Being on a budget doesn’t mean you have to live with outdated decor. A new lamp, a colorful piece of framed artwork or a new armchair can add to any room. The trick is finding accent pieces that won’t take a toll on your wallet.

For Duluth shopper Laverne Tyler, that means heading to the nearest consignment furniture store.

“I can get real values, with prices I couldn’t find at a regular department store,” said Tyler, who recently picked up a bargain on dining room chairs, artworks and a buffet at the Furniture Consignment Depot in Chamblee. “For instance, I recently saw the same chairs in a different fabric for $7,000; I paid $1,400. You must think I’m kidding, but I’m not.”

Tyler makes room for her new items by consigning out old pieces. “I’ve sold quite a few things —- a night stand, pictures, lamps, chairs,” she said.

Finding a fabulous deal often requires hunting through stores crammed with merchandise. For Avondale Estates resident Mark Green, that’s half the fun.

“I like just milling through the store and seeing what’s there,” said Green, a regular shopper at Finders Keepers Furnishings in Decatur. “But the merchandise is constantly changing, so it’s fun to go a few times a month and see what’s new. It’s like going through somebody’s attic; there are things you may not find anywhere else.”

Green has snagged deals on high-quality lamps, padded dining room chairs, sofas and quirky knickknacks from around the world that he collects. “It’s stuff you wouldn’t necessarily find in a retail store,” he said. “It’s a little more unusual.”

The metro area is full of consignment furniture stores that are doing well in these days of dollar-watching. For Finders Keepers owner Bonnie Kallenberg, the home decor side of the business was so successful that, five years ago, she created a separate shop on East College Avenue. Depending on the day, buyers may find items originally purchased at Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel, as well as antiques. Prices range from $5 for a cast iron skillet to $1,000 for a custom down sofa.

“It’s been very well-received,” Kallenberg said. “We do very well with things people can walk in and buy —- decorative, home decor items —- but we also sell a lot of furniture. The secret is it’s priced to sell and reduced 10 percent every 30 days. After two months, we may mark it down more. Our goal is to get it out the door within 90 days.”

As more people are renovating and downsizing, Kallenberg finds plenty of items to stock the store. “Sometimes it works to their advantage to bring items to a consignment shop where you have 90 days to sell it, instead of just having a one-weekend estate sale,” she said.

SAVINGS AHEAD

Whether you’re looking to snap up a few new pieces or turn some of your old decor items into cash, these local furniture consignment stores are the places to visit.

Board of Trade 1078 Alpharetta St., Roswell, 770-640-7615 Web: www.goboardoftrade.com Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun. Details: A fixture on the Roswell shopping scene since 1990, this store was purchased by Beth Richardson four years ago and relocated to a bigger space two years ago. The expansive shop is full of nooks showcasing home-decor and furniture, including new items such as English leather sofas and chairs. But about 95 percent of the merchandise is on consignment. Look for sofas, day beds, dining suites, breakfronts, buffets, outdoor furniture, china teacups, lamps and Italian pottery. Prices are adjusted 10 percent each month, and there’s a sidewalk clearance sale twice a year.

Couches to Candlesticks 2995 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, 678-461-0020 Web: None Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat. Details: Fifteen months ago, owner Penny West opened this store in East Cobb and stocked it with a mix of antique and new pieces. No matter the age, West looks exclusively for middle- and upper-end items from companies such as Pottery Barn, Henredon, Drexel Heritage and Thomasville. Lamps, decorative ironwork, lamp shades, pictures, mirrors, crystal and silver are alongside dining room sets, china hutches, wicker and rattan pieces, bedroom sets and iron beds. Prices range from $15 to $1,800 and adjust 15 percent after the first month.

Diane’s of Dunwoody

1428 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, 770-396-7006

Web: None

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.

