Aloha Outdoor Furniture is (believe it or not) an outdoor furniture retailer. Located in Horizon…read morePlaza, Ap Lei Chau, they stock a good range of furniture and accessories, mostly made locally in China. The store is large and spacious, with the products sensibly laid out and displayed, and enough room to move around each staged piece. The staff are very attentive and quickly on hand to help, but sometimes a bit too attentive. If I wanted to be followed around everywhere, I'll get a puppy. The products themselves are mostly made in China, but unfortunately, the price does not reflect this, with many of the items pitched around the midway point between the expensive imports, and the cheap Chinese copies. These same items can be bought in a shop 4 floors above for 30% less. And with all Chinese products, they lack the quality and assurances (warranties, returns) of goods made elsewhere. What this store does very well is the Rubbermaid plastic storage solutions. None of the other outdoor furniture stores in Horizon Plaza sell these plastic clip together units (the Garden Gallery gardening store does sell similar), so if this is what you are after, you will probably have to buy here. The Rubbermaid products I am talking about range from wheelie bins and beer coolers, through to storage benches and full size sheds. Look, they're not the nicest looking things in the world (quite frankly they are the warts on the face of your lovely garden), they're not cheap (being imported from the US) but they are practical, and 90% waterproof. For the outdoor seating sets, and tables and chairs, I would probably go elsewhere, but for plastic sheds and storage boxes, this is your place!

Rapee-Living is an interesting store. It specializes in home furniture and decorations, of a…read moredifferent variety. It's great because It offers something other than the typical Ikea or Price Rite choices, products that can make a home unique instead of "oh... yea I was going to buy that in Ikea, but I bought something else in Ikea." Before I moved to Mui Wo I was on the look out for a few things to fill up the new flat. Naturally I wanted to travel as short a distance as possible, which led me to Rapee-Living. It's a small store with a big bed in the middle taking up most of the room. What attracted me most about it was the colorful toys, and small decorations that set it apart. They even had a electronic picture frame/ video frame that I thought was pretty cool. I was not allowed to buy it. We ended up getting a couple of stripy bed sheets, a pair of matching pillows and a little toy that seems to be their mascot. The stuffed toy is everywhere around the shop in different designs and colors but its cute all the same. The prices weren't bad either and I can see myself building up a little collection of those stuffed toys (for my girlfriend, not me!) over time. In general Ikea has everything I need, but not everything I want. It is the shops like Rapee-Living that help add a pinch of spice to an otherwise boring apartment. I've noticed that there are a few other RLs around town and I'd definitely have a look in one should I pass by.

To my knowledge I only know of two stores on Mui Wo that specialize in Furniture. May Art Furniture…read moreDecoration Co. is the more budget friendly one. It's across the road from my apartment so when I first moved in it only made sense to give the place a visit, after all my home as naked of furniture. I walked into MAFDC with a set budget, eager to see how I could fill my living room and roof. I thought, by judging the stores outside, that I could get a couple of things, a table and set of chairs at least. The phrase, don't judge a book by its cover springs to mind. The store offers a decent standard of furniture with nothing (that I saw) under the $500 apart from the odd chair or stool. It's a long store with leather couches filling along the entire way. On either side the walls are lined with shelfs, cupboards, drawers, and a sign reading "custom made!", which I assume just means adding another 0 to the price for a choice of color. I walked from the entrance to the far end where the counter is and asked about outdoor furniture. The lady behind the counter simply pointed to a catalogue filled with all sorts of things. Primarily I was going for a parasol. They had one going for $650 with an average delivery time of 15 days, I have no idea if that's a good price or not, but I figured I'd need a table to eat on first before worrying about pimping up my rooftop! I asked her about her cheapest table and chairs, or if she had any discounts. She obviously wasn't used to dealing with customers like me and I highly underestimated the standard of the store. I left but promised myself to research the price of parasols... I probably should have put a time limit on that promise.

