These happy customers explain how they picked key pieces for their outdoor living space, including patio furniture and cool outdoor tables, and what they love about them. It’s always good to hear readers’ recommendations and their thoughts on the outdoor lounge furniture and outdoor dining table sets they chose.
Arete Culture – outdoor dining table set
Happy customers: Axel and Charlotte Berning, and son Conrad, Swedish
We’d just moved to Singapore from Sweden and needed to find the best furniture since we didn’t bring ours from home. In particular, we wanted an outdoor table where the whole family could be comfortable. We like having friends over and to be able to sit and socialise for a long time, so not feeling cramped was a must for us.
Initially, we had a hard time finding the right outdoor dining set. We went to several places but nothing felt ”just right” – it was either too small or too simple. Then my colleague recommended Arete Culture; they’d been very pleased with the purchase they made there – the quality, style and service level were all just right.
When we visited Arete, they had the rustic, large size, comfortable yet elegant furniture that we like. We bought the ROMA outdoor dining table set in black wicker.
Cherry who attended us at the store treated us in a very friendly yet professional way. The whole team really made an effort and genuinely wanted the best outcome for us. This was also enforced by the manager coming by when the furniture was delivered and giving it the finishing touch.
• 20 Depot Lane, #01-01/02
• #06-01 Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road
9640 3829 | areteculture.com
OHMM – Mediterranean-style outdoor tables and chairs
Happy customers: Giuseppina and Peter Stilli, Italian and Swiss
We wanted to revamp our outdoor terrace and were looking for something comfortable and stylish. We chose OHMM already a couple of years ago, when we purchased our outdoor tables and chairs for our private home.
This time, we bought two types of chairs, with and without armrests, in a white/grey colour to give a Mediterranean touch to our dinners.
We think the outdoor dining sets make our terrace more inviting and friendlier. The chairs are very comfortable, and we’ve been receiving quite a few compliments from our guests about the setting.
The sales experience at OHMM was great – the guys there are really professional. A special mention to the friendly staff, too; Ms Lilian went the extra mile in providing us with a few other models, which really helped us to make the right decision.
#03-09 Riverside Point, 30 Merchant Road
6836 2747 | ohmm.sg
Boulevard Outdoor Inspirations – outdoor lounge furniture
Happy customer: Pavlina Skjevik, Czech and Norwegian
We had a terrace in our new apartment that we wanted to furnish with nice-looking outdoor lounge furniture. We wanted something in a modern style, in high-quality aluminium and upholstery – pieces we could also take back to Europe in the future.
In our search for stores with aluminium outdoor furniture in Singapore, Boulevard came up. The company’s well-organised website drew our attention, and the showroom looked easily accessible by public transport, so we went to see what they had to offer.
Originally, we were looking for only an outdoor table, preferably round, and two matching lounge chairs. The outdoor lounge furniture had to be comfortable and also resistant to Singapore’s heat and humidity. In the showroom, we were met by very helpful personnel who encouraged us to take our time and try everything we liked. Once we’d chosen the chairs, we tried a daybed from the same series just for fun – after sitting on it, we felt like we never wanted to get up again! We ended up buying two chairs, the matching daybed with two decorative cushions, and a nice round outdoor table, all in aluminium. We’re very happy with our purchases and use them a lot.
We recently had visitors from Europe and they all preferred to relax on our outdoor lounge furniture rather than the sofa in the living room! Boulevard gave us good advice at the showroom and followed up closely on items that had delivery time. We would definitely buy from there again and have recommended the store to our friends.
43 Keppel Road, #W1-01/02/03
6781 3211 | boulevardoutdoorfurniture.com
Woody Antique House – outdoor patio furniture
Happy customers: Pete and Jennifer, Australian and American (and Pomeranians Daisy and Delilah)
We were purchasing outdoor patio furniture in Singapore because we recently moved to a new home, and we wanted to create an environment that allowed us to enjoy outdoor living, entertaining and dining – one that also let us take advantage of the beautiful landscaping we have at our new home!
We originally found out about Woody Antique House by seeing their shop at their former Dempsey Hill location. We’ve visited multiple times over the years and always found a broad assortment of good quality indoor and outdoor furniture.
Our purchases on this occasion were outdoor sofas, chairs, coffee tables and side tables for creating an outdoor entertaining area. We also bought a dining table and chairs to enjoy eating outside. The design aesthetic of the outdoor furniture at Woody Antique House really appeals to us; they offer high-quality pieces at a reasonable price too.
We’re very happy with all our purchases – the furniture blends in so well with the home and the outdoor space! We always have a positive shopping experience at Woody Antique House – the team is friendly, helpful and very quick with deliveries. We would definitely shop there again!
#13-03 Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road
6471 1770 | woodyantique.com
More outdoor furniture in Singapore
Outdoor lounge furniture from Boulevard Outdoor Inspirations
Amanda Rackham (@allmyloveamanda), British
I was looking for outdoor furniture that would endure not only Singapore’s heavy downpours and scorching heat, but the potential wreckage that can happen with two young kids! For the same reason, it needed to be stain-resistant and easy to clean from food spillages, rough-and-tumble play and messy art sessions. Lastly, it had to look good!
