Eighteen football fields — but not a single pigskin. That’s because I’m referring to the eighteen football fields’ worth of showroom space at Green Front Furniture, a huge discount furniture and accessories destination in Farmville, VA. Since Farmville is only about an hour from our Richmond home, we decided to take a short road trip to explore what the store had to offer.
Green Front spans twelve buildings — many of them former tobacco warehouses — and occupies much of Farmville’s small downtown. The result is a unique shopping experience where you can browse a wide range of furniture, rugs, and accessories, from imported traditional pieces to deeply discounted and quirky finds, all while wandering through historic, character-filled spaces. We managed to explore most of the roughly 650,000 square feet of showroom space during our visit.
We hadn’t gone with a specific purchase in mind, which suited us fine since much of the inventory leaned toward darker, traditional styles — lots of wood and leather — that aren’t exactly our usual preference. Even so, there were plenty of pieces that caught our attention. Sherry was especially taken with several rugs; she couldn’t stop admiring a coral-toned rug that matched her aesthetic.
I, on the other hand, appreciated the seating options and briefly entertained the idea of another couch. There were affordable, eco-friendly sofas on display — one I tried out was priced at $899 — and it was nice to rest my feet after walking through so much showroom space.
The seating variety extended beyond couches. Sherry loved an armless grey-blue chair, while I was drawn to an oversized leather ottoman. We both liked an armchair with a bold, American-Indian-meets-ikat inspired pattern that would add visual interest and texture to a living room.
Function and form met in unexpectedly clever pieces, too. One standout was a sleeper ottoman that doubles as a twin bed — perfect for small spaces where extra sleeping arrangements are occasionally needed.
We also admired mirror-backed hutches with clean lines — a smart way to keep a large piece from overpowering a room while adding depth and brightness.
Of course, part of the fun was discovering the more eccentric items sprinkled throughout the showrooms. Green Front carries pieces that appeal to shoppers looking for bold, eclectic accents — from a chair adorned with longhorns to a pair of quirky monkey sconces (complete with eyeglasses) that add a playful, unexpected touch.
If you’re considering a furniture hunt in Farmville, expect an adventure. It helps to have an idea of what you want before you go so a salesperson can steer you to the right buildings and save you some walking. While Green Front frequently discounts pieces up to around 50% off retail, pricing is generally higher than big-box budget brands because much of the inventory is above that entry-level quality. They also offer shipping to many destinations, which makes it easier to buy larger items without worrying about transport.
Finally, we want to thank Kristin for tipping us off about this nearby furniture find and for her good-natured surprise that we hadn’t discovered it sooner.