Ikea

Description
The lure of $39 Billy bookshelves and $15 Rast bedside tables attracts droves of New Yorkers to this retail giant’s blue-and-yellow one-stop depots, but the domestic accessories—not to mention the 99-cent breakfast—also merit the trip across the Hudson. Lamps evoke styles from renowned (and pricey) designers including Isamu Noguchi, textiles feature Technicolor Marimekko-like prints, and supersoft sheepskin rugs will set you back a mere $40. Don’t even think about delivery, since shipping a Malm four-drawer dresser can cost more than the piece itself. If your boxes won’t fit on the free weekend shuttle bus from Port Authority to Elizabeth, rent a car or hire a delivery service such as Ikea Delivery Alternative (ikea-delivery-alternative.com; from $80 plus tolls). IDA will pick you up and help you schlep your new acquisitions home. Tips: The Paramus location is closed on Sundays, and the Elizabeth outpost offers slightly lower taxes.