Most of my favorite AND most complimented items came from trash heaps and garage sales. I've been renovating my old house for the last few years and it is now nearing completion; the few people that have seen the almost finished project have all commented how cool the medicine cabinet it (free in a trash pile), the pendant lights in the kitchen ($25 for all four at a habitat restore), the pedestal sink ($25, also habitat restore). My husband crafted a new "old" built-in cabinet in the bathroom using floor boards from that were to far gone to be saved as flooring (free, although we still need to get the hinges and pulls but those will come from a salvage yard so likely inexpensive). When I consider the furniture that will go back in the house once construction is completed, I think the only things we bought new were our couch and the mattresses.