# The basics of setting up



## MohsinTS (Dec 19, 2013)

Hi all - moved here a month or two ago and have just managed to move into my own place. It comes with appliances/white goods, but is completely unfurnished. I've been looking around online and can't seem to get a read on what furniture prices etc. around here should be. 

I'm not a huge IKEA fan, but recognise that for bare basics (trash-vans, hangers, an ironing board, etc etc) it's probably the best decision. My own tastes run more towards stuff like Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, or Bo Concept etc. but frankly I'm a little shocked at how high the prices are for what I'd always considered upper-mid-tier products. I'm looking for good items that also look slick (aren't we all?) but am at a bit of a loss. 

Could anyone comment on their experiences with shops like The One or Marina Home? I've been to Home Centre and Homes R Us and don't especially like anything there. Not a big fan of the super shiny veneers and plastics, or the six billion layers of gilt and rhinestones that I seem to be finding. Any thoughts or suggestions? I'd like to get a bed, a sleeper sofa, a dining table with 4 chairs, night stands etc. (basically all the stuff for a comfortable one BR apt. that has frequent visitors) for about 15-20k MAX. Is that even vaguely realistic? I'm seeing beds at places like Marina Home selling for almost as much as at Crate & Barrel so am a bit thrown.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
The best value place we found was Pan Emirates.
Furniture is well priced and looks OK. After nearly 18 months is actually holding up pretty well and when we leave UAE we dont intend to ship it back to UK with us - so treat it as disposable (or to be sold on Dubizzle at bargain prices).
Cheers
Steve


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Our whole place bar the beds is Ikea. 

Even the stuff worshipped from the UK was all Ikea so our UK home is Ijea free and the Dubai place isn't. 

We had Ikea which goes back about 15 ish years and it's still solid. 

Go with whatever suits your taste - there is no 'best for everyone' place.


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## Zeeshan08 (Sep 15, 2013)

I shopped around many places, but to be honest in your budget Ikea will be the way to go...I mean I went to iDesign and the sofa alone I liked was 25k. That was my budget for a car, not for the couch lol. I actually also had to get appliances they weren't included so I was on an even tighter budget...but instead of deciding to buy crap I decided to buy slow. 

Instead of a bedroom set, all i bought from Ikea was a mattress, which is currently just on the floor and I sleep on it just fine. And I lucked out and got actually the PERFECT couch like I was looking for on Dubizzle for 1700...paid 300 for transport and 300 to have it professionally cleaned, so for 2300 I was able to find the exact type of sofa I was looking for. It's not in "perfect" condition but for a used couch I would rate it a 8/10, and I plan to have the whole thing re-upholstered to brand new in 6-12 months (another 2-3k dirhams). So instead of spending 25k i'll have spend 4.5k and have what I want in any color I want. 

So shop dubizzle, you can find some deals, like a 10k sofa for 3k or other stuff like that. If you don't want to buy used, get the essentials right now cheap, and furnish piece by piece as you save up.


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## dubaikim (Apr 20, 2014)

best for white stuff is sharif dg


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## MAW0504 (Oct 6, 2009)

If you don't want the shiny IKEA stuff (and I don't get the fascination, it's not even that cheap!) just keep checking Dubizzle. People leaving will be selling off stuff they bought at Marina and The One etc. - some ask way too much but there are some bargains to be had. There's also a Marina outlet store at the outlet mall on the Bypass Road (new Emirates Road).

Dubai Outlet Mall

Good luck!


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn are priced way over what they are in their countries of origin. 
The latter does have good sales from time to time, but you can not furnish a home as sales are only on selected pieces. 

Homes r Us and Home centre both offer reasonably priced stuff and they both have across the store sales every few months. If you look around Homes r Us tends to use less of the plasticky or cheap wood stuff than Home Centre, and they do have some solid feeling furniture .
Pan Emirates actually splits the shiny and grandiose stuff and the more sober ones by floor. However, even the sober ones seemed to be made of lighter and flimsier material than Homes r us


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## JonGard (Aug 18, 2013)

For us on a budget Pan-Emirates has been an absolute blessing.


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## BigAndyD (Apr 19, 2013)

I can only echo the advice to search Dubizzle before heading to the shops. There is a huge turnover here of expats heading home continually and many decide that it is simply uneconomic to ship back furniture they have here.
A lot of what you will find is garbage or vastly over-priced, but there are genuine bargains to be had on some very nice household items in mint condition. Your only issue may be locating suitable transport.


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

If you have some time and patience, and an ability to sift throughthe crap, and wait for what you want, then Dubizzle is great.
I also found that many purchases led to other unexpected purchases at bargain prices, as people are often looking to unload stuff, but haven't advertised everything.

We brought most stuff over, but i picked up all of the below from Dubizzle:
fridge, cooker, dishwasher, sofa, chairs, rug, child's desk (x2), wardobe, piano, garden play equipment, snorkeling gear, camping gear, sailing dinghy, bicycle, TV stand..

that's all i can think of for now..!


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

A couple of others we don't think about too much http://theauctionhousedubai.com/wp/ and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cash-Converters-Dubai/481187955241837


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