When I was younger, I thought "when I start living on my own, I will buy all my furniture here"…read more Reality check: It's 2015, and I've been living on my own for almost three years, and honestly, I don't even have proper furniture! I have a table from Ace hardware, a shelf from SM Hypermarket, and hand-me down stuff that my family gave me out of pity. I do know I've made it in life when I actually have something 10 times bigger than the picture frames and cool knick-knacks I've purchased here through the years. Back when these chain of Dimensione stores were new to malls, everyone ooh'd and ahh'd over contemporary and minimalist furniture, as if the whole Philippines never new it existed. Pieces in Dimensione are classy, tasteful, and well-curated. It has consistently made its vision apparent in all the pieces they sell in their stores, and I do think that this chain of stores were actually the purveyor of modern interior design locally...well at least in the mainstream society. Personally, I love everything here, and even if you're not buying furniture, there are still reasons to check this place out as they have a lot of interesting and modern home decor and gift items (check out their Umbro stuff!).

I found is wooden bedside table in the shape of a book!!!!…read more At the ground floor of Glorietta 4. I asked if I could take a picture to show my mom at home, but I kinda expected it would not be allowed. So I asked if a long shot would be okay, and the lady said yes. It would've been perfect for my room! Or perhaps our library. But anyway, this gallery of wooden furniture, mostly cabinets and drawers, is a feast to the eyes for anyone who loves well-crafted wooden stuff at home.

One of the newest addition to the LRI Design Plaza roster is PROduxx! It's amazing how this…read moreshowroom can tickle your fancy. It's so modern but so practical at the same time. I got the chance to talk to Divine, the manager of the showroom, and she told me that all of their pieces are from Europe. Their designs are very fun and quirky. Not only do they sell furniture, they also sell lights and accessories. I chanced upon their stall at the third floor of LRI because their theme looked so summery! The blue wall was enough to capture my attention along with the hanging tents by the door. It was so cool how they set up the place! They have square bean bags with various designs such as the Union Jack and the Swiss flag. They also have them in stripes and solid colours. They have mostly anything for the outdoors shown that day. The bean bag also doubles as a bed. So you can take it with you when you camp out! I already told my Dad about this store. He's an outdoors enthusiast so this will be really interesting for him. If you are into practical and modern furniture, you should check them out!

Boogi is one of the shops inside the famed LRI Design Plaza, a building known for housing the…read morefurniture elite of Metro Manila. Yes, they have the prerequisite pricey but tasteful furniture, but I'm reviewing them because they distribute two awesome products: Sitting Bull Bean Bags, and Cacoon hanging chairs. I swear, these two products makes me want to make lots of money and buy a gorgeous place, so I have an excuse to buy these items. To risk sounding like I'm plugging these products, the Sitting Bull bean bags are fully customizable bean bags that can turn into a solo chair, a sofa, a bed, and everything else in between. The Cacoon hanging chair is exactly as awesome as it sounds.

When I was putting together my wedding registry, Dimensione was on top of my list. Their wedding…read moreregistry service is pretty amazing. First, they publish the registered couples on a list displayed near the store entrance so you'll know ahead of time if they are registered here. It makes gift giving (and receiving so much easier). Second, they offer free gift wrapping of items in the registry. Third, it's easier to eliminate the stress of duplicate gifts since their registry shows up in the system of all branches. They did make a mistake with my registry and I received two of the same item when I requested to limit the quantity for this particular item to just one. They were quick to correct it though and offered a replacement of any item with the same or lesser value. Finally, if the gift giver is unable to get the item on the day of the purchase, they newlyweds can opt to pick these up from one of the branches or even get the gifts delivered to their home for free. Aside from Dimensione being the top pick for wedding registries, they really do have some stylish pieces of furniture and other items that can add class to any home. Whether you're into vintage items, the modern minimalist look or a bit of pop culture, they have pieces that match varying tastes.

