How to Furnish a One-Bedroom Apartment in Nairobi for Under KES 150,000

A practical room-by-room guide to furnishing a one-bedroom apartment in Nairobi on a KES 150,000 budget. Covers where to shop, what to prioritise, and how

> TL;DR: A complete one-bedroom apartment in Nairobi can be furnished for between KES 120,000 and KES 140,000. The budget covers the bedroom (bed, mattress, wardrobe, bedside tables), living room (sofa, coffee table, TV unit), dining area (four-seater set), and finishing touches (rug, curtains, lighting, plants). Mixing Ngong Road artisan workshops with mid-range retailers like Furniture Palace gives the best quality-to-cost ratio.

A one-bedroom apartment is the most common first home for young professionals and couples in Nairobi. If you are currently in a bedsitter and working your way up, our guide to furnishing a Nairobi bedsitter for under KES 50,000 covers that step in detail. Whether you have just moved into a place in Kilimani, Westlands, South B, or Ruaka, the challenge is the same: you have a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom to furnish, and you want it to look like a real home rather than a temporary arrangement.

KES 150,000 is a genuinely workable budget for this. It is not a budget that allows for showroom shopping across the board, but it is more than enough to create a space that feels considered, comfortable, and distinctly yours, provided you spend it in the right order and in the right places.

This guide walks you through every room, every spending decision, and every shortcut worth taking.

The Right Order to Furnish a One-Bedroom

Most people furnish in the wrong order. They buy decorative items before they have the basics, or they spend too much on the living room and run out of budget for the bedroom. The correct order is:

1. Bedroom first (you sleep every night, you entertain occasionally)

2. Living room second (your main social space)

3. Dining area third (often shared with the living room in Nairobi apartments)

4. Storage and finishing touches last

This order ensures that even if your budget runs short, you always have the most essential spaces covered.

Bedroom: KES 45,000 to KES 60,000

Your bedroom is where you start and end every day. It deserves the largest share of your budget and the most careful thought.

Bed Frame and Mattress

A queen size bed (150cm x 200cm) is the right choice for most Nairobi one-bedroom apartments. It gives you generous sleeping space without dominating the room the way a king size would. A solid wood or metal bed frame from Ngara Road workshops will cost between KES 8,000 and KES 14,000. Look for one with under-bed drawers built in, as this eliminates the need for a separate chest of drawers and keeps the room from feeling cluttered.

The mattress is the one place in this entire guide where you should not look for the cheapest option. A medium-firm foam or spring mattress from a reputable Kenyan brand such as Simba Mattress or Comfort Mattress will cost between KES 18,000 and KES 28,000 for a queen size. This is money well spent. A poor mattress affects your sleep, your energy, and your mood every single day.

Wardrobe

A freestanding wardrobe with a combination of hanging space and shelving is the practical choice for a rented apartment. You want something at least 150cm wide so it can hold a reasonable amount of clothing without looking undersized against the wall. Ngara has a wide selection in the KES 12,000 to KES 18,000 range. If your apartment has an alcove or a recessed wall, a local carpenter can build a fitted wardrobe for a similar price and make far better use of the space.

Bedside Tables and Lighting

Two small bedside tables (KES 3,000 to KES 5,000 for a pair from Ngara) complete the bedroom. They do not need to match perfectly. A slight mismatch between two complementary pieces adds character. Each should have a small lamp with a warm white bulb. Budget KES 3,000 to KES 5,000 for a pair of simple ceramic or wooden base lamps. This layered lighting makes the bedroom feel warm and intentional rather than clinical.

Bedroom Budget Summary

Shop at the lower end of each range and you land at KES 44,000 for a fully furnished bedroom. Aim for the midpoint and you are at around KES 55,000.

Living Room: KES 50,000 to KES 65,000

The living room in a Nairobi one-bedroom apartment is typically 15 to 25 square metres. It needs to work as a relaxation space, a hosting space, and often a workspace too. The key is choosing pieces that are correctly scaled for the room and that serve more than one purpose.

Sofa

A three-seater sofa is the right size for most Nairobi living rooms. It seats three comfortably and does not overwhelm the space the way an L-shaped sectional would. A fabric sofa from a Ngara workshop in a neutral tone such as charcoal, warm grey, or terracotta will cost between KES 22,000 and KES 32,000. Avoid very pale colours if you have guests regularly. Darker or mid-tone fabrics are far more forgiving.

If your living room is on the smaller side, consider a two-seater sofa plus two armchairs instead. This arrangement gives you the same seating capacity with a lighter visual footprint and more flexibility in how you arrange the space.

Coffee Table and TV Console

A round or oval wooden coffee table (KES 6,000 to KES 10,000) works better in smaller living rooms than a rectangular one because it has no sharp corners and allows easier movement around it. A TV console with closed storage below (KES 10,000 to KES 16,000) keeps cables and clutter out of sight and doubles as storage for items you do not want on display.

