As the majority of apartments are rented furnished, Muscovites who buy furniture are typically homeowners, or in the market for just a specific piece to meet a certain need. There is no strong secondary market for furniture, although it is possible to find some ads for second-hand furniture on the popular classified site, http://irr.ru. Because not all Muscovites have cars, and most cars are smaller sedans, it’s not very practical to purchase large items from private people. Not to mention that hallways and elevators in the typical Moscow apartment building are tiny. Most prefer to buy new furniture and have it delivered by the store.
If you discover your couch won’t fit in the elevator, at least someone else will be in charge of hauling it up 14 flights of stairs! (Check the specific delivery policy of the store to make sure it includes delivery to the apartment itself.) For the same reason, home assembly furniture is more popular than large solid wood tables and closets. Small, compact, and functional furniture is the best choice for the typical Moscow apartment.
While the typical Russian apartment has a mix of furniture styles, there are two main styles competing in Russia across the generational line – older people prefer dark woods with lots of intricate detail and ornaments. The younger generation favors a more European-style modern furniture, with light wood, metal, and cleaner lines. However, the majority of Russians of all generations enjoy bright colors and patterns – for not only furniture, but wallpaper, curtains, couches, rugs, etc. – and plentiful knick-knacks and accessories. A fun show to watch – in Russian – plays on the First Channel around 1:00 p.m. on Sundays. It is called Kvartirny Vopros (Apartment Question) and takes you through a Russian professional re-model and re-design of a typical kitchen, living room, or bedroom.
Superstores
Superstores and complexes tend to have the best selection, best prices, and offer the convenience of one-stop shopping for not only furniture, but also appliances, curtains, rugs, fixtures, home electronics and other basic household wares. In addition, they typically offer a wide variety of convenient home delivery options.
Tvoy Dom
Provides 24-hour shopping for furniture, appliances, electronics, dishes, rugs, curtains, and even jewelry and toys – everything you might need to outfit your apartment or house and garden. This place is an absolute must-visit if you’re new to Moscow and remodeling or outfitting a new home. It is a great one-stop shop with reasonable prices, but a good selection of high-quality wares. It has two stores in Moscow.
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 24 hours
http://www.tvoydom.ru
- MKAD – km 66 at Volokolamskoe Shosse (take bus or marshrutka from metro stations Tushinskaya, Shhukinskaya, Strogino, or Molodheznnaya)
Tel.: +7 (495) 942 95 95 - MKAD – km 24 at Kashirskoe Shosse (take bus from metro station Domodedovskaya)
Tel: +7 (495) 727 16 42
IKEA
Moscow’s three IKEAs are anchor stores for the Mega Malls at Khimki, Tyopliy Stan, and Belaya Dacha. They are all just beyond the MKAD. In addition to standard IKEA furniture and home décor, these malls offer a wide variety of shops to accommodate shopping for everything from jewelry to clothes to groceries. Their web site (in English) provides a full list of all stores and explains in detail how to get to each store, including GPS coordinates for those driving or a multitude of public transportation options.
- Mega mall – Khimki
MKAD – km 77 (take free special shuttle bus from metro stations Planernaya and Rechnoy Vokzal) - Mega Mall – Tyopliy Stan
MKAD – km 44 (take free special shuttle bus from metro stations Yasenego or Annino) - Mega Mall – Belaya Dacha
MKAD – km 14 (take free special shuttle bus from metro stations Ryazansky Prospekt or Vykhino)
Grand
This is the largest furniture retail centre in Europe. It sells furniture, appliances, fixtures, carpets, and much more. Their web site provides some information in English.
Opening hours: Mon – Sun 10:00 – 21:00
http://www.grandfs.ru/
MKAD – at Leningradskoye Shosse (the highway to Sheremetyevo Airport (take bus or marshrutka from metro stations Rechnoi Vokzal or Planernaya).
Tel.: +7 (495) 780 33 33
Tri Kita
Another furniture and home equipment super complex that also has a large sports equipment section.
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 10:00 – 21:00
http://www.trikita.ru (in Russian only)
MKAD – km 2 at Mozhayskoe Shosse (take bus from metro stations Kievskaya, Yugo-Zapadnaya, Filevskiy Park, Molodezhnaya)
Tel.: +7 (495) 723 82 82
Other stores and brands
8 Marta
Specializes in couches, soft chairs, and beds. It has company stores; and sells its products at other stores all across Moscow. In total, there are more than 50 locations. A full list is available (in Russian, but with a convenient map illustration) at http://www.8marta.ru/
Shatura
Focuses on home-assembly wood furniture from bed frames to desks to kitchen cabinets. You can order online or visit one of almost 30 stores in Moscow that feature its products. For a full list of stores (in Russian, but with a convenient interactive map), visit http://www.shatura.com/