天域家居 (Horizon Household Goods?) is less of a "Super Store" as it is a discount store meets…read moreprofessional hoarder. Located on the outskirts of Wanchai, it is a semi-all-in-one household goods store. This is hardly a Bed Bath and Beyond, but more like the "Made In China but looks Japanese" product lineup. It is easily one of the most disheveled, disorganized places I've seen. The electronic cluster stores in Computer City may be claustrophobic, but it's at least better organized than this place. Stuff is on the ground and piles of plastic / metal whatever is either hanging from a rack or is stuffed in a pile somewhere. Most things aren't properly labelled and the aisles are a total crapshoot if you have something specific in mind. Ask the lady behind the faux-register and she'll likely be able to point you in the right direction. The place is cash only, but depending on the item, is not cheap enough to be a true discount store. It is nothing like the MUJI chain, but it is a mom and pop business that is completely no frills. Come in here with minimal expectations and be ready to browse (a lot). You may surprise yourself in what you'll discover.

Creative Co-op in Homesquare (the same mall that Ikea is in) is a home decoration store with a…read morewarm, vintage tone to it. They sell all the usual stuff, like picture frames, tables and clocks, and everything has a kind of unique, old-school English cottage feel that I personally adore. Their things are reasonably priced too, with small trinkets and decorations not being more than $100, and picture frames priced at around $150 or less. If you're the kind of person that likes bright and bold prints, this probably isn't the place is not for you! Everything here has a sort of vintage-y, subtle theme, so if you're looking to decorate your children's bedrooms this isn't the place to be. If you go to Creative Co-op and you like the theme of their home decoration items and can see yourself buying quite a few things, be sure to ask for their full catalogue. They have a lot of items that aren't in stock but are just as charming and beautifully designed as the ones that are! I always go in to this store whenever I pass by and can spend a good fifteen or twenty minutes just looking at everything. This is a great place to buy housewarming gifts, or just gifts in general, for people!

I'm not quite sure why this Homeless has "sidekick" at the end, but either way it's such a lovely…read morelittle shop in CWB. You can find some furniture pieces here (think sideboards, shelves, and small desks), but this store focuses mostly on home decor. There was so much here that I loved, but if I had to narrow it down I was a fan of their lamps, mugs, and leather stuffed animals. I would certainly buy a ton of shit here, but unfortunately I have no space for such luxuries! :( Definitely a great spot to visit if you're looking for contemporary design, quirky decor, or a nice gift for someone.

If you are in the market for outdoor furniture and accessories, to decorate your garden or roof…read moreterrace, then first; well done you, you must be minted to be able to afford outdoor space, and second, you would do well to come to Irony Home on the 12th floor of Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau. I am suggesting that you come to Irony, because it is cheap, well at least a lot cheaper than it's competitors in Horizon Plaza. The irony (haha, see what I did there?) is that you have probably spent so much in acquiring your outdoor space, that you could do with saving a bit on the furniture! Irony has a good range of furniture; tables, chairs, outdoor "sofas", as well as accessories like wooden floor tiling, rechargeable lights, umbrellas. Most of these products are neither the super high end Italian or German brands, nor the Chinese knock-offs. They are pitched somewhere in between, with gazebos from Taiwan (which include a warranty), and wooden furniture from Thailand. It means you get a reasonable robust piece of kit, but without having to break the bank. Many of the products are for advance order of about 3-4 weeks, as you can choose finishes, fabric colours etc. A few standard items are in stock and can be arranged within a day or two. The store offers delivery and installation, so you don't have to lift a finger before enjoying your G&T in you new gazebo. Ask for the manager Prem, he has a lot of knowledge of his stock, and can offer discounts. His prices are pretty competitive in comparison to the other stores in the same block, so make sure you check them out.

Pricerite is one of the largest home furnishing chains in Hong Kong. They have a large network of…read moreoutlets and offering affordable products. The store is located on Castle Peak Road, right by the Tai Tong Road Light Rail station. It's at the heart of Yuen Long and very convenient to get there by any public transportation. This store may look very small from the outside, but it's actually 4 levels high. The first floor is mainly electronic appliances, TV, water heater, iron, fans, etc. The 2nd floor, they have a lot of plastic containers, boxes, trash bins, etc. The 3rd floor and 4th floor are all home furniture. They have good selections from bed, mattress, sofa, cabinets, chairs to coffee tables. There is a customization station where you can bring in the measurement and customize furniture you desire. I have customized furniture at Pricerite before. It usually takes about 7-14 days. It's well known that the furniture is being stored and made in China on demand basis. It's really not a secret. If you ask one of their staffs, they would not hide where the products are made and shipped from. The service at this location has been great. The staffs are friendly and helpful. Unlike IKEA, they actually wrap and tie the products for you here.