In Rome Now Complete City Guide Italy Shopping Home Furnishings

Contemporary l Ethnic l Eclectic l Vintage l Basic l Budget

Rome Shopping Home Furnishings

Finding the right furniture in Rome can be a treasure hunt. Furniture shops in the historic center are small and specialized, and the only place that sells everything at a low price is Ikea, out on the periphery of the city. Although it's incredibly convenient, we like to think there are alternatives. So our reporter, Alysa Weinstein Gravina, has pounded the cobblestones for you, finding a great selection of furnishings for every taste and budget. Via Monseratto is a good place to start. It runs from Piazza Farnese into Via Banchi Vecchi before it spills out near Chiesa Nuova at Corso Vittorio Emmanuele. The entire strip is loaded with treasures of all sorts, from antiques to modern objects and artisan pieces. Try it for a Saturday shopping stroll, with stops along the way for a coffee or glass of wine.

And don't sweat the small stuff. You'll find all the pots and pans, dishes, curtains and accessories you need on our Gifts and Housewares page. Click here to go there.

Arcon
For the minimalist and those who are short of space, this spacious shop offers an ample selection of home furnishings made with fashionably modern materials: chairs, bookshelves, tables, lamps, sofas and accessories from brand name design houses such as Flos, Flou and Fontana, Del Pallucco, SDR, Belato, Zanotta, Cassina and more.
Via dell Scrofa, 104 (near Piazza del Popolo) Tel 06683 3728

Binaci
If you want to furnish your home in the sleek, modern Italian style, this could be a one-stop shopping experience. Three interconnected shops, showcase everything from sofas and living room sets to beds and bedroom sets , and all the complementary accessories. There are design specialists on hand, who are eager, helpful and happy to work within any budget. And the prices are very competitive! Moltemi, Misura Emme and B&B Italia, are some of the brands sold here.
Via Tiburtina, 440 (near Cina Città) tel 06 439 3130

Compagnia del Mobile
This pleasant showroom on the Lungotevere just across from the Ponte Garibaldi is a chain with shops throughout Italy, selling every sort of home furnishings, all of it modern and some of it just for fun (like an ornate gold armchair with zebra upholstery). You'll find the top names in contemporary Italian design from Salvarani kitchens to Feg bedrooms. Pricing is mid-level and they offer interior design consultations, delivery and assembly.
Via Arenula, 55 (near Largo Argentina on the Lungotevere) tel 06 681 36615

Magazzini Associati
The spartan multi level, concrete interior of this design mecca will thrill even the most frilly shopper. Design gurus beware, Magazzini is the distributor for De Padova and all of the pieces have been very carefully selected. Displayed in a museum-like setting, you'll find affordable but beautifully designed furnishings and accessories including sheets, towels, curtains and clothing.
Corso Rinascimento, 7 (Piazza Navona) tel 06 08135179

Spazio Sette
Housed in a 17th century palazzo, this massive and elegant shop sells the best of every classic modern piece of furniture, lighting, tabletop and decorative object. Whether you are shopping for a soap dish, or a sofa, the design specialists will help you find that perfect piece. Zanotta, Cassina, Capellini, Kartell, Knoll, Stark, Ginori, Venini, are only a few among the top of the line Italian manufacturers sold here. They also maintain a very popular wedding registry. Make sure you check out the gorgeous upstairs where there is a carefully curated rotating gallery of design. And don't forget to look up. The original ceiling frescoes are amazing.
Via dei Barbieri, 7 (Largo Argentina) tel. 06 686 9747

ETHNIC

Rome Shopping Home Furnishings Ethnic

Est Re Mi
With four shops throughout the historic center of Rome, Est Re Mi offers a wide selection of Indian home furnishings and accessories. Most of the pieces are one-of-a-kind and handmade, so the inventory varies from shop to shop, and some shops are bigger than others. Hand-painted cabinets, armoires, screens, as well as simple teak chairs and trunks. Accessories include a lovely selection of hand-painted tiles, bowls and boxes, lamps, drawer-pulls, cushions and pillow covers. as well as some personal items such as scarves and inexpensive jewelry.
Via San Francesca a Ripa 149/150 (Trastevere) tel 06 580 3859
Via Monserrato, 101 (Campo dei Fiori, Piazza Farnese) tel 06 682 10187
Piazza Mattei, 18 (Largo Argentina, Ghetto) tel 06 682 10755
Via del Boschetto, 2/a (Monti) tel 06 474 4001

Ethno Gallery
This little gem of a shop sells African art and objects in a gallery setting — a welcome contrast to all the deco and mid-century antique stores in the neighborhood. The wood is the seduction here, dark and shiny and alive. You'll find gorgeous African masks and tapestries as well as small pieces of furniture (such as drum and spider side tables). Prices are reasonable considering the provenance.
Via del Pellegrino, 90 (Campo de' Fiori) tel 348 370 6516.