As an avid follower of Expat Living Hong Kong back when I was living there, I naturally used the magazine here as my bible for everything when we moved in the summer of 2021. When the first outdoor lounge furniture I purchased broke after only a few months of usage, I turned to your Readers’ Choice Awards in search of my outdoor furniture saviour! With Boulevard Outdoor Inspirations taking the gold award, I was confident I’d be in good hands.
I bought two Sabeto two-seater outdoor sofas, the Sabeto outdoor lounge chair and the Wicklow outdoor serving cart. I love the simplicity yet detailed design of the Sabeto range – the beautiful rattan wicker stands out as a statement.
Our condo is very lush and green, and the collection blends perfectly with the style and tone I wanted for my outdoor cabana space. And the cart is ideal for moving food, drinks, snacks, dolls, cars, crayons, you name it, between my cabana and home.
As cliché as it sounds, the entire shopping experience was seamless! From initial contact to customer service to after-sales support, I was looked after by Paul who is very knowledgeable and patient in answering queries. He even suggested a loan service for when I initially wanted to buy the Sabeto three seater and it was out of stock.
There are so many items at Boulevard that I have on my wishlist, including outdoor lantern lamps, outdoor hanging chairs and planter sets, to name a few!
43 Keppel Road, #W1-01/02/03
200 Turf Club Road, #01-18 The Grandstand (South)
80 Marine Parade Road, #04-K3 Parkway Parade
6781 3211 | boulevardoutdoorfurniture.com
An outdoor lounge set from Arete Culture
Sylwia Mulani, Polish
As an architect, I had a specific vision for my outdoor area – I wanted it to be a natural extension of our living space. The outdoor patio furniture needed to fit well on the deck and withstand the weather conditions.
When we moved to Sentosa Cove, with a larger outdoor space, I knew where to go – I’ve been a reader of Expat Living for years, and Arete Culture was one of the first few places I checked out.
I ended up buying the New Costa Rica Lounge Set from them. My outdoor lounge furniture comprises of a three-seater sofa, with two armchairs and a coffee table. The design is simple – a sturdy wooden frame with a light grey fabric – which suits my minimalist taste. It’s made of teak, with beautiful weaving and comfortable cushions.
The Arete team gave me space to do some browsing first, and then I was welcomed by Cherry who listened to my expectations and answered my queries – in-store and also via WhatsApp as a follow up. The piece I chose wasn’t actually in the showroom at the time. And though I normally prefer to view before buying, I made an exception this once, picking it from their catalogue as the modern design and specifications spoke to me; Cherry shared photos and videos of the piece in the warehouse. From purchase to a next-day delivery, everything was very smooth. And when I reported an issue with the structural base creating a sound, we discussed a few solutions and it was replaced without fuss.
20 Depot Lane, #01-01/02
9640 3829 | areteculture.com
Outdoor lounge furniture from OHMM
Alan Teo, Singaporean
My requirements for outdoor lounge furniture were pieces of outstanding design, with a solid build quality and exceptional durability, which is especially important in Singapore’s harsh tropical climate.
I googled “outdoor furniture” and ended up going down to a few furniture stores to have a look; I finally decided on OHMM because, despite it being pricier, the superior build quality, stunning design and fine workmanship stood out among the rest.
Happily, I ended up buying a gorgeous eight-seater outdoor sofa set. I found the customer service experience to be extremely pleasant; there was ample parking available, the store layout was a breeze, and the client services manager was very knowledgeable, efficient and friendly.
I’m in the process of renovating my pool deck and I’m absolutely looking forward to acquiring another sofa set from OHMM, as well an outdoor dining set to add a dash of colour and totally freshen up the area.
#03-09 Riverside Point, 30 Merchant Road
6836 2747 | ohmm.sg
A comfortable outdoor patio set from Woody Antique House
Renee Kok, Dutch
We were looking for a comfortable, nice-looking outdoor lounge set – a quality one that would also last in the rain. We came past Woody Antique House while walking around Dempsey Hill, where the store used to be located.
The first thing we bought was actually an antique cabinet for keeping our china in. In our Singapore home we missed having in-house storage for things like kitchen tools and china, so that was main reason to buy. We looked also at other places but we fell in love with this specific cabinet. The colour, the design and the measurements were perfect for what we wanted.
We also bought the outdoor lounge set; since we didn’t bring ours from Holland, we started looking for one soon after arriving in Singapore. We liked this one at Woody Antique House; the price was quite expensive if you compare to prices back in Europe, but we bought it anyway as it we liked it the best out of those we’d seen for its design. The service at the store was perfect, the parking at Dempsey was easy – there’s not much more we can add; we’re happy with everything! We might return to Woody to look at side tables in future too.
#13-03 Tan Boon Liat Building, 315 Outram Road
6471 1770 | woodyantique.com
Want more interior inspiration? See our Homes section!
This article first appeared in the June edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe so you never miss a copy!