If youre moving to Italy, it can be very expensive to ship all your furniture over from abroad, so you may want to consider buying some of it here. From budget-friendly options to second-hand treasures, heres where to shop for arredamento.

If you're planning a move to Italy, furnishing your new home will likely be high up on your to-do list as you start your life in the country.

Whether youre buying or renting a property, the cost of shipping all your furniture over from abroad can be prohibitive, so the most likely option is that youll buy at least some when you move into your new home. 

If you know youre only going to be in Italy for a few years and arent worried about finding long-lasting furniture, the likes of Swedish flatpack furniture brand Ikea or the Italian Mondo Convenienza, a discount store with everything from cheap beds and sofas to kitchen appliances, may do. 

But if youre looking for durable options with a bit more design flair or want to invest in a personal, timeless piece, here are a few places to check out. 

Maisons du Monde

French-owned furniture store Maisons du Monde is one of the best options if youre looking for solid, non-flatpack furniture in a range of different designs. 

They offer vintage, exotic, classic chic, seaside, modern, country, and industrial styles for whatever type of look youre going for. 

READ ALSO: What are the rules on moving household goods to Italy?

Its worth noting that, while there are physical stores in many of Italys major cities and shopping centres, they dont always have all the big products in stock, so if youre looking to try out a bed or a sofa, you may have to go by online reviews.

Leroy Merlin

Leroy Merlin is best known as a home improvement store selling everything from tools and lighting to wall paint and tiles. However, they do sell some furniture too. 

The products on offer here are mostly no-fuss bedroom, office and outdoor furniture of medium quality.

Please note that not all available products are manufactured by Leroy Merlin itself. If youre interested in buying items sold by a different provider, its always best to check their online reviews before going ahead with the purchase.

Leroy Merlin operates over 50 stores across Italy.

Conforama 

French-owned store Conforama offers a wide range of functional pieces with a bit more style. 

They sell anything and everything you could possibly need, from full kitchen and bedroom sets to appliances and lighting. 

Products on offer range from budget-friendly essentials ready for delivery to more expensive, higher-quality items. 

They have stores across Italy (often located in shopping centres) and offer additional services including home delivery and assembly assistance.  

Kave Home 

Kave Home is a Spanish brand selling design-oriented furniture, including sofas, chairs, dining tables, beds, lighting and home decor. 

The style is mostly Mediterranean, though they also store items with a touch of Nordic design.

READ ALSO: How to find a storage space for your belongings in Italy

The products on offer generally come with a higher price tag compared to other retailers, but this is usually offset by higher-quality materials.

Kave Home has stores in 14 locations across Italy, including Milan, Turin, Rome, Verona and Naples. 

Zara Home

If youre looking for something stylish (for instance, a rattan headboard, a minimalist steel coffee table, or a chic designer sofa), Zara Home may be the best fit for you. 

Though it may have fewer options compared to other retailers, the brand is known for using high-quality materials.

It has stores in cities including Rome, Caserta, Florence and Milan. 

Stores may not have everything in stock, but you can order items online and have them delivered to your home. 

Divani & Divani

Founded in the 1950s, furniture brand Divani & Divani offers quality sofas, armchairs, beds and other small pieces of furniture and decor at a higher price point. 

The designs are simple and functional, and many pieces come with customisable options, including size, material and colour. 

There are around 80 stores in cities and towns across Italy.

Divani & Divani also offers consultation services and home delivery. 

Poltronesof�

Poltronesof� is another great option if youre looking for high-quality sofas and armchairs, especially if youre picky about colour and style.

Although products can be quite expensive, you can find excellent discounts and store-wide sales at various times of the year. 

With 167 stores across the country, Poltronesof� is ideal if you like to test out furniture before purchasing it. 

Scavolini

Scavolini is best known for its full kitchen, bathroom and living room sets. 

Most designs are functional and simple, with several options for customisation. 

Overall, this is a great option if you need a room fully furnished and dont want to deal with the hassle of searching for individual items in different stores. 

There are several Scavolini stores across Italy, but some of their sets are also sold by many local retailers. 

Luxury home furniture

If you want to invest in something a bit more timeless, brands like PoltronaFrau, Flexform, and Cassina will give you the best of Italys high-end furniture.

Smaller local furniture stores

The retailers listed above have several stores across Italy and offer websites where you can easily browse for products.

However, don't underestimate the possibility of finding what you need from small, local retailers selling mobili (furniture) or arredamento (home accessories). 

And if youre looking for a custom-made item, you can ask a local falegname (carpenter) or artigiano (artisan) to personalise your home furnishings. 

Second-hand furniture

Whether you're looking to save money, rescue the planet from fast furniture, or are just out of love with the beige-ness of the Scandi furniture trend, buying pre-loved is a great alternative.

In addition to Facebook Marketplace, where you can find used modern or vintage pieces at bargain prices, there are several other websites you can use to find anything from valuable antique pieces to vintage and retro items. 

Catawiki is an auction site similar to eBay where you can bid on items like designer lamps, antique wardrobes, and vintage dining tables. 

Subito is another great site for finding second-hand items (no bidding necessary). 

Markets selling second-hand furniture (mercatini dellusato) can be found all across Italy - though the quality can vary greatly from place to place. 

You can also find mercatini dellantiquariato (antique markets) selling all sorts of vintage furniture and decor in most major cities across the country.

Please, login for more