Help on Buying Furniture

Hi,

Its great that you want to buy locally made furniture.  Its much much better than most of the things you buy in the west and no chipboard or MDF anywhere.

Try Odds and Ends on Mombasa Rd.  Fantastic quality stuff.

oddskenya.com/index.aspx

hello tuldha!
that's what i'm doing for the last couple of monthes
can't say, that i'm satisfied with the results, but can share my experience:
1. nakumatts have quite big showrooms of different furniture. but i don't like that style and the prices
2. there are several big furniture shops on mombasa road opposite the Somak business tower.
3. there is quite a big showroom of furniture in the one of that Somak towers - TACC (tile and carpet center). There are carpets and fabric shop on the first floor and quite decent furniture shop on the second, and household (quite cheap) on the third.
So it is a good place ot visit.
Actually Odds and Ends is near, so you can do everything in one day.
4. furniture on Ngong road - these are local markets just along Ngong road. There is lot of furniture, but it looks like more or less the same. But: it is cheap, it is local, it is made of wood.
You can find some very nice.
but there is another big BUT: the quality! you should really pay attention to the quality, especially the quality of taking the parts together.
it is better to buy smth that is ready, because you'll never know what you will get, if you order  - the sizes, the colour even the style can be different from your order!!!
and they always promise to fix everything tomorrow and it can last for a month or they just don't come back!
so be carefull there - you'll get all the local colour
5. there are furniture shops in different malls that, i would say, indian like. That furniture is of a very high quality, but not that cheap.

Good luck!

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Hi Elena,

Most of the stores you mention don't sell locally made furniture - it usually seems to be chinese, or sometimes european in origin.  Often a bit cheaper and looks great, but falls to bits in no time at all.

Furniture prices have risen, due to the increases in timber prices.  However, from experience 7 to 10 years later, the locally made furniture still looks as good as new, so I absolutely don't regret buying locally made furniture.  Long lasting and supporting the kenyan economy too!

Longonot62, yes, I agree
but that guys from Ngong road - they brough very nice children beds and put 10 very long nails in every leg to make is stand!
and while they were joining details of another bed, they made 2 wholes in side parts.
we ordered sofa - they made it 35 cm shoreter, of different colour, and cushion covers (we bought our own material) - the pattern goes all different ways - they don't think, that it all the flowers should grow up from down!
so one just need to be aware of that things

Longonot62 wrote:

Hi Elena,

Most of the stores you mention don't sell locally made furniture - it usually seems to be chinese, or sometimes european in origin.  Often a bit cheaper and looks great, but falls to bits in no time at all.

Furniture prices have risen, due to the increases in timber prices.  However, from experience 7 to 10 years later, the locally made furniture still looks as good as new, so I absolutely don't regret buying locally made furniture.  Long lasting and supporting the kenyan economy too!

Longonot62 is quite right. There are lots of high quality local furniture and you can spot it along almost all major roads,although Ngong road has a greater variety. You just need to get someone to accompany u,especially a local n one who knows abit about the furniture.

Ordering is not such a wise idea because it can be frustrating. Getting ready-made furniture is the best option.

Yes, you have to be a little careful with the roadside furniture places and quality can be variable. There are also some in Gigiri, near Village Market, which seem to make some nice stuff - might be worth looking there.  You wouldn't have this problem with ready made furniture from companies like Odds & Ends.

We also had a fantastic double bed made up by a carpenter, from some wood we had.  Unfortuntately, I no longer have the contact.

My sincere thanks to all of you for valuable tips

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Hiya!
I've been looking for furniture myself.
I've bought something from Odds and Ends; it was delivered the same day (without extra charge).
Also, try the road side shops along the Mombassa Road; take your time looking around, talk to people (haggle!!!); you might find a shop that catches your eye with things that are your taste; they will probably be able to tailor-made every piece.
The first experience can be a bit overwhelming coz they harass you a bit (just keep smiling and keep your cool)...it can be fun. Good luck

Kikoisa wrote:

Hiya!
Also, try the road side shops along the Mombassa Road; take your time looking around, talk to people (haggle!!!); you might find a shop that catches your eye with things that are your taste; they will probably be able to tailor-made every piece.

Thanks Kikoisa. Where on Mombasa Road? Any landmark?

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guys, i have also bought a lot of locally made furniture and have been lucky most of the time.
What i have found however is that most of the times, whenever we give out a deposit for furniture to be made, it is quickly used up for something else and then your furniture is made well after the deadline has passed.
I'd also like to warn other expats about dealing with a company called [moderated] on ngong road nearly opposite the ngong racecourse.
We had given them a deposit to make a dining table and 6 chairs for us. price agreed was 48000/-
we were stupid enough to give a deposit of 15000 and that's where all the trouble began.
first excuses about how getting wood is a problem then after a couple of weeks the wood came in and then the machine to cut the wood had a problem etc..
finally table and chairs were ready and to our disbelief, some chairs were of different heights and the table legs were also of different thickness.
[moderated] who runs the place was not willing to fix it and was of the opinion that there was nothing wrong with the table.You might call me old fashioned but I would never look at my guests height and then place them on different chairs so we can all sit down for dinner.Her husband then threatened to report us to the police for not paying the balance and surprisingly did not turn up at the police station when we had arranged to meet and that has been the case for a long time now.
Please stay as far away from them as you can if you want to have a peaceful life in Kenya.
I suggest buying what you see and like as opposed to giving orders for items to be made as you will almost always lose out.
Masoom

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[Moderated: Off topic]

Never buy furniture on order. Buy what you can see, touch and measure. Then pay and take it with you immediately. Don't ask that it be delivered later.

I would also check out ads on notice boards in malls/shopping centers; plenty of individuals leaving the country many times post their ads on the notice boards.
Additionally, check out this link: http://www.olx.co.ke/home-furniture-gar … es-cat-228

Not forgetting the flea markets... there's one in Karen on 2nd of June 2013 (2pm-7pm) and another one at adams Arcade (9am-3pm). You can get plenty of good used household stuff - and occassionally furniture (or good leads).

Hi please check on classified. Am selling household furniture for a three bedroom apartment in Kilimani.  Well maintained furniture especially kitchen stuff.

Paula

selling my 7 seater furniture white leather, 3 months old.price on the stores is 240,000 for 5 seater, mine is half the price and its seven seater, really big and classy,

Hi  sly_carina,

I invite you to post an advert in the Nairobi Classifieds, Home/Furniture section. This might help.

Thank you,

David.