Details: Having a lot of friends with “storage units full of furniture” got owner Diane Calloway into the business. Her store is stocked with items from clients who are downsizing or redecorating, including one regular who admits to changing out her decor every few months. Top sellers are bedroom suites and dining tables. Other items in stock include a range of furniture by recognizable brand names (Henredon, Beverly Hall). Prices are adjusted monthly but if you want to haggle, feel free.

Finders Keepers Furnishings

2753 E. College Ave., Decatur, 404-377-1944

Web: www.fkconsign.com

Hours: noon-5 p.m. Sun.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tue., Wed., Fri., Sat.; noon-8 p.m. Thurs.

Details: One of three stores with the Finders Keepers name, this Decatur location is stocked only with home furnishings and decor items. Look for candlesticks, glassware, linens, furniture, rugs, lamps and more. Items are reduced 10 percent after the first 30 days and reduced again two months later.

Furniture Consignment Depot

5461 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, 770-452-1545

Web: www.consignmentfurnituredepot .com

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.; 1-4 p.m. Sun.

Details: This revamped warehouse space in downtown Chamblee carries an array of furniture, tables, china cabinets, desks, chairs, chests, rockers, bar stools, end tables and wicker pieces, along with artwork, wool carpets, lamps, pillows, trays, teapots, canisters and clocks. Pick up a wine coaster for a few dollars or a mahogany dining table with six side chairs and a china cabinet for $3,499. Prices are adjusted by 10 percent every 30 days. Once a month, items on hand more than 90 days are half off.

Hanger-ROO

5352 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, 770-451-8911

Web: www.hanger-roo.com

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat.; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tue. and Thu.

Details: Owner Monique Lung started this shop in 2003 with maternity and children’s clothing, but the demand for furniture created another outlet for business. Changing tables, gliders, cribs, custom bedding, bookcases and other baby-related items are big, both with budget-minded moms and grandparents who want to outfit a baby guest room in their home. “We have $700 cribs and gliders that we sell for $250 to $300,” said Lung. “The idea is to set up a college fund, not spend it all on the baby’s room.”

Jazzy Junk

9775 Medlock Bridge Road, Duluth, 678-584-9141

Web: None

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; noon-4 p.m. Sun.

Details: Owner Susan Parks moved to Duluth post-Katrina and added a bit of New Orleans flair to the name of her shop. The space is loaded with oil paintings, recliners, sofas, dining room sets, entertainment centers, tables, china cabinets, sofa tables, desks, chandeliers and lamps. Bedroom sets are in big demand and don’t stay on the floor for long. Pick up a deal from $10 to $2,000. Items are marked down 10 percent each month, but Parks cautions that most of the stock leaves the store in the first 30 days.

Now and Again

Andrews Square Shopping Center, 56 East Andrews Drive, Atlanta, 404- 262-1468

Web: www.nowandagain.net

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Details: This classy Buckhead shop seems more like an upscale furniture store than a consignment center. The various rooms are packed with tables, armchairs, sidebars, china cabinets, leather sofas, foyer tables, writing desks, dining room sets, armoires and chandeliers. The vignettes are accented by lamps, silver servers, soup tureens, vases, framed art, statues, crystal carafes, pillows and decorative plates. Co-owner Mary Kirchner is picky, turning down more items than she accepts, so shoppers can expect to find top-quality and name-brand items at reduced prices. Prices are adjusted 10 percent every 30 days and every February, the entire stock is marked down for quick sale.

The Perfect Piece

1039 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suwanee, 770-614-1411

Web: www.theperfectpieceatlanta.com

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Details: This 1-year-old store is loaded with furniture, accessories, lamps, rugs, floral arrangements, artwork and mirrors. Owner Robin Burns gets much of her inventory from designers emptying model homes and keeps her customers up-to-date on the latest arrivals through e-mail blasts. Prices range from $5 to $2,500 for brand-name items, such as a Henredon baker’s rack. Prices go down 10 percent every 30 days; after 120 days, pieces are half off. If they’re around longer than that, Burns donates them to Habitat for Humanity or various local charities.