Il Tesoro
On a hill overlooking the Coliseum, this pleasant two-level shop sells small and large furnishings: cabinets, lamps, occasional tables. The lower floor has a good selection of curtains, bed coverings and pillows as well as clothing. Most of the merchandise is imported from the East, mainly India, Bali, Indonesia.
Via dei Serpenti 135/136 (Monti) tel 06 487 1927

La Chiave
A large shop selling small home furnishings, clothing and accessories. A good source for tables, small cabinets, baskets. An excellent selection of Turkish kilims, many of them fine vintage pieces.
Largo delle Stimmate, 38 (Largo Argentina, Corso Vittorio Emmanuele) tel 06 683 08848

Irushi
This Japanese warehouse invites you to bring more zen into your life with futons, paper lanterns low furniture and calming textiles. The woods are very well chosen and the designs are both elegant and tranquil. It is possible to outfit an entire apartment here if your inner being says "yes."
Via Margutta 21/22 (near Piazza del Popolo) tel 06 321 10358

Yaky
Searching for that ethnic feeling without getting on a plane? This shop has it all. Delightful treasures from Asia in the form of heavy wooden and richly painted antique furniture, modern and vintage textiles, unique floor coverings and other decorative objects.
Via Santa Maria del Pianto, 55 (Via Arenula, near Largo Argentina) tel 06 688 07724

Arte o Mete
This shop sells lovely, hand-painted fabrics, most of them natural linen. Think Fortuny, but at a price that suits your budget. Great for curtains, bedspreads, pillow coverings.
Via dei Banchi Nuovi, 40 (Piazza Navona) tel 06 681 36624

BBK
If you prefer a French landscape, BBK specializes in painted antique furniture, such as credenzas, consoles and hutches as well as upright sofas and Louis XVI style chairs. Think Marie Claire Maison. The upholstery fabrics, sumptuous natural linens, are also sold as yard goods for curtains and bed coverings. The shop carries gorgeous French ceramics, some detailed with pewter. Don’t miss the mirrors, frames, vases, candle sticks and lighting, all made by artisans especially for BBK. Each piece is “trés belle” and unique.
Via della Frezza, 60 (Near Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Augusto Imperatore) tel 06 324 4259

Ilaria Miani
Miani, a well-known decorator stocks her Rome shop with beautiful, linear furnishings (bookshelves, side tables and larger tables), in her signature dark wood. Note the vibrant colors: orange, fuchsia, red and green and her elegant, modern taste. There's a good selection of design books as well as many gifts and curiosities, such as bathroom accessories, small mirrors, lacquered boxes and picture frames.
Via di Monserrato, 35 tel 06 683 3160

Ragione & Sentimento
The mix of antiques and one of a kind farmhouse pieces with new, modern and linear decorative items showcased in this Rome shop could make a perfectly curated home. The owner knows how to mix and match, create and reproduce. Simple but elegant.
Via dell’ Orso, 71 (Piazza Navona) tel 06 683 8887

Alain
This tiny Rome shop specializes in interesting furnishings from the early 1900s through the 1970’s. One day we found bold graphic prints, another day a metal and glass 1940’s cocktail table. Fabulous lighting fixtures from every decade.
Via del Pellegrino, 171 (Campo de' Fiori)

Arti Decorative del 900
This tiny but elegant Rome shop is more akin to a private club for serious collectors, a panorama of decorative and applied arts covering the period from 1890 to WWII produced by distinguished European artisans and manufacturers from England to Russia: hard-to-find ceramic sculpture of Nubian women by Frederic Goldscheider; turn-of-the-century wall sconces and torchieres in Murano glass and art deco vases. We were taken by a beautifully crafted chair from the DeStilj school. Each item is signed and documented
Via Pozzo delle Cornacchie, 28 (Pantheon) tel 06 687 9880

Gheco
Looking for a Saarinen egg chair, Noguchi coffee table, Murano glass, 50’s lamps, an Eames side chair or even a Bertoia reproduction, 1960’s metal and glass lighting? You need not look further. This Rome shop has all the whimsy you need to finish your home decorating, and the prices are fair. But if you see it, do not hesitate, the furniture literally walks out of the store and the inventory changes weekly.
Via Giulia, 140e (Campo de'Fiori) and nearby at Via Pellegrino, 128 tel 06 687 2502

Isola Novecento
This shop is a treasure trove of vintage furnishings, lighting and decorative objects. It's fun just to go in and look around at the exquisite pieces. Prices are surprisingly reasonable.
via Madonna dei Monti 60 (Monti) tel 338 930 2217

Perchè No?
You'd miss this shop if you didn't have the address, hidden away as it is on a little street just off the river. But it's a great place to treasure hunt, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. You can find anything from antique textiles and jewelry to lighting fixtures and furniture. It's the sort of place you'll want to stop in once a month just to see what new pieces have come in.
Via dei Vascellari 53-54 (Trastevere) tel 06 581 1883

