Living
Furnishing Accommodation
If you’re only planning on being in Berlin for a short period or you care little about the ambience of your abode, a furnished or partly furnished apartment could be the answer. As with most things, how well an apartment is furnished depends on how much you’re paying – and the sky’s the limit. You may either be sitting on designer originals or your landlord’s hand-me-downs. What constitutes partly or fully furnished is up to the landlord. Be sure some reference to the amount and standard of furniture is made in the lease. Most landlords will remove any items you don’t need and you’ll likely be required to bring your own kitchen utensils.
The best place to find bargains on smaller furnishings, lamps and artwork are the city’s well-known flea markets. All are on Sundays unless otherwise noted. Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain offers everything from junk to used designer furniture, though Arkonaplatz, on the border between Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg, is better known for its worn designer goods. Mauerpark offers a vast flea market where nearly everything is on sale. There are several trendy cafes nearby, making it a weekly happening for the hip.
The market on Strasse der 17 Juni near Grosser Stern every Saturday and Sunday is more upscale, boasting entire wooden wardrobes, dressers and dining room tables. The style is more regal than retro with prices to match.
For new furniture, Möbel Hübner at Genthiner Strasse 41 in Tiergarten has stuff for every room of your house or apartment. For cheaper goods, look to Möbelhaus Höffner, just outside Prenzlauer Berg in Wedding at Pankstrasse 39.
The country’s system of guilds for craftsmen means there’s plenty of qualified carpenters to make any type of furniture you can imagine – if you can draw it, they can build it. If you’re used to paying for designer goods, the cost of hand-made furniture won’t shock you. If not, you’ll probably regret asking for an estimate. Plattenladen in Kreuzberg at Oranienstrasse 183 is one of the best and will either just cut the wood and provide assembly instructions, or assemble whatever it is you’re looking for (030 6951 5990, www.plattenladen-berlin.de).
The best place to find bargains on smaller furnishings, lamps and artwork are the city’s well-known flea markets. All are on Sundays unless otherwise noted. Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain offers everything from junk to used designer furniture, though Arkonaplatz, on the border between Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg, is better known for its worn designer goods. Mauerpark offers a vast flea market where nearly everything is on sale. There are several trendy cafes nearby, making it a weekly happening for the hip.
The market on Strasse der 17 Juni near Grosser Stern every Saturday and Sunday is more upscale, boasting entire wooden wardrobes, dressers and dining room tables. The style is more regal than retro with prices to match.
For new furniture, Möbel Hübner at Genthiner Strasse 41 in Tiergarten has stuff for every room of your house or apartment. For cheaper goods, look to Möbelhaus Höffner, just outside Prenzlauer Berg in Wedding at Pankstrasse 39.
The country’s system of guilds for craftsmen means there’s plenty of qualified carpenters to make any type of furniture you can imagine – if you can draw it, they can build it. If you’re used to paying for designer goods, the cost of hand-made furniture won’t shock you. If not, you’ll probably regret asking for an estimate. Plattenladen in Kreuzberg at Oranienstrasse 183 is one of the best and will either just cut the wood and provide assembly instructions, or assemble whatever it is you’re looking for (030 6951 5990, www.plattenladen-berlin.de).
