People are all different shapes and sizes, and there are plenty of oddly shaped apartments in Singapore, so finding the perfect sofa, bed or dining table ‘off the rack’ can be time-consuming and frustrating. Customised furniture is a great option and it’s not necessarily more expensive.
We spoke to a few readers to find out how they worked with different stores to find their perfect furniture solutions.
Customised Day Bed
Shoba & Arun Ahluwalia, British and Singaporean
When we moved into our new house, I began to search for some new pieces. My sons Ajay and Rahul drove me to numerous shops around the island, but I couldn’t find anything suitable. I realised I needed something bespoke and custommade that would blend with my existing furniture.
I chose Woody Antique House because of the quality of their service and their ability to design furniture to our specifications. When we entered the store, the first thing that struck us was the warm welcome we received. On subsequent visits they even remembered our names.
We initially ordered two customised daybeds with a unique lattice design. I wanted them to have a low back so they didn’t obstruct the sea view from our living room. I first saw this design on holiday and fell in love with it, and Mrs Ang helped me incorporate it into the daybeds. The store also custom-made fitted cushions and covers; it was a one-stop-shop with excellent customer service.
I also designed a half-moon table for our lobby and a made-to-order shoe cupboard. Again, Mrs Ang took me through various designs and helped me choose the perfect pieces.
The daybeds are perfect for relaxing. My son and I love playing backgammon together on them while enjoying the wonderful sea view. I’m extremely happy with our purchases and have since bought two bar stools from the store.
Each member of the Woody Antique staff was extremely attentive to our needs – something not found often in today’s busy world. It was this personalised service that made shopping there such a pleasant experience.
Woody Antiques
13 Dempsey Road, #01-05
6471 1770 | woodyantique.com
Customised Mattress
Rohan and Divya Singh, Canadian
We needed our mattress to be custom made as we brought our king-bed frame across from Canada. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to find a mattress that would fit the frame properly here. We also wanted a mattress that was made from latex, which we’d heard was eco-friendly.
We chanced upon European Bedding when we were at Great World City, where they had a temporary kiosk. We spoke to Charlotte and Thijs on two separate occasions and were very impressed by their knowledge and the quality of their mattresses. They were really friendly and made us feel like valued customers straight away.
In the end, we ordered an organic latex mattress made by Heveya, along with two latex pillows. We chose medium firmness for the mattress that felt just right for both of us. We were also given the option to split the mattress vertically and have two different densities if Divya and I had different preferences.
We’re extremely happy with our mattress and the experience with European Bedding. They know their product very well and provide a very personalised service. We also felt we received great value for the price we paid. Having experienced poor quality of sleep on our previous mattress, we now realise we should have made the change sooner. We’re very happy we can finally get a restful night of sleep!
European Bedding
32 Eng Hoon Street, Level 2
6735 6658 | europeanbedding.sg
Customised Office Furniture
Amy and Jeff Kraft, American
We were looking for a desk with storage. Initially we’d seen an executive desk on the Gallery 278 website which had the storage built in. After visiting their store, we decided we preferred a writing desk with a separate filing cabinet. They were very friendly and accommodating, and we could see that they carried quality furniture.
They also told us they did custom work and explained it wouldn’t be a problem to custom-build a filing cabinet with the same design elements as the writing desk we had seen.
Our teak desk with this matching teak filing cabinet (pictured) turned out wonderfully. We needed a second desk for our time in Singapore, but when we purchased this particular one and the filing cabinet, we knew we would eventually take them back to the US too.
We’re very happy with our items and the service we received. Gallery 278 will be the first place we’ll go to for our future furniture needs.
Gallery 278
278 River Valley Road
6737 2322 | gallery278.com
Console and Accessories
Farah and Chris Luebbers, Singaporean and German
We were recently married and wanted to start our own collection of great-looking pieces. As there is always a chance we’ll be moving to another place in Singapore or even another city, built-in furniture is not economically or logistically viable for us. Also, newer apartments in Singapore can be very oddly shaped as far as size and layout go. We wanted our furniture to fit our home like a glove!
I first got to know of Hacienda Blue at Boutique Fairs several years ago and was immediately drawn to the bone inlay and mother-of-pearl. The brand’s colours and designs were very attractive and they fitted with my style. I appreciate handcrafted clothes, accessories, homeware and furniture made from local artisans – it feels good to know that buying from an ethical supplier like Hacienda Blue can help support the artist as well as the longevity of the craft.
We first bought a few trays and coasters – they added such a pop of texture and colour. I knew someday I’d like to have a larger statement piece. When we moved to our current place, we were determined to take our time to get only pieces we loved and not to rush the process just to fill the space. I was looking for a console to be custom-made for our small living room. One day, I was browsing Instagram and saw a post from Hacienda Blue. It was a “Why didn’t I remember them earlier?” moment.
I get many compliments on the console when we have guests over. Even my husband loves the pink shade we had it made in (which was a surprise!).
Our home feels complete and polished now. I was so happy with the service that Josephine and Marida provided on the phone and at their showroom, and the follow-up emails after we placed our order. I’m thinking of ordering a custom-made chest of drawers for our master bedroom next.
Hacienda Blue
17 Woking Road (by appointment only)
9866 1024 | haciendablue.com
Want more interior inspiration? See our home décor section!
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This article first appeared in the April 2019 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
