Know Your Nábytek

You’ve just moved into a new flat. It’s empty or nearly empty. You’re on a budget and a timeline, but it’s still important for the place you come back to at the end of every day to feel like home, whether it’s for five months or five years. So where do you begin when it comes to nábytek (furniture)?

There are several major furniture chains in Prague where you can get the things you need to make your flat functional, and the things you want to make it livable, all in one stop. Now frankly, if you line up the flyers that come in the mail from most of these stores, it’s hard to tell the difference between them. Czech style is the same no matter which store you’re in: modern or contemporary, with lots of straight lines, plain fronts, and chrome hardware. But when you stick your nose up close there are differences in selection, quality, and price.

So here’s the skinny on the major furniture chains in Prague, in order of my least to most favorite.

Asko
Walking into Asko feels like you’re entering an over-sized dollar store, if dollar stores carried furniture. The furniture isn’t worth mentioning, but you can find an occasional cool, inexpensive throw pillow or candle holder, depending on the day. Given the quality of everything in the store, though, my eyes nearly popped out of my head at the 1399 CZK price tag on a small metal table lamp. And this after I had only just recovered from the astounding assortment of plaid chenille sofa and chair sets that look like they were right out of a used car sales office. It’s only worth a quick trip to Asko if you’re hunting for really inexpensive odds and ends, like cheap kitchen platters, or funky vases.

Sconto
If you’ve ever wanted to trek through a forest of particle board, pull on your hiking boots because this is your place. This furniture warehouse is full of friendly staff, and tacky, contemporary furniture, though there are a few unique finds. I spied a floor lamp with drum shade, and curly willow branches around the column. But for 5000 CZK, it’s certainly no bargain. Or a fun round wicker chair on a metal stand base for 5399 CZK. Again, maybe not such a find after all. The textiles – curtains, towels, rugs, and pillows – are below average in both style and quality. In a nutshell, there’s nothing here that you won’t find in other stores in greater selection and style, so you can skip Sconto.

Möbelix
Möbelix falls right in the middle. It’s on the nice end of discount stores, but it’s still a discount store. Most of the furniture is rather generic, and contemporary. You’ll likely find some items that suite your style, but they may also be the things with surprisingly high price tags, like a gray tweed-covered dining chair I spied, with a price tag of 2000 CZK. Or a great, sturdy wood credenza for 12000 CZK, though that’s probably reasonable considering it was solid. There is also a small section of hardware/tools, and small appliances like vacuums, coffee makers, and hair dryers. You won’t find much kitchenware here, though.

Kika has all the standard particle board fare in bookshelves and cabinets, but also carries a wide range of styles, from a charming white bedroom set with scalloped trim, to a sleek sofa table with a welded black metal frame and wood slab top (I may have to save my allowance for that one). There’s also a fantastic variety of real wood dining tables in warm woods, in grey woods, with metal legs, or with wood legs. But these would be investment pieces to keep for years to come, and they carry the price tag to go with their quality. For housewares, Kika has shelves and shelves of vases, candle holders, planters, etc.

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XXXLutz
With a name that sounds like an adult video store, wouldn’t you know XXXLutz is actually a really classy furniture store. This Austrian company boasts a ranking of second largest furniture dealer in the world. In my book it may even be a tie with IKEA for first place. After all, any store with silver snake skin wallpaper in the women’s restroom, and a display with crystal chandeliers above a bathtub definitely offers some unique style choices. Want a giant bird cage for your living room? XXXLutz has it. A cowhide dresser? They have that, too. A hanging wicker egg chair on a stand? You bet.

Of course, it’s not just the funky and unusual. XXXLutz has a huge range of modern designs for a variety of tastes — one of the best throw pillow selections in Prague, interesting glass and kitchenware sets, and a collection of bath towels as soft as clouds. Another example of the selection: where other stores only carry plain-frame mirrors, this store has a whole section of decorative mirrors with three-dimensional frames. Parents, there’s also a rather large children’s department, with everything from prams, to toys, to clothes. Happily, the prices are also pretty reasonable for what you get.