Ask A Baltimore Expert: Shopping For Home Decor On A Budget

With over 23 years of experience, Carol Weil has seen a lot of changes in the home decorating industry. Approximately seven years ago, she realized her clients were shifting from relying on her for their purchases to needing her professional services – consultations, research and design – while they pursued the furnishings themselves. She has grown to become more of a consultant, offering design services to everyone, no matter what their project budget might be.

Carol Weil
The Decorating Therapist
8775 Cloudleap Court, Suite P
Columbia, Md. 21045
(410) 992-9252
www.thedecoratingtherapist.com

People have tightened their belts and moved toward more DIY projects, so decorating has changed into more of a consulting job these days. Carol Weil, as The Decorating Therapist, can help customers in many ways. They are active participants in the design process, with guidance on how and where to find what they need. Clients decide what furnishings they love and what they want to change in their homes. Weil helps narrow the thousands of choices into just the few that work for the customer's lifestyle and budget.

Home Goods
Valley Centre Shopping Center
9616 Reisterstown Road
Owings Mills, Md. 21117
(410) 902-4435
www.homegoods.com

There are several locations of Home Goods around the Baltimore metro area, mostly in the suburbs. You can find all sorts of home decor at very reasonable prices. Once you have the large pieces of furniture in place, this shop can help you with the finishing touches. It has everything from lampshades to nicknacks to bedding and more. Great deals will keep you coming back to Home Goods for all sorts of accessories.

Great Finds & Designs
1924-B Greenspring Drive
Timonium, Md. 21093
(410) 561-9413
www.greatfindsanddesign.com

More than your average consignment shop, Great Finds & Designs has a beautiful showroom of 15,000 square feet with so much to offer. It is conveniently located right off I-83, a few miles outside of the city. Furniture, accents and a staff with a discriminating eye for style elevates this family-owned business to another level. Whether you are looking for a small design element for your room or a complete living room set, this store has a lot to offer.

Ollie's Bargain Outlet
1403 Merritt Blvd.
Dundalk, Md. 21222
(410) 284-8830
www.olliesbargainoutlet.com

While there are several Ollie's Bargain Outlets around Baltimore, the Dundalk store is one of the largest in the area. It can be a hit or miss, but when you find something, you will surely get a great deal on it. Ollie's is famous for its area rugs and has many designs from modern to traditional styles. Housewares, bedding, lamps, shelving, electronics and accent pieces abound. The stock changes on a regular basis, so if you do not find what you want on the first visit, a follow-up visit might hit pay dirt.

Related: Best Furniture Stores In Baltimore

Cornerstone
2175 Greenspring Drive
Timonium, Md. 21093
(410) 561-3767
www.onlycornerstone.com

Cornerstone is another great consignment shop in the Timonium area. With a spacious showroom, it offers a huge assortment of home furnishings for reasonable prices. Everything is polished, clean and ready to go home with you. With a three-tier pricing setup, you can opt to wait a few days for the price to go down, but also take your chances on someone else grabbing up the item. Customer service is a priority. If you are looking for a specific item or brand, Cornerstone will take your information and let you know when it receives an item that might be of interest to you.

Value City Furniture
5840 Baltimore National Pike
Baltimore, Md. 21228
(410) 744-6784
www.valuecityfurniture.com

Value City Furniture is the ideal place to shop when you have a budget, and this western Baltimore location has a lot to offer. With furniture and accessories, you can make this your one stop for furnishing your home. Plan out your room and furniture ahead of time with "room planner" software to figure out exactly how much space you have and what will fit within it. Value City Furniture has coupons each week and financing available to help make the purchase more affordable.

Related: Best Shops To Buy Affordable Art In Baltimore