Shopping for furniture in the UAE? While there’s a lot to be said for getting your basics at one of the global superstores if you’re filling a house from scratch (it certainly helps keep costs down), it can also be worth spending a bit more on a couple of unique furniture pieces that you’ll love for a lifetime.
Think of them as big, beautiful souvenirs of your travels, or centrepieces that break up a front room filled with the same flat-packed furnishings everyone else has.
From authentic Indian antique benches to chunky, live-edged wooden tables, via funky home bars, here are the top alternative furniture shops in the UAE.
Stores in Dubai
Antika Furniture
Home to an ever-changing collection of unique pieces imported directly from India’s Rajasthan and Gujarat regions, get your hands on original or upcycled antiques, bearing all the hallmarks of pieces that have lived a life. No two items are the same, with Antika’s range spanning everything from small chests to desks, bookshelves to mirrors, coffee tables to consoles.
Times Square Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, www.antikadubai.com (050 485 1583).
Art and Craft Furniture
Rocking chairs, bar counters made of barrels, beside tables, benches – whatever you’re looking for, there’s a unique piece at this UAE furniture store. Its bar stools are particularly eye-catching (we love the pedal pick), while you’ll also find a variety of upcycled antiques and statement pieces in eye-catching colours. Deffo one of the best alternative furniture shops in the UAE.
Dubai location: Opposite Enoc Petrol Station, Umm Suqeim Road, Dubai, artandcraftfurniture.com (04 397 8646).
Abu Dhabi location: Street 11, m-15, Next to Sedana, Abu Dhabi. (050 801 1857).
Home and Soul Furniture
Clueless about how to put together your dream living room? This minimalist “lifestyle concept store” has its own interior design service to help steer you away from fatally mismatching your coffee table to your soft furnishings. Or something like that. Its collections include furniture, lighting, textiles and decorative trinkets, from which you can expect an abundance of neutral shades and soft edges.
Villa 6, Al Wasl Road (between Umm Al Sheif and Al Manara), Dubai, homeandsouldubai.com (056 112 1444).
Tribe
This boho store in Al Quoz’s artistic The Courtyard houses a collection of unique pieces, including lighting fixtures, armchairs, daybeds, rugs and decorative trinkets, all ethically sourced and made using reclaimed or sustainable materials – and every piece is handmade. Expect loads of natural hues, prints and fabrics, including bamboo and palm leaves.
The Courtyard, Al Quoz, Dubai, tribedubai.com (050 142 8248).
The Emporium UAE
As alternative furniture shops in the UAE go, this one is all about the chunky-industrial vibe? In addition to a warehouse filled with unique wood-iron coffee tables, dining tables, mirrors, bedframes, desks, shelves and more, The Emporium can custom-make furniture pieces to order. Each piece is completely unique.
Warehouse 5, Al Asayel Street, Al Quoz, Dubai, www.theemporiumuae.com (04 359 9095).
The Attic Dubai
Rattan is all the rage right now. While for some it may bring back memories of their granny’s conservatory, for others it’s the height of haute interiors. If you’re in the latter camp, The Attic has got you, with a huge range of palm furniture, from day chairs to cabinets, lamps and coffee tables. Not feeling the woven look? Worry not – there are plenty more styles to peruse.
Warehouse 55, Arenco Warehouses, First Al Khail Street, Al Quoz, Dubai, theattic-dubai.com (050 702 7116).
Shopping in Sharjah?
Lucky Furniture & Handicrafts
Launched in 1985, Sharjah-based Lucky Furniture specialises in Indian antique pieces lovingly restored and modernised, and is one of the longest running alternative furniture shops in the UAE. Over the years, it has added to and expanded its range to include more diverse items including live-edged wooden tables and home bars made using old rickshaw fronts and bus bumpers.
Fourth Industrial Street, Industrial Area 11, Sharjah, luckyfurnitureuae.com (06 534 1937).
Pinky Furniture
Established in 1989, expect a variety of upcycled antique-style pieces and rustic wood-iron furniture, with a collection spanning themes from classic Indian- and Arabesque-style chests to home bars and consoles made using scrap vehicle parts. Eclectic.
Street 3, Industrial Area 10, Sharjah, pinkyfurnitureuae.com (06 534 1714).
Shopping in Abu Dhabi?
The Driftwood Factory
As the name suggests, this Abu Dhabi furniture store specialises in working with reclaimed wood, which it says gives all its pieces “that unfinished, weathered look”. Custom-made pieces range from home bars and dining tables to unique shelving solutions and even dog beds (there are some seriously pampered pooches out there). A gem when it comes to alternative furniture shops in the UAE.
Store 25, M44, Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, driftwoodfactory.com (055 305 7856).
Al Hufaiza Furniture
Do you ever walk into a furniture store hoping something will just speak to you? Al Hufaiza Furniture is known for eye-catching and interesting pieces of furniture-as-fashion. This is where you go to find that interesting sculpture for the corner of the room, or the unusual coffee table that just screams “you.” The store also does custom pieces on demand, if you’re looking to design something specific.
Abu Dhabi Plaza, Hamdan Street, opposite Mariah Mall. alhuzaifa.com/ (600 575754).
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