Named signs of high-quality Russian goods for apartment renovation

Russians “build a nest” out of desperation – and with a minimum of imports

Russians were supposed to “tighten their belts” during the crisis, but some chose a completely different scenario – on the contrary, spend their savings until they depreciated altogether. Well, in general: “You never know what will happen tomorrow, we live once!”. In the spring and summer of 2022, the demand for the services of interior designers and the cost of renovating apartments almost doubled, according to expert designers. At the same time, the most difficult task is to find alternative materials for finishing instead of imported ones, which have become inaccessible due to sanctions and difficulties with logistics.

Renovating an apartment is the little that is still available to the majority: well, now you can’t spend much money on foreign travel, shopping expenses are questionable (there are no familiar brands!), new cars are also in short supply … well, wallpaper, tile and wall paint are still available, so you need to use them! Since the beginning of 2022, the number of calls to professional interior designers and repair and finishing specialists has increased by an average of 56% – representatives of one of the companies specializing in apartment design shared this data with MK. However, reality has changed for these masters as well.

“After the withdrawal of some suppliers of finishing materials and interior items from the Russian market, the number of requests from customers for the selection of alternative manufacturers and materials has multiplied. Sometimes, by switching to products from lesser-known companies with loyal pricing and high quality standards, it is even possible to reduce the cost of repairs,” explains art director Yulia Levina.

According to the specialist, the difficulty lies in the fact that customers are not yet able to orient themselves in new proposals. The names of the companies are not familiar to them, they simply do not know where to choose finishing materials (the same problem as when choosing clothes from new brands). Therefore, the task of specialists today is not only to make high-quality repairs, but also to ensure the selection and prompt search for materials in the warehouses of Moscow.

“For example, many buyers are unaware of alternative suppliers of high quality natural wood flooring, sanitary ware and tiles,” Levina added.

Meanwhile, new offers appear on the market – previously unknown materials that cost significantly less than their counterparts, but look no worse.

– This year, the so-called flexible tile is coming into fashion – a specific coating that imitates stone, brick or tile, which is glued to the walls like wallpaper. It is inexpensive, but it looks very solid: for the kitchen, for example, or for the hallway, ”an experienced foreman Sergey Denisovich told MK. “Now we are working on the site: the owners of the apartment asked for an inexpensive repair in the kitchen to hide the wallpaper torn by the cat. We cover the middle with flexible tiles, and then paint the walls. It turns out only 60 thousand rubles, and if it were a full-fledged repair with new wallpaper, tiles, and so on, at least 200 would come out.

With finishing materials, almost the entire market was closed by domestic manufacturers until 2022 (albeit under international brands), so little has changed here. But the engineering equipment of firms familiar to users and installers has now risen sharply in price or completely disappeared from the shelves. Meanwhile, as foremen and designers say, it is still possible to find good options.

– I advise, firstly, not to buy components via the Internet, with the exception of expensive models of European brands, – Andrey Bokov told MK. – Faucets, faucets, almost any fixture can be selected by touch. Take the mixer in your hands and weigh it: the heavier, the better. Further, see the processing of the material: on cheap products, the chrome coating may already peel off in the store.

According to the master, plastic fittings can be chosen in the same way. The rule “the thicker, the more reliable” can be called universal. Weight reduction in this case is not relevant for the user – it is only interesting for the manufacturer, since it reduces the cost of materials.

– The second main way to save money and find something interesting is to move away from the rule “I will buy everything in one store,” Andrey Bokov added. – Interesting things first appear in online stores, and only there you can find a point where they sell offline, and go feel everything with your own hands.

Finally, another savings reserve (and import substitution at the same time) is to remember technologies that are considered obsolete, but in fact are no worse than the usual ones. For example, instead of suspended ceilings, the master says, you can leave them plastered (at the same time the ceiling height will rise), and replace the spotlights with a chandelier.