A bed to sleep on, a dining table and a couple of sofas in any old design at minimum prices, and you think you've got yourself a deal. After all, furniture is all about practicality, right? Think again.
Furniture is about style, design and for some, luxury and an idea of perfection. In the brightly painted new housing colonies springing up on Kathmandu's outskirts, the talk is of interior décor and boutique furniture outlets. As middle-class consumers embrace a lifestyle culture, more people are looking beyond simple function to aesthetics, enduring quality and named brands. With increased purchasing power and more sophisticated tastes, they are willing to invest in a picture-perfect home.
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Fusion, Thapathali
Fusion says it sells "furniture of the future". The straight-edged and elegant European styles are striking to look at, easy to deliver and assemble. The speciality here is office furniture, mostly made in Nepal from pre-laminated particle board. Home furniture is imported. With a new range of fabulous new pieces sold with lengthy warranties, Fusion claims a 95 per cent repeat order rate.
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Akarshan Interiors, Kopundole
With creative, innovative and stylish furniture available, buyers no longer need to travel abroad. The designs here are simple but elegant and artistic. Specialising in wrought ironwork, the shop has diversified into wood, cane and hemp products. Unadorned by the usual painted glossiness, the wrought iron furniture keeps a natural look. Look out for the artistic handiwork on both indoor and outdoor items.
Emporium, Teku 
If ever there was a furniture heaven, chances are that this is it. The displays are top-quality, imported brands like Kian from Malaysia. Where doors are meant to slide, they glide smoothly. You won't find warped runners and wobbly wheels. Chair designs are ergonomic, and this is truly an emporium of designs, offering Scandinavian, classic and modern shapes. Owner Siddhartha Gopalan helps his customers by being a ready interior design consultant.
Bloom, Basundhara 
With its luxurious and elaborately carved designs and classical look, the furniture at Bloom comes straight out of the pages of a Jane Austen novel. Featuring authentic Nepali aankhe jhyal and sofa chairs with personalised carving, Bloom is a trend-setter in the growing demand for the 'antique' look. Bloom is also an interiors contractor, but prefers large projects such as the Soaltee Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Mac Décor, Kopundole 
A diverse furnishings showroom, the new and revamped Mac Décor provides customers with a wide range of choices, from fun bedroom furnishings for children to elegant carved tables and sofas. The store displays locally designed products as well as high-quality items from Chinese manufacturers. The products remain affordable despite their quality.
Homemaker, Maitighar 
Homemaker mass produces customised designs. It believes that minimalism is more practical and requires less maintenance. Even so, the designs are attractive and Homemaker has exported furniture to countries like Japan and Germany. Homemaker is also an interiors contractor and sells beautiful accessories like lamps, and paintings. Its emphasis on elegance can be seen in the Scandinavian-style shop design in Thapathali.
Bira, Lagankhel 
Bira provides its customers with a range of products which are customised at its own factory or imported from China. There are, for example, at least 30 distinct types of sofa to choose from. Complete bedroom furniture sets and dining sets are available, as well as services for wall panelling, laminated flooring and upholstery. Bira also features modular kitchens, which can be mixed and matched according to the customer's needs. With a wide range of prices, Bira caters to a variety of tastes.
Woodcraft, Kumaripati 
Specialising in meticulously crafted wooden furniture, this shop provides exclusive, original products made of seasoned wood. Offering made-to-measure designs for both home and office, Woodcraft's traditional and authentically styled furniture ranges from medium to high prices.
