The past months been rewarding putting together a place we call home. Not just a place to retire for the night, but with the shift to work-from-home since the onset of the pandemic, home is ultimately a space we spend most of our life in. 
 
Since we took much time researching for furniture and household accessories such as electronics, lightings and even bathroom fixtures, we decided to pen our thoughts on some of the must-visit retail stores in Singapore which hopefully will help provide some useful insights. 

Furniture

HomesToLife 
Head here if you are looking for quality leather sofas, HomesToLife probably has the widest range of sofa designs and selections of leather islandwide. Knew this brand many years back, and was excited to finally make a sofa order here. Whilst popular for its leather sofa options, HomesToLife also has a good selection of fabric sofa designs, and other living and dining furniture! What’s interesting is that the brand launched a specially curated list of like-minded retailers under HomesToLife Curates, where they are working with other homegrown brands such as Luzerne, Light Makers and Marshmalloh. Various branches across the city, with a flawless service experience throughout the process. Read more here.

Triple Eyelid Studio
Came across Triple Eyelid Studio while looking for a company to customised furniture for my balcony. Popular for the wood works, Triple Eyelid customised my outdoor table, and I got their outdoor high stool to complete my balcony. Of course, the possibilities with them are almost limitless as long as you are looking to build some customised wood furniture. Easy to work with, with limited explanation to do; just leave it to the experts. Find our more here.

Hommage Lifestyle
When it comes to choosing furniture, there are a few countries that do a better job than the rest. The Scandinavian countries and Japan definitely stand out. Hommage specialise in importing Japanese furniture brands, and has a very extensive range for every room. Got a couple of items from Hommage for the house, and had a very positive working experience dealing with the shop owners. Find out more here.

Originals Furniture
You have perhaps already followed their Instagram account for inspo for your next house. Their retail shop is not in the most convenient of location, though the large space allows you to see most of their selections from its online catalogue. Bringing together a series of collections with a seemingly strong focus on wood and earthy furnishings, exactly what we like. If you can afford it, Originals is a furniture shop you should visit. Find out more here.

Island Living by Cocoon 
You may find some similarities between Island Living and Originals, though the former will definitely offer more bang for the buck. Island Living stocks the trendy rattan and Bali-vibes furniture and decor items currently, and be surprised by how affordable some items are. Visit here if you are looking for such vibes to doll up your house. Just be warned, the retail space is rather small, and you may have to queue to enter the shop during the peak hours. Find out more here.

Rooma 
Another shop with a focus on rattan and wood furniture, Rooma differentiates itself with customised furniture. Ordered a couple of customised chairs through Rooma, choosing the type of wood and the finishings. While communication can definitely be improved, the end product is satisfactory. If you can manage a couple of potential miscommunications, and a slightly long wait for some customised items, Rooma is definitely a good option. Visit here while you are roaming Tan Boon Liat, the pilgrimage for all homeowners. 

Namu Wood Furniture
We love the wood furniture at Namu as we had a few pieces of their furniture now and a few years back at our previous place. Their prices are quite affordable as compared to the likes or Originals or Hommage, with a focus on Scandinavian and Japanese themes. Apart from an online store, they have a showroom at Lipo Building too. Find our more here.

Commune Home
Locally established, Commune offers high quality furniture with seasonal updates to its catalogue. Another must visit store on the list, head here first for inspiration for your next home. The retail outlet at Millenia Walk offer lots of options, whereas their branch at Tan Boon Liat is a tad too small. Find out more here.

Hock Siong 
Offering a second chance to furniture, Hock Siong offers old furniture another opportunity to once again sees it full potential. And for us, an opportunity to find the perfect unique furniture for our next home. Find out more here.

Second Charm 
Not literally a second charm, do not mistake them for selling preloved furniture. They offer rather unique new wooden furniture, with customisation welcome. If wooden furniture or the currently trending rattan look is your kind of look, here’s a place to visit. Find out more here.

Forty Two 
When it comes to buying affordable yet quality furniture, look no further than Forty Two. Homegrown company with furniture for all rooms in the house. Do not mistake lower price with sub-standard quality, we had Forty Two products previously and they impressed with functionality and durability. Find out more here. 

Ikea 
You cannot not head to Ikea if you are seeking home interior ideas. From house accessories, to small furnishings, Ikea offers a lot for new homeowners. Though I am personally not a fan of their larger furniture pieces, as they are not typically built to last. Though for its affordable price range, and very enjoyable retail setup, a visit to Ikea is a must. Find out more here.

Lighting, Bathroom Fixtures & Electronics 

Horizon Lights 
Forget Taobao seriously. Perhaps we dislike the uncertainty of the quality of products, and when there are more pressing timelines and agendas to meet when renovating a house, we would rather work with reputable companies in Singapore whom will help in providing some quality control on our purchases. They may have sourced their products from China too, though the Horizon Lights team offers competitive pricing and sharing of various know-how. Find out more here.
 
Lux Lumens 
Operating fully online, their prompt replies on WhatsApp and immediate replacement of an order which was sent incorrect impressed us. Head to Lux Lumens for a more polished and curated selection of lighting options. We got our living room and bedside lightings from them. Find out more here.

Light Makers 
Not many lighting shops in Singapore offers customisation, Light Makers as their name suggest, make lights! Also a retailer of ready-made lights, they offer a wide selection of pendant, wall lights and downlights. Scroll through the website, and prepare to be blinded! Find out more here.
 
Lights Zone 
You will find many lightings retail along Balestier, though we found the pricing and overall service at Lights Zone rather good. Bought items here more 5 years ago, and we are back to hunt some of the basic lights such as downlights, track lights and basic ceiling lights from Lights Zone. Find out more here.
 
Wasser Bath 
If you are looking for bathroom essentials, Wasser Bath will likely have what you are looking for. Generally a supplier to various condominium projects, Wasser Bath has ready stock to various bathroom items and you need not wait for your purchases as with the current supply chain and shipping crunch. Find out more here.

Harvey Norman 
Our preferred electronics retailer in Singapore, Harvey Norman often exceeds our expectations in terms of service and competitive pricing. The former being not a common proposition amongst the other large retailers. Strongly recommend you to look for Eric at Harvey Norman’s branch at Parkway Parade, his after-service in terms of ensuring timely delivery of your purchase and guidance on warranty registration far exceeded the usual service from the industry. Find out more here.

Other Household Must-haves

Heavenluxe 
We are advocates of good mattress and bedsheets given that we spend almost one third of our lives on the bed. Heavenluxe is one brand I recently tried, and finally understood its popularity. Our website has an exclusive coupon with our readers, where you are able to enjoy S$50 off your purchase at Heavenluxe. Head to Heavenluxe website, and simply apply “THERANTINGPANDA50” upon check out. Sweet dreams. Find out more here.

Pluntco 
Went shopping for greens for the new place, and the service at Pluntco is top notch. Ask them any questions you may have, and the team will be sharing and advising you to the right plant you are looking for. And yes, they stock some nice pots too!  Find out more here.

Other nurseries we recommend that should visit in Singapore includes The Nursery at Lavender, Soilboy at Upper Thomson Road, and Hua Hng at Sembawang Road.

Ranted by The Ranter & Rantee