BASIC

Confalone
This Rome furniture shop manages to walk a very careful line between ethnic and classic. The sofa selection is vast. You can find designs such as Liagre, Shabby chic, Jean Michel Frank, and each couch is displayed in white or ecru. We found floor sample prices at every location. Most sofas are also convertible to beds and can be made to measure. While you're there, check out the ethnic side tables, bookshelves, mirrors, cabinets and lighting.
Piazza B. Carioli, 110 (Campo de' Fiori) tel 06 688 03684
Via Luisa di Savoia 10 A/B/C (Piazzale Flaminio) tel 06 3207011
Via Merulana 61G (Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni) tel 06 487 5478
Via Salaria 75 (Piazza Fiume) tel 06 841 6183
Lungotevere Mellini 42 (Prati) tel 06 321 5125
Via Tiburtina 390 (southern Rome, near Cine Città) tel 06 438 0333
Piazza Pio XI, 35 (north of the Vatican near Via Aurelia) tel 06 637 4045

Divani & Divani
Sofas, couches, sofa beds, arm chairs. Choose from a variety of styles, most of them quite contemporary, then select from the available fabrics. Most items are made to order. Prices are reasonable. Some accessories such as side tables and lamps are also on sale here.
Via Nomentana, 299 Roma tel 06 853 55499
Centro Comm.le Anagnina Roma tel 06 723 5595
Via Gregorio VII 130 D Roma tel 06 637 2390

La Sedie
This tiny Rome shop sells and reproduces all manner of chairs, from antique Louis XVI to modern Mies Van der Rohe. Ask for their terrific catalogue.
Via della Vetrina 12a and Vicolo delle Vacche 9 (Piazza Navona) tel 06 686 8093

Zara Home
The home furnishings division of the popular clothing store, stocks contemporary designs at afforable prices. Shop for sheets and towels, curtains, bedspreads and tablecloths, homefurnishings, kitchen stuff and decorative items. The shop is organized on two floors, with themed departments, such as ethnic, nordic, kids rooms, country and modern. They constantly turn over the stock, with new items coming in every few days.
via Cola di Rienzo 225 (Prati) tel 06 326 09280

BUDGET

Rome Shopping Home Furnishings

Arredamenti Aventino
Two shops along Via Aventino sell a wide selection of furnishings at budget prices. The designs are modern and sleek, often copies of higher-priced pieces made with veneer instead of solid wood and less-expensive finishings. You'll find entire kitchens and bedrooms to choose from, wardrobes, good looking dining sets, home office furnishings, kids' rooms, and a good selection of inexpensive futons and sofa beds.
Via della Piramide Cestia, 27/33 (Via Aventino, near Piramide) tel. 06. 57 57 816

Ikea
We have tried to swear off Ikea, but we always fail. It's huge, unbelievably crowded, exhausting, overwhelming, but you can't beat the prices and the designs are clean, modern and colorful. The two Rome locations carry everything from silk flowers to refrigerators. They will deliver the goods for a price, and the furniture will have to be assembled but you can furnish an empty apartment from top to bottom without leaving the premises. If you're even the tiniest bit claustrophobic, try to shop on a Tuesday morning when the stores first open. The cafeteria's Swedish meatballs are pretty good. And we do recommend you take a break from shopping. You need a car to get there, but the grimly determined can take the A line subway all the way to the end at Anangnina and then transfer to a bus that will drop you at the nearby shopping center. From there it's the equivalent of about a four-block walk.
South Rome at Via Anangnina, 81 (GRA exit 21-22)
North Rome at the Centro Commerciale Porto di Roma
(Via delle Vigne Nuove, Bufalotta exit on the GRA)

Il Tucano
The offerings here are mostly imported but you'll find a wide selection of everything at good prices. Look for interesting teak chairs, tables, shelves and cabinets, curtains, dishes, lamps, chests, end tables.
Via Nomentana, 657/675 tel. 06 82002382
Fontana di Trevi - P.zza dei Crociferi, 10/11 - tel. 06 6797547
Tiburtina - Via Tiburtina, 373/a - tel. 06.435 98931
Tuscolana - Via Tuscolana, 1187 - tel. 06.726 73483
Via Cassia, 905 A/B - tel. 06 303 10835

Upim Casa
The housewares sections of the Upim stores carry small home furnishings, sheets, towels, kitchen and bathroom accessories. Pick up trendy linens, towels and table top items for each season and keep your home feeling fresh. Especially fantastic is their outdoor furniture line comprised of metal and teak pieces sold with coordinating cushions and umbrellas. If you don’t want to break the bank look no further than this.
Locations throughout the city. In the center there are three stores, one inside the greater Stazione Termini complex at the main train station.
The others are:
Piazza di S. Maria Maggiore tel 06 4465579
Via del Tritone, 72 tel 06 678 3336