Rug

A rug is the single most transformative item in a living room. It defines the seating area, adds warmth underfoot, and ties the furniture together visually. For a standard Nairobi living room, a 160cm x 230cm or 200cm x 300cm rug is the right size. The front legs of all your seating furniture should rest on it. A woven jute or cotton rug from Maasai Market or Ngara will cost between KES 5,000 and KES 9,000.

Lighting

Most Nairobi apartments come with a single overhead light. Add a floor lamp in one corner (KES 4,000 to KES 7,000) and the room immediately feels warmer and more layered. Use warm white bulbs throughout. Cold white lighting makes living spaces feel like offices.

Living Room Budget Summary

Shopping carefully at Ngara and Maasai Market, you can furnish the living room for around KES 52,000 to KES 58,000.

Dining Area: KES 12,000 to KES 18,000

In most Nairobi one-bedroom apartments, the dining area is a corner of the living room rather than a separate room. This means your dining furniture needs to be compact enough not to crowd the living space.

A four-seater dining table (KES 7,000 to KES 12,000 from Ngara) with four simple chairs (KES 1,200 to KES 2,000 each) is the standard setup. Round tables work better in tight spaces than rectangular ones because they are easier to move around and feel less imposing. If space is very tight, a fold-down wall-mounted table is a practical alternative that frees up floor space when not in use.

Storage and Finishing Touches: KES 8,000 to KES 15,000

Once the major furniture is in place, the finishing touches are what make the apartment feel like a home rather than a furnished rental.

A few framed prints or photographs on the walls (KES 500 to KES 1,500 each at Maasai Market) add personality without requiring much budget. Two or three indoor plants such as a pothos, snake plant, or peace lily (KES 400 to KES 1,200 each from Ngong Road vendors) add life and require very little maintenance. A pair of curtains in a warm neutral tone (KES 2,000 to KES 4,000 for a standard window) softens the room and adds privacy.

For storage, a small shoe rack near the entrance (KES 1,000 to KES 2,000) and a wall-mounted coat hook (KES 500 to KES 1,000) prevent the hallway from becoming a dumping ground for shoes and bags.

Full Budget Breakdown

Shopping at the lower to mid end of each range, which is entirely achievable at Ngara, Gikomba, and Maasai Market, the realistic total lands between KES 120,000 and KES 140,000. This leaves a comfortable buffer within the KES 150,000 budget for delivery costs, small extras, and anything you decide to upgrade.

Where to Shop in Nairobi

Ngara Road workshops are the best starting point for furniture. Sofas, bed frames, wardrobes, dining sets, and TV consoles are all available at prices well below what you would pay in a showroom. Bargaining is expected and the quality is generally solid for the price. Allow one to two weeks for custom or made-to-order pieces.

Gikomba Market is worth visiting for fabric, curtains, and second-hand furniture. The selection varies by day so it helps to go more than once. Go early in the morning for the best picks before dealers arrive.

Maasai Market rotates between Westgate, Village Market, and the CBD on different days of the week. It is the best source for rugs, cushions, wall art, baskets, and decorative items with a Kenyan aesthetic. Prices are negotiable.

Ngong Road plant vendors are the most affordable source for indoor plants in Nairobi. The selection is wide and prices are significantly lower than garden centres or supermarkets.

Eastleigh has a strong selection of lighting, including pendant lights, floor lamps, and table lamps, at prices that are hard to match elsewhere in the city.

Three Things Worth Spending More On

If you find yourself with a little extra budget after covering the basics, these three upgrades make the biggest visible difference:

A better mattress. Moving from a KES 10,000 foam mattress to a KES 25,000 pocket spring mattress is the single upgrade that will most improve your daily quality of life.

Floor-to-ceiling curtains. Standard window-height curtains make rooms feel smaller. Hanging curtains from as close to the ceiling as possible and letting them fall to the floor makes the same room feel taller and more considered. The cost difference is minimal.

One statement piece. A carved wooden coffee table, a large rattan pendant light, or a hand-woven wall hanging gives the apartment a focal point and makes it feel designed rather than assembled. Budget KES 5,000 to KES 10,000 for one piece you genuinely love.

Let NyumbaAI Help You Plan It

Not sure how to arrange everything in your specific apartment layout? Upload a photo of any room to NyumbaAI and get a personalised design concept with furniture placement recommendations and a shopping list matched to your budget. It takes about 60 seconds and is completely free.

For style inspiration before you start shopping, see our 5 living room ideas for Nairobi apartments under KES 100,000. For general money-saving strategies that apply to any budget, our smart budget guide for furnishing Kenyan homes is worth reading alongside this one. When you are ready to move up, our guide to furnishing a two-bedroom apartment in Nairobi for under KES 250,000 covers the next step in full.

Design My One-Bedroom Now

*Written by the NyumbaAI team. All prices are approximate and based on Nairobi market rates as of May 2026. Prices may vary by vendor and season.*