5 specialist Dubai furniture stores
Swap so-so sofas for something unique at these more offbeat Dubai furniture stores.
1. The Emporium
The Emporium is a treasure trove of antiques and vintage-style furniture that will take you on a trip through time. There’s always a lot to see so give yourself plenty of time to browse the vast range of larger pieces, like four poster beds, chaise lounges, and dining room tables that would have satisfied even Marie Antoinette’s extravagant tastes.
Top tip: The super friendly staff are keen to keep their customers happy – and won’t be offended if you try your hand at a bit of negotation on the price.
Al Quoz, Industrial Area 4, Dubai, Mon to Sat 10am to 8pm. Tel: (04) 3599095. Taxi: Service Road in front of Al Ahli Driving Centre. facebook.com/theemporiumuae
2. The Attic
Finding unusual pieces of furniture requires time and dedication, but the good folk at The Attic can change all that. Describing themselves as ‘independent furniture consultants’, they have the knowhow to acquire even the trickiest pieces on your behalf (all above board, we promise). Out to prove that desirable doesn’t have to mean unaffordable, their experts will listen to your brief and whip it up in their own manufacturing yard in India.
If a hand-crafted piece isn’t what you are after, they can also help you out with up-cycled or antique finds.
Top tip: To keep the experience as personal as possible The Attic operates a strict appointment policy, so give them a call when you are planning your next purchase.
Al Quoz, Industrial Area 4, Dubai, Sat and Sun. Tel: (050) 7027116. Taxi: Behind Marina Furniture. theattic-dubai.com
3. Objekts Of Design
If you lean towards the contemporary over the traditional, then Objekts Of Design has some treats in store for you. Specialising in colourful chairs, sleek side tables and crazily creative sofas, this place hits the mark for those with an interest in clever interior design, but not the eye-watering price tags.
Top tip: Objekts Of Design does fantastic replicas of iconic pieces of furniture – pick up a convincing Eames chair for a fraction of the price.
3rd interchange, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, daily 10am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 3284300. Metro: Noor Islamic Bank. od.ae
4. Pinky Furniture And Novelties
Anyone who has been kicking around this town for more than a few months will have heard of this place, a word-of-mouth favourite that has kitted out many a Dubai apartment with quirky, colourful wooden furniture.
Established in 1989, Pinkys (as regulars affectionately refer to it) started life in a warehouse in Sharjah but now operates from a showroom in Barsha. Fans of solid wooden furniture will be in their element, and even more thrilled with the prices for pieces of incredible quality.
Top tip: Don’t worry if you can’t find what you’re looking for straight away. Pinky’s has a relatively fast stock turnover, with new pieces arriving all the time. Have a chat with the staff, tell them what you like and leave a contact telephone number – they will be happy to help.
Al Barsha 1, Dubai, daily 10am to 8pm. Tel: (055) 5795591. Taxi: Opposite Dubai American Academy.
5. The Auction House
The Auction House is the first and only specialised auction venue in the region, and it’s on a mission to make getting rid of your unwanted stuff as easy as possible. Flogging everything from bookcases to beds, if it’s in good nick, The Auction House will sell it. The process is simple: give one of the agent’s a buzz, they will pop round to assess the item you want to sell, and then arrange for it to be collected. They charge a commission fee, but given the stress-free nature of the process, we reckon it’s well worth it. You can browse other pre-owned items on their website to replace what you’ve shifted, too.
Top tip: Moving house? Let the Auction House help out by shifting all the stuff you’ve accumulated over the years with just one call. They’ll look after a house clearance for a small fee, cutting out the timewasters.
Al Quoz, Industrial Area 4, Dubai. Tel: (800) 8243. Taxi: Beside Coffee Planet.
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