muscati
10th April 2003, 06:39 PM
My two cents:
- ID Design has some really beautiful stuff but the prices are sky high. If you've got the dosh to spend then it'll be heaven for you. Negatives: furniture not as modular as IKEA. Selection is limited. They haven't brought anything new since they opened the shop in November (though I heard new stuff is coming third week of April).
- Grant Mobil at Al Burj Shoppin Complex: the furniture does have the IKEA look, but it is flimsy. It is very cheap and obviously the low price comes at a lower quality. Definitely not furniture that was built to last.
- Fahmy Furniture: Go there for bed mattresses since they make the best with the Raha brand. They also are good with curtains. But furniture wise it's not a pretty place to be. They do have some good Thai and local made office furniture though, and they have decent and low priced garden furniture.
- Home Center at City Plaza: Best bargains in town. Decent quality furniture. Some pretty designs. Always bringing new stuff. Wait till their twice a year sale and you can get some really great bargains. The furniture is mostly Malaysian but they do have some European things too.
- Al Asfoor: More upscale than most shops in town. Even more expensive than ID Design. They sell as well as manufacture furniture. If you want something they don't have in the store they can make it for you. They have a very good selection of fabrics.
- Saden: If you have a quirky taste, or you want a different style of furniture then this is your place to shop. If you like the style in Kargeen then this is where you should go. Their designs are mostly based on heavy dark wood with Arabic/Indian traditional designs. I like a lot of their designs, unfortunately when I furnished my house they were going through a transitional period and had closed their showroom due to their old building being demolished for the construction of the new Khuwair flyover.
- Marina Gulf at Araimi and City Center: Not as much selection as their outlets in Dubai, but they have really nice tables, cabinets, and other accessories all based on old Indian antiques. Check out their website at <a href="http://www.indianfurniture-antiques.com" target="_blank">http://www.indianfurniture-antiques.com</a>
If you're willing to go to Dubai then all you need to visit are IKEA and The One. Between the two you can get everything you need in a two or three day visit. Arranging transport to Oman is no problem and inexpensive. Add 5% to the prices for custom duty though.
By the way, The One are planning to open in Oman by November this year.
I bought most of my furniture from IKEA in Dubai. It was more affordable and convenient. I got my bed and dining table from Home Center here. Furniture shopping is a huge headache. 14 months after moving into my house I can now finally say that I'm done with the furniture shopping