• Starting Out

(Photo: Courtesy of Urban Outfitters)

• Urban Outfitters

  526 Sixth Ave., 646-638-1646

  Once dorm-room kitsch, now an Ikea alternative. Style a studio in French glam with a curvy green velvet headboard ($270), mirrored three-drawer end table ($200), and Louis XV–esque settee in bright turquoise ($600). The Website has a wider selection.

• Affordable Style

(Photo: Courtesy of Mitchell Gold)

• Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams at ABC Carpet & Home

  888 Broadway, second fl., 646-602-3381

  Chains like Crate & Barrel stock upholstery by these comfort kings but come here for the full cushy collection, which runs from traditional to modern and now includes tables and armoires. Average handmade sofa price is $1,500, in under three weeks.

• Splurge a Little

(Photo: Courtesy of Desiron)

• Desiron

  151 Wooster St., 212-353-2600

  The clean, minimal lines and dark woods here speak to stylish thirtysomethings. Sofas start in the mid-$2,000 range, topping out at close to $4,000 for a luscious mohair; side tables are $485. And the wood here—from walnut to wenge—isn’t just a painted finish.

• Serious Investment

(Photo: Courtesy of Room)

• Room

  182 Duane St., 212-226-1045

  As close as you can get to custom without taking a photo to a designer. The aesthetic is soft modern, and all pieces are made to order by craftsmen who also supply trade-only showrooms. Sofas can easily top $5,000; chairs average $2,200; delivery time is six to eight weeks.

• Sky’s the Limit

(Photo: Courtesy of John Houshmand)

• John Houshmand

  31 Howard St., 212-965-1238

  Huge slabs of American hardwoods, fashioned with glass, steel, and bronze into elegant yet raw statement pieces. Because wood takes years to develop character, these are antiques of a sort. Coffee tables start at $6,000; dining tables hit $18,000.

From the 2006 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine