Did you know that May is the start of moving season? This means many newcomers to Turkey and locals alike are on the hunt for perfect and unique furnishings for their new homes. So whether you just moved or are simply looking for the perfect accent piece, there are a number of great furniture stores, outlets and designer shops to help decorate your home.

Ham:m

Ham:m was originally founded as a fashionable furniture store in Tophane but has since branched out into shops and production spaces in Nişantaşı, Bomonti, Caddebostan, Göktürk, Bodrum and even in the Netherlands. The furniture produced by Ham:m is timeless in style and sophistication and are works of art produced by nearly two dozen independent Turkish designers and teams. In addition, the shops also offers Hamm Plus services; basically a free interior design service that allows you to create your own space with the help of professionals.

Dank!

Based out of a spectacular showroom-warehouse connected to the CarrefourSA in İstinye, Dank! specializes in vintage, retro and art deco furniture. Not only is this where you can find that perfect authentic vintage item, but you can also purchase new replicas of famous designs, such as the beloved Eames lounge chair. Yan also peruse their website and purchase many items online.

Altıncı Cadde

What started as an online store with an efficient and thorough website has since branched out into three different locations located in Trump Towers, Teşvikiye and in the seaside city of Bodrum. Their mission is "to create stylistic homes," which they do through their vast number of products available online.

There is no particular theme except for attractiveness and functionality, but they do offer periodic deals on their impressive decorative items. Keep in mind, many of the pieces are made to order, so delivery times can sometimes be delayed for up to a month. This all-in-one home furnishing shop even sells house appliances and electronics.

Vivense

Vivense is a vast home decor and furniture outlet that also started online but has since grown exponentially and now operates over 20 showrooms throughout Turkey, with six in Istanbul alone. Their products are designed by a team of Turkish and international designers with everything and anything you could ask for in a wide price range.

They also offer free interior designer consultations. Many of the pieces are made to order and can take a month or so to arrive at your door; however, the wait is well worth it because they tend to have the highest selection of designer items to furnish your home.

Evidea

Evidea started off as another internet-based furniture store that has since opened their first showroom in Maltepe, Istanbul. Easily one of the most reasonable outlets to find the perfect piece for your home, they also have the widest selection for you to peruse online at evidea.com.

Archi Ahşap Atölyesi

If it is industrial cast-iron and wood medley you seek, then Archi Ahşap Atölyesi, a woodworking workshop based in Ankara, just happens to be the producers of many of the styles purveyed by the aforementioned design workshops. Therefore, if you are seeking a custom-build and specific sizes, you can head straight to ahsapatolyesi.com. Be sure to take advantage of their hat-trick special to purchase three items for the price of two.

In a league of its own

Addresistanbul is a home decoration shopping center dedicated to modern home furnishings. The mall itself was designed by famous architect Emre Arolat in 2005 and contains 30 local and foreign shops that house thousands of designer brands.

Meanwhile, for those with an adventurous spirit, Istanbul actually has two mega furniture complexes that house hundreds of designers and shops offering thousands of items in one stop, bargain to get the price down and opt for customized pieces.

Istanbul's 'furniture towns'

Located on the Asian side in Dudullu, Ümraniye Modoko is a complex containing 350 furniture stores that have been around since 1969. They are currently holding a spring festival with workshops, concerts and special deals. Similarly, the MASKO Mobilya Kenti is a furniture "city" dubbed the largest in the world, located in İkitelli, on Istanbul's European side, with hundreds of stores to wander through.

For second hand

I am sure nearly everyone reading this has heard of Letgo, the free mobile classified app that allows you to sell or buy secondhand items on a geographical basis. However, dekopasaj.com is an even more user-friendly way to find something unique and used or to sell your own secondhand items. The site has a vast selection and sellers' history and reviews are available online.