Went to this shop 3 times on 2/06/22, each time lights were on in both shops but doors were locked…read more Despite standing knocking on the doors we could not get an answer.

Shankill Furnishings is another of the businesses in this area to have benefited from a recent…read moreregenerative scheme to improve and update the shopfronts along the road. The sign has exactly the same design and lettering as Shankill Bedrooms a few doors down but as I was told by the lady in the shop, the two shops are entirely separate. It's another small local furniture outlet which is pretty squeezed for space. There is a selection of dining and living room furniture including some of the imported Mexican pine variety but basically the stock does not differ much from other outlets of a similar size.

I ordered 2 beds, both arrived well on time, delivered and installed as promised by two very nice…read morechaps. Highly recommend.

What can I say? This is a great spot for getting your furniture and household items. They supply…read moreeverything - sofas, suites, wardrobes, tables, mirrors, mats, etc., and have a separate shop just a few doors away which is a bedroom showroom, and is used exclusively for beds. They always have special offers, whether its discounts on furniture or free fitting or free delivery... there's always something. As an independent retailer it's stood the test of time. People who like to spend big money on furniture tend to go to Boucher Road. People who want quality furniture that's good value go to this place. Yes, you may find the odd bargain on a coffee table in Ikea, but there are several reasons I prefer Direct Furniture to Ikea: a) Ikea is a very inhospitable place, and you seem to have to walk through the entire place via some type of ingenious labyrinth one-way system to get out (I went in one Saturday and couldn't find my way out til Monday, although I was relieved to get out without being devoured by a minotaur) b) Ikea does some very annoying things, like have prices on their wardrobes that say something like 'final' price or 'total' price. After this, I discover that this doesn't include the handles or, in some cases, the pole for hanging things on. Perhaps my definition of final price differs from theirs, but my wardrobe is definitely neither final or total if I can't open it because it has no handles. Maybe they're like the doors in that film "What Lies Beneath", where you just have to reach towards the doors and they open... c) you get personal service in Direct Furniture. You go to Ikea and it's different people working all the time, relying on a handbook of policies to deal with returns, discounts, etc. In direct furniture, it's the same people all the time. Say you go in one day, having been in the previous week. The item you wanted is out of stock and, not being in the furniture business or having any descriptive powers to speak of, you can't accurately describe it. "I was talking to that sales person there about it" will result in the mystery being solved in no time. It's the same 5 or 6 staff all the time, and they'll remember you. Of course, once you enter the premises you implicitly agree to forfeit your name - people who only go in once in a while will be reborn, and given new names like "you're the fella that was in the other day looking the pine wardrobe". Customers always appreciate when someone remembers them, for whatever reason! Finally, if you're going to buy a wardrobe and decide that one could go in the other room as well (or you have a wife who, inexplicably, seems to believe that a nuclear holocaust is imminent, and that it's best to stockpile as many clothes as possible on a weekly basis, lest all clothes shops within a 400 mile radius be nuked in the very near future) bring your wallet with you and you might get a deal on the two of them for cash. Maybe... Good value, quality products, and excellent personal service make this the place for me every time. Sure, if i see a coffee table in Ikea for £7 (if that really is the 'final' price) and the advertisement comes with an instore map of where in the military compound I can get said coffee table, I'll take a run in, but apart from that it's Direct Furniture every time.

When you are bored of flat pack and the idea of IKEA brings you out in a sweat, get yourself down…read moreto Creations. Looking for a chest of drawers with a friend I was dragged in on a Saturday afternoon (not my favourite way to spend the weekend), but I must honestly admit to being surprised. The place is enormous, very easy to get lost in, and while I wasn't the one buying they had so much furniture to suit most tastes and wallets. What I was most impressed by was their selection of accessories, and while before I didn't think I'd need a giant Buddha head I my living room, I'm totally considering one now.

Definitely one of the superior interior shops in Belfast. It's in a bit of a strange location so…read morethat's why I'm sure more people don't know about it. The place is absolutely huge inside with room after (fake) room of lovely furniture and other householdy stuff. The furniture seems to be off good quality and the staff are always helpful to advise on sizes and other price options as well which is nice. I bought a bed in here not so long ago and it was a pretty effortless exercise unlike my experience at IKEA around the same time where there was a massive screw-up with the delivery of a sofa. That's a rant for another day though. I really am always impressed when I visit here, the selection is second to none and the price range is right across the spectrum so you should always find something to fit the budget. Pros: Huge selection, well laid out. Cons: There's a lot to get through.

Absolutely beautiful furniture, such unique pieces. The staff are very knowledgeable and…read moreexceptionally friendly!

Wow - Bright lights everywhere! Exclusive Designs is located just inside the Royal Avenue entrance…read moreof Castecourt, if you're coming in from the street on a sunny day don't bother taking your sunglasses off because Exclusive Designs is bright. There are so many shiny objects in this shop, physicists could use it to stage some sort of refraction or reflection experiment. Exclusive designs sell all sorts of home decorations, furniture, lamps, mirrors, vases and odd light fixtures. Looking at a few price tags it all seemed priced quite well and I noticed that they have payment plans available if you really want a bright red TV stand but just can't quite afford it this month. Exclusive Designs is not really to my taste but it is certainly popular in Belfast. If you're in to home decorations then pay them a visit - I'm sure you'll find something in their huge stock that you love.

When I saw a nice rug in the window of Rankins furniture shop I was impelled to go in because I'm…read morekeen to find out where the good rugs are in Belfast in the hope that I will be able to buy one eventually. Upstairs there is a selection of Asian wool rugs and runners. The ones I saw included a Kazak one and others from Iran, Pakistan and India. Expect to pay £1000 for a fairly large rug, so you're talking about long term investment here. On the other hand a rug like that could last 100 years so it will outlive you for sure. Apart from rugs there is high quality furniture in Rankins. You will, of course, get what you pay for. The staff were so pleasant that I now have warm feelings towards this shop and a much better impression of it what it's like than I ever would have expected at the outset.

