotel Collection—the firmest one and then get a great plush topper.
Office furniture liquidator
This is locale specific. One other suggestion for solidly made furniture is to buy directly from the Amish, if you are not too far from Pennsylvania. Likewise, if you happen to be close to certain areas in North Carolina (e.g., Hickory, High Point) where they make a lot of furniture, you can get some nice stuff at a decent price.
Lovesac. Expensive but very practical and useful.
Mentor
I got an Article couch as a first year (and it’s still in good condition 7 years later), but otherwise got some IKEA stuff and continued to use my cheap stuff from law school (mix of second-hand and IKEA/Amazon). Wayfair has some inexpensive stuff too.
Room and Board is solidly made furniture and will last a long time. It felt expensive to me after years of buying from IKEA, but it is better than Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel.
I do sometimes use West Elm because the style is similar to Room and Board and it’s a tad cheaper. Thus, for stuff that I care less about and don’t care about longevity, I will use West Elm because it fits in.
I have IKEA furniture that’s lasted over 20 years. It’s your home. Do what you want.
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Vintage! Better quality and often on par or more affordable than new.
I just bought a house as a second year in TX. Got a lot of Wayfair brand stuff but from their higher-end website and some stuff from Costco.
Wayfair and west elm
Coach
For what it's worth, I'm at a point in life where my associate at Roche Bobois invites me to private events, but one of the statement pieces in my living room is still my beloved Besta.
Subject Expert
Love Roche Bobois
Value city furniture and only buying pieces on major sale weekends (like Fourth of July)