I love this furniture store for the unique items that they sell. I love how they have a nice…read moreassortment of chairs, tables, sofas and other home furniture and accessories. Their products are modern, but still homey. Since they carry several brands, they have a good range when it comes to prices. Some are affordable and others are in the pricey side, but you will be able to see why through the design or material. My husband and I were so pleased with the dining table and dining chairs that we purchased from them! I also love how they have little trinkets for the house like coasters, trash cans, jewelry containers, clocks, etc. it's always fun looking around their store. Sometimes I even just enter without really needing anything just to see what's new.

If you are looking for a place where you can freely tap your creative self, then Saturday X Future…read moreMarket is the place for you. 98B's market started out as a small hole in the wall type of bazaar, inviting small creative entrepreneurs to sell their pieces to the community. Zines, vintage pieces, and pretty much a mishmash of everything can be found on the area. Happening on designated Saturdays of the month, the place has always been flocked by a crowd of art loving people. Only downside is the fact that it might be a bit hot inside, but either way, it's worth the visit.

Saturday x Future Market is a monthly event that gathers entrepreneurs and local artists together…read moreto showcase their works, pieces and of course, sell their items to the public. I heard about it through my husband who wanted to check it out. I must admit, I did not expect much from it, considering that it was in (old) Manila... a city I don't frequent at all, but I was pleasantly surprised to see what they had there. The venue was simple. It was an open-aired space with bare concrete walls. It was not too hot, considering we were there at 10am. The vendors and artists were laid out on the floor, showcasing their products in a bazaar-like system. I enjoyed looking around since there was a huge variety of items such as house things (i.e. pillows, crates, plates), rare books and old magazines, leather goods, hand-made jewelry and trinkets, to name a few. Most items were made by the vendors themselves, while others were either pre-loved or rare finds from different countries. The other nice thing about it was that the vendors/owners/artists are so involved that they openly engage with their customers and share how their products are made, their inspirations, their style or simply where they gathered the items from. You see a sense of community here, where the vendors and customers, alike, are just naturally friendly. The Saturday x Future Market is not just your typical bazaar, but also an experience on it's own. I'll definitely be back next month!

This branch of ukay-ukay is quite popular, especially in the Cubao area. From experience, I've…read morespotted really good finds in their Cubao branch, and I'm happy to report that this branch in Parañaque does not disappoint either. Among the ukay joints around the area, Fashion Delite here at Jaka Plaza is the one with thte most variety. There's soooo much that it's actually difficult to browse the racks because there's just so much to choose from. As for prices, don't expect it to be dirt cheap like those Php 5-20 peso types of places where the clothes are already quite questionable in quality. This place often has new arrivals, so you're not stuck with the "pinagpilian" racks for too long. I frequent this place from time to time whenever I am in need of an 'ukay fix' (it's an addiction, really). I've gotten really good stuff here, such as skirts with unique prints on them, shirt dresses, a canvas beach backpack, tops suitable for meetings and printed dresses. But, my favorite purchase from this store has got to be this pair of original, high-cut Doc Marten boots with 2 inch heels for only Php 400. It was beautiful and fit perfectly. It was a great companion while it lasted, as I gave it away when I decided to go vegan, and one of which I wanted to let go of are my stuff that had leather on them.

If ukay ukay was classy, this is the place to go. The items here were pre picked by the owner thus…read moretheir quality and overly done pricing. I mean you're paying almost the same price as new stuff from a bazaar for used clothing. But if you really know your shiznit and your way around vrands, you'll appreciate this cozy little spot at the entrance of expo. They have an impressive shoe selection with original but second-hand brands like Tom's, Sperry's, Guess, just to name a few. But mahal! Like a pair could be anywhere in between Php500 to Php1k depending mostly on the brand. They also have used books but nothing worth paying Php100 for.

I've long been a fan of Scandinavian furniture even before it became all the rage. I've always…read moreloved the clean lines, the modern look and the functionality of the design. The bad thing: price tag. It is so expensive, but if you have the budget go for it. If you don't, just keep dreaming. We did get to buy one piece from Bo Concept which was on sale. It serves us well until this day, proving that your big investment does last.