Best Places For Stylish Used Furniture In Chicago

Just because you can't afford an Archeo copper bathtub ($67,557) or a Tufft table, hand-carved in the late 1700s and costing in the millions today, doesn't mean you're relegated to your mom's seafoam and pink lamp from 1989 either. Outfitting your place in a personal way can be affordable and satisfying when you hit up some of these shops specializing in used but stylish furniture.

Located in the historic Thalia Hall, this Pilsen furniture store restores vintage furniture from the 1960s and '70s. That leaves you, the shopper, with an unparalleled selection of stylish used furniture in perfect condition. Plus, there's a shop dog that trots about. For more great stores like this one, check out the 15 best furniture and home stores in Chicago.

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Praha
2201 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 549-1227
Praha's Facebook

There's used and then there's lovingly curated vintage and antique furniture. At Praha, the latter does not necessarily come with a lot of zeros before the decimal point. Stock is ever changing so you'll never know what you'll find: a rustic wooden dresser, an antique bathroom scale, a wonderful desk that reminds your of elementary school days, reclaimed farmhouse pieces, quirky swivel stools or a retro kitchen table. What's even better? The owners of the Roscoe Village shop, Todd Nyenhuis and David Foster, are decent human beings committed to fair prices.

Threads Etc Consignment Furniture
2327 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 276-6411
www.threadsetcresale.com

Family owned and operated since 1994, Threads is a consignment shop so you won't find dingy donated furniture but rather recycled, quality pieces at prices that will make you happy. Walk up to the second floor where most of the furniture is on display, from dining room sets to colossal comfy chairs. Threads (an odd name since it has just a rack of clothes but a warehouse of furniture) has new furniture coming in daily so stopping in more than once is a good idea if you need to fill your space with sturdy furniture or want to add to your modern, retro or antique decor.

Fort Pitt Furniture
4920 S. Central Ave.
Chicago, IL 60638
(708) 546-0450
www.fortpittfurniture.com

If you have found yourself comfortable when staying at the Peninsula, Palmer House, Ritz-Carlton, the Four Seasons, W City Center or the St. Regis in NYC, Fort Pitt Hotel Furniture is in your wheelhouse. Well, aircraft hanger may be more like it with a retail showroom space of nearly 60,000 square feet. The collection changes regularly and features brands such as Stiffel, Henredon, Baker and Broyhill. Purchase one piece or buy a complete Hyatt Mag Mile or Sutton Place Chicago room of furniture. The showroom is near Midway Airport, so you can always cab it over if your flight is delayed or cancelled.

Related: Best Places To Shop For Your Bathroom In Chicago

Chic Antique
3343 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 857-2695
www.chicantiquechicago.com

Calling it "used" connotes a soggy tissue and the goods are anything but at Lakeview's Chic Antique. Owner, interior designer and artist Crystal Blackshaw refurbishes and transforms dressers, tables, chairs, stools, credenzas, armoires and more into works of art. If your budget is a little tighter, check out her space filled with unfinished pieces which you can buy "as is" or have her customize it for you. Browse colorful lamps, rich carpets, interesting wall art and other accessories and decor too. 

Millionaire Rejects
1131 W. Armitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 479-4143
www.facebook.com/pages/Millionaire-Rejects-llc

It's still not bargain basement, but some of the stuff at Millionaire Rejects is pretty wonderful vintage furniture cherry-picked from Chicago's wealthier homeowners and their interior designers. That said, the great "gets" are hit or miss. There can be a good amount of junk tossed about (hey, rich people can run slipshod, too) or you might find a mid-century bar for $250, brass lamp for $100 or a set of four art prints for $80 among the deals you may cull from the 6,000-square-foot space in Lincoln Park.

Related: Best Places to Add Flair To Your Patio Near Chicago

Jacky Runice has been a columnist with the Daily Herald Chicago since grunge music and flannel was the new black. Her fingers and gray matter have been busy as travel editor of Reunions Magazine; penning a column that was syndicated around the nation via Tribune Media Services. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.