The apartment seemed barren and sterile when we first arrived,  scantily furnished with school-issue.  We are to have everything upholstered (every two years) and curtains made.  I've managed so far to pick up a few swatches of fabric, but so far have hired no upholsterers.  They apparently come and sit in your house for 3 days or so. There's been others traipsing through as well: installing electrical back up and finishing installation of  air conditioners and appliances.  Where one or two might come for an hour or so in North America, three or four show up for hours.