From the owner: Affordable quality furniture.read more

It's very easy to get parked here, and it's handy to the city centre and to the main motorway…read moreroutes coming into and out of the city so I imagine it benefits from this with regard to custom. I went shopping here recently with my Mother in Law, who is moving house, and she was on the lookout for a number of items, from a new bed to a three piece suite and new flooring also. I have to say, it was reasonable with regard to price, and there was lots of choice on offer as well as the place being very spacious - some of these furniture places cram in too many items in my opinion, making it difficult to be able to see the wood from the trees. But, not in this place, she got everything she needed, and a few things that she didn't too!

Handy from the motorways (M2, M3, Westlink) and with on-site parking…read more Went here to look for a sofa, they have a wide range of styles and varieties, and ended up getting a reasonably priced ex-demo. (Some of the ex-demos can vary from tattered settees at knockdown prices to discounted 'as new') Staff were friendly and extremely knowledgeable, and did not push accessories or after-care warranties as some of the tackier English-based sofa chains that have made inroads to the N.I. market. Delivery occured when promised, a great sofa for the price and feels very solid, should last a great many years!

Well my Mum and Dad swear by Reid (just as my mum swears by Matalan and a bunch of other rubbish…read moreshops that have no interest to me). Yet for once we finally agree on this. They went to this particular branch of Reid around lunch time to price a new suite of furniture. Upon entering this huge warehouse, we wandered around for a few minutes, looking at lots of pretty things that were very expensive. Setting their sights on what I am reliably informed to be "some nice pieces of furniture" (I was always more of a Ground Force man than a Changing Rooms man so it is all the same to me) we looked around for a member of staff. Now this store is rather big I'll admit, but we walked around looking for someone and found nobody. Not a notion where everyone had taken off to. If there was some sort of fire or a party or if they were giving out free biscuits, we were not told. After waiting for an exceptionally long two minutes, my father expressed his dismay using a number of expletives which I would have been embarrassed if anyone had heard, but I soon was reminded during the expletives that there was nobody around to help us. Thus making our trip to Reid almost a total waste of time! On the way out, we did see a nice member of staff who seemed to be guarding the door incase it was to fall over. They asked us if we needed any assistance. My Dad simply reminded him of the same point he had made a few seconds earlier. Very disappointing

Reid and Leather is a firm favourite with those of a certain age. It seems to draw everyone who is…read more'settled', as in just moved in couples, newly weds or long term live in partners who in a spring clean decide on a new sofa. The store on the Boucher Road is very busy as it is jam packed with sofas, living room furniture and dinning table sets. The designs range from traditional to overtly modern to suit everyone's taste. What I like about this store in particular is the fact they have set up scenes so you can imagine what a specific sofa would look like in a living room setting. This is great in terms of allowing you to design your own room with details such a s space, lay out and presentation. Just be aware that the sofa sales people are sometimes a little pushy especially on big discount days. Whether they are working on commission or just target selling, if you're not prepared, you could end up coming home with one sofa too many.

Keens is a pretty cool interior design shop in East Belfast. The stuff on offer is pretty…read moreimpressive and although it is quite expensive, it's great quality stuff so worth the price- no boxed self build stuff in here! Its a far cry from Ikea! They obviously must be doing something right if they've been here for 40 years, especially as it's not exactly an upmarket part of town. I'd advice going in for a browse if you're doing a bit of decorating as the stuff is both beautiful and different!

Heading to find a sofa a couple of days after Christmas is not the way the OH wanted to spend his…read moreholidays, but I dragged him here anyway. Firstly, don't be put of by it's dreary location. Once through the doors you are greeted by a rainbow of colours, shapes and textures. A bit of a maze, with 3 massive floors there is loads to see and perhaps buy. I say perhaps as it is a good bit more expensive than the chain retailers, but what they do have is quality. If you are just looking to add a hint of style head towards the back of the ground floor where you will find all manner of trendy accessories to funk up the dullest living room at more reasonable prices. There was some cracking statues, which I really would have bought if the other half hadn't dragged me out. My VISA card thanks him.

If I ever run away from home, and I often threaten it when my sons are re-enacting WWF wrestling on…read morethe sofa and the husband has been struck by deafness and is reading the paper, I will go to live in Fultons. If you like furniture, home accessories and opulence, you will love Fultons as much as I do. It even smells good, kind of fragrant and expensive and tranquil. There is so much in this huge shop that I covet. Lexington bed linen, Ralph Lauren crockery, Bridgewater crockery (a full set) and oh, the furniture. Huge squashy sofas in sumptuous velvet, leather armchairs you could live in, polished wood dining tables that seat 20 people. It almost hurts to look around. Everything is stunning, and so are the price tags. I have only ever bought table linen and some big serving platters here and I treasure them dearly. Come the day I win the lottery, my new WAG style mansion will be furnished entirely from Fultons.

Why did I even bother to place my foot in through the door of this place. I could almost feel the…read morestroke luming as I strode closer to the price tag on the first thing I saw. I was not aware we had a store of in which only the King could shop in (I'm aware there isn't a King....just....shush..ok). Fultons is very high end indeed. Don't get me wrong, the stuff looks like its worth every penny. The store itself is laid out to look like the biggest, best house ever. It has that Ikea maze feel like about it, the only difference being is that instead of leaving with a lot of cheap stuff I never needed, I leave with an overwhelming sense of being a pauper!