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Best Places For Used Furniture In The Chicago Area

February 24, 2015 / 7:00 AM CST / CBS Chicago

Whether you need to furnish your place on the cheap or simply want to add an interesting touch to your current setup, consider checking out secondhand furniture stores in Chicago. From thrift shops to antique stores, there are plenty of places where you can find just the right dressers, couches or tables for your home. Picking up a piece that is inexpensive also allows your inner Pinterest fan to go wild with repurposing or painting new furniture. Here's list of some of the best of the best places to find secondhand furniture in Chicago at an assortment of price points. For an additional list, check out this article on CBS Chicago.

The Brown Elephant Resale Shop
3020 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 549-5943
www.howardbrown.org

Located in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, The Brown Elephant, the Resale Shop of Howard Brown Health Center, offers a wide selection of furniture, accessories and home décor so you can make your house a home. It's an eclectic mix of items and a treasure trove for home decorators, and includes a nice mix of antiques and newer pieces. Donations are typically placed on the shop's shelves almost constantly, giving the store an ever-rotating selection. As with any thrift store situation, make sure you snap up an item you love. Additional shops are located in Oak Park, and in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. According to the Brown Elephant Resale Shop's website, purchases made at the shops "help fund services for the more than 50 percent of Howard Brown Health Center clients who are under or uninsured." If you have furniture you no longer need, consider donating it to the shop, too.

Brownstone Antiques
5234 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 878-9800
www.facebook.com

If you're looking for a grandfather clock for your living room or a vintage dresser to store your unmentionables, then consider taking a look at Brownstone Antiques. Chairs, chests, desks and other antique items are available so you can add a bit (or more) of vintage to your abode. Other home items, including accessories, are also available for the shopper who wants something a bit unique at home or at work. To keep up with what's available for purchase, check out Brownstone Antiques' Facebook page.

Office Furniture Resources
2451 S. Wolf Rd.
Des Plaines, IL 60018
(224) 531-5770
www.ofr-inc.com

Setting up an office can get expensive, and that's where Office Furniture Resources comes in. The suburban store offers both new and used furniture that includes file cabinets, workstations, reception chairs, desks, conference tables and many more options. Items are available in an assortment of price points, too. Office Furniture Resources has additional locations in Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., and in Overland, Mo.

St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store
9321 S. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60643
(312) 655-7182
www.svdpchicago.org

Consider stopping in to St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store the next time you need a new chair, bookcase or other furniture for your home. The thrift store offers an assortment of finds that you can use to furnish your home. In addition, your purchase helps support the organization's outreach services, including food pantries. St. Vincent de Paul has a store in suburban Libertyville, and also recently opened a new location in Orland Park.

Urban Remains
1850 W. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 492-6254
www.urbanremainschicago.com

Perhaps you need that extra special "something" in your home, but you can't quite put your finger on what that something is. That's where Urban Remains comes in. You can find items salvaged from a number of historical homes and buildings, and pick up something for your home that you likely won't see just anywhere. Art deco light fixtures, stained glass windows, repurposed furniture, vintage signs, antique doors and doorknobs and so much more are available for purchase.

Megan Horst-Hatch is a runner, reader, baker, gardener, knitter, and other words that end in "-er." She is also the president of Megan Writes, LLC. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.