I never really knew the importance of a couch until we owned our own home.
A couch is the centerpiece of one’s living room and the rest of the pieces—from the coffee table, rugs, paintings, accessories—usually follow.
When we moved into our own house in 2003, we didn’t have a lot of choices in Manila.
A few years ago I was shocked at the prices of couches being offered in Manila’s better showrooms—who knew Filipinos could drop 1-2 million for a couch?
For those who are renovating, upgrading or starting a new home, luckily there’s Furninova, a Swedish furniture brand that specialises in couches, with prices ranging from Php 70,000 to 200,000.
“Before we brought in Furninova, there were no great mid-range couch brands in the Philippines,” said Joseph Tay, managing director of Dot Mobel Corp., which distributes Furninova in the country.
Joseph first discovered Furninova in Singapore, when he sat on a couch at a furniture store.
Impressed, he asked where it was made and found out that Furninova couches have a defect rate of .3%, which spoke volumes about the brand’s quality.
I learned out about Furninova’s showroom through Instagram while we were looking for a dining table.
I am simply amazed how a showroom located at the second floor of Hemady Square in Quezon City, is doing brisk business despite its unusual location.
Clients are mostly young but upwardly mobile couples who live in houses are smaller than their parents’.
“They want couches they can sit on comfortably. They want something sturdy that their kids can jump and play on, yet attractive and stylish for their guests. They can’t afford the million-peso couches, so they come here and are amazed that Furninova has pieces that fit their requirements,” said interior decorator Dana Uy, business partner of Joseph and his wife Stenie Coyuito.
(L-R: Dana Uy, Stenie Coyuito and her husband Joseph Tay)
At Furninova, customers can choose from any of their 500 fabric and leather swatches for their modular sofas. Furninova Philippines also employs interior decorators who help customers choose the right sizes of sofas and furniture for their homes.
Dana Uy, for one, is studying interior design at the Philippine School of Interior Design. She also designed the layout of the store.
You’ll go crazy with the swatches
For couch potatoes, Furninova is heaven. Every couch has options for bolsters. Some have pockets on the side for remote controls, magazines, or iPads. You can choose couches with trays for drinks.
Furninova couches all have solid frames and solid foam, not just scraps put together. Comfort level is very high, and each couch is built to last a lifetime.
“We’re a service-oriented store. Our customers love our personalized service. Despite opening without a formal launch in March 2014, we’ve had a lot of referrals and repeat customers. Because we don’t just sell sofas and other furniture, we will look at your floor plan or your house, and suggest what will work,” said Joseph.
The showroom also offers pieces from other brands like Conform, Oliver B and Woodpoint.
See for yourself at the 2nd level, Hemady Square, 86 Dona Hemady Street, E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City.
For more information, call 975-4470.
http://www.furninova.com