Savvy Snoot

1187 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, 404-355-1399, and 30 N. Main St., Alpharetta, 770-442-1315

Web: www.savvysnoot.com

Hours (at both): 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Details: New and consigned home items are mixed into these two stores. New lamps, local art, accessories and selected furniture items are blended with buffets, chairs, carved wood dining sets, glass- or marble-topped coffee tables, gold-gilt mirrors, leather loungers and sofas. Shoppers will also find a few unusual gems: A wood fireplace mantel or a single headboard. Armoires, pillows, clocks, breakfronts and plenty of dining chairs fill the floor space and more hang from the rafters. Furniture prices range from $400 to $3,500. Monthly markdowns are not taken, but offers are welcome.

Sensibly Chic

3131 Main St., Duluth, 770-497-1012

Web: www.sensibly-chic.com

Hours: noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Thu.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

Details: There’s a constantly evolving selection of goods at this shop in one of the downtown’s historic storefronts. Check out the array of dishes, china, crystal, silverware, rugs, mirrors, lamps, lighting fixtures, shelving units, painted vases, framed artworks, throw pillows, wine glasses, club chairs, baker’s racks and wicker tables. Foyer tables, sofas and dining sets are among the larger items. Furniture ranges from $500 to $1,000, with prices marked down 10 percent each month.

Southern Comforts in Dunwoody

2510 Mount Vernon Highway, Dunwoody, 770-901-5001

Web: www.southerncomfortsatlanta.com

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Details: This 6-year-old shop is so crowded with furniture, antiques and home accessories that owner Jenny Eid has had to hang things from the ceiling to fit it all in. The floor space is arranged in vignettes, “so customers can feel as though they’re walking through a magazine,” she said. A staff of 15 rearrange the look every day as new pieces arrive. Best-sellers are name brand furniture, followed by decor items of lamps, pillows and candles. Prices range from $10 to $4,000 for a china cabinet, and are adjusted by 10 percent each month.

Terri’s Consign & Design Furnishings

2500 Cobb Place Lane, Kennesaw, 770-792-2970

Web: None

Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.

Details: This 8-year-old store boasts one of the biggest showrooms around —- more than 20,000 square feet of new and gently used furniture. The consigned items are tagged to differentiate them from the new pieces from more than 75 vendors. But everything is priced to sell: A dining table with six chairs, three leaves and china hutch is priced at $1,998. Living room, bedroom and dining room sets are in abundance, along with home theater seats, silk plants, lamps, pictures and rugs. Consigned items are marked downed 10 percent every month.

Treasures Resale Store

11060 Alpharetta Highway, Roswell, 770-594-2939

Web: www.treasuresresale .com

Hours: 10-5 Mon.-Sat.

Details: This nonprofit store supports Habitat for Humanity and other local charities through its sales. Donated and consigned items are mixed with a handful of new pieces as well. Best-sellers are anything upholstered or leather —- couches, chairs and sofas. A leather loveseat with padded arms is priced at $699; a dining room set with 10 chairs, $4,500. Price adjustments are made every 30 days.

TIPS FOR BUYERS

> Bring measurements to see if the piece fits your space; many shops won’t accept returns.

> Ask about taking a piece on approval to see if it works in your decor scheme.

> Make an offer: Many store owners are willing to negotiate on the price.

TIPS FOR CONSIGNORS

> E-mail a photo of your furniture to the shop owner who can do an initial appraisal. For smaller items, bring them in for an estimate.

> Understand that price is based on original selling price, condition and demand. Most consignment shops start their pricing at half off the original price.

> Find out what percentage of the sale price goes to you and what amount goes to the shop owner.

> Don’t even think of bringing an armoire entertainment center! Most consignment owners say the arrival of flat-screen TVs has just about wiped out the demand for big entertainment cabinets.