For many of us back home, it’s a relatable truth that Japan occupies a soft spot in our hearts, rent-free. So, when it’s our time to do up our place, it’s no surprise that many of us turn to aesthetics such as the Japandi style or Muji-themed homes in a bid to gain some good #inspo before embarking on renovations.
If you’re in line to bring a piece of the land of cherry blossoms back home, you can now head to Nitori, a leading furniture brand from said place that will open its first store in Singapore on 31st March. While the store has a wide catalogue of items for your browsing, we have laid on the table five must-gets that’ll get you to kick start your reno journey.
1. Superlight dining ware
While basic crockery from value-dollar haven Daiso can effortlessly do the trick, we may sometimes crave for that bit of wooden flair that’ll add that homely touch to our dinner tables. Adding a dose of Muji-esque flavour is the Superlight kitchen dining ware, which consists of cups, utensils and crockery that come in varying dimensions.
The plates come in 9cm, 6cm and 23cm dimensions, and are available at affordable prices of $5.90, $7.90 and $13.90 respectively. Just like their namesake, they are ultra light and safe from cracks, good bonuses when it comes to the daily dishwashing.
Other designs, such as the traditional blue Japanese crockery if you’re going for an oriental pzazz in your decor.
Beyond good looks and aesthetics, another thing that Japanese design thrives on is practicality. Besides these kitchen cleaning tips, the oil-splatter guard ($7.90) is a very helpful addition to keeping our cooking spaces safe from grime and grease. The kettle pot ($24.90) is a hybrid of both appliances, serving as a nifty all-in-one for boiling your morning coffee as well as cooking that midnight maggi mee every now and then.
2. Supercool sheet topper
When the heat gets all too much, we’re lucky that all it takes is a flick of the switch to get the AC rolling. But there are two sides to this coin, and we all know that we gotta think twice lest we burn a hole in our wallets.
Still, science wins here with the Supercool sheet topper, which are bed sheets with Nitori’s own “Cool-to-the-Touch” technology that removes heat from our bodies while we sleep.
Coined as N-Cool, these sheets come in three types according to the degree of coolness it provides, starting from $39.90, $49.90 and $69.90 respectively.
Besides, there are also other bed accessories that apply the same technology. A particular example is the popular Mochi-mochi Pillow ($24.90), which has an upgraded softness from regular pillows, creating that heavenly feeling as you rest your head into recharge mode.
3. Sticker mirror
Geometric elements are staples in the canon of contemporary styles, as they give that urban nudge that elevates the whole vibe of the space. But apart from incorporating them through furniture, you can also consider Nitori’s Sticker mirror, which comes in sets of 4 pieces for $5.90 where you can arrange however you like to fit the overall look of your room.
Speaking of decor and style, Nitori also has their say when it comes to showroom inspirations. This calls to mind their Nitori Studio sofas, which are tailored to be shorter and more compact to fit the usual floor dimensions of HDB living rooms. 3-seater sofas start from $499.
4. Diatomite bath mats & tooth brush stands
As if cleaning duties aren’t enough, wet and slippery floors give a whole new level of horror to our bathrooms – we’ve all had our fair share of slips and falls. Enter these diatomite bathroom mats ($15.90), whose material is made of fine-grained rock that is ultra water-absorbent. Not only will they save you from future falls, they prevent bacteria and moisture from accumulating on your floors, one-upping your bathroom’s cleanliness.
Besides monochrome colours, these mats also come in turquoise and pink, good if you’d like some colour pop to your bathroom aesthetic. They are also good to be used in kitchens or service yards – essentially anywhere with wet and slippery floors.
Picture-perfect bathrooms can exude luxury, transporting us into staycay mode as we unwind. But as reality beckons, we still have to face the necessary evils of cleaning, such as the horrors of mould growth in our bathrooms.
Help yourselves to these diatomite toothbrush stands ($5.90), which soak up water droplets both from and around your toothbrushes, freeing your worries on hygiene.
5. Storage furniture with N-click mechanism
After aesthetics and practicality, the final piece to the trinity of Japanese design is functionality. This is where Nitori’s storage furniture comes in, which scores points in their N-click mechanism that enables you to fix up your cupboards and drawers in 10 minutes, saving us from our fixer-upper woes we face during moving day.
The N-click mechanism extends to Nitori’s open wardrobe selections, making it easier for you to compartmentalise your own wardrobes as you fancy with zero hassle.
Bonus: Gaming chair & desk
The WFH era has taught us that basic chairs and tables no longer cut it – in the name of ergonomics, many of us have been thronging to Secretlab or Razer stores to get our own gaming chairs.
With Nitori’s gaming chair and desk though, you need not fork out a fortune to quit being a victim of nasty back aches from your 9-to-5, for it can be done at an affordable price of $279 and $199 respectively.
Visit Nitori’s first store in SG today
Also known as “Japan’s IKEA”, Nitori is one store you should pay a visit to, whether you’re fulfilling your window-shopping ritual or are putting together your home for real. Plus, they are also offering free delivery between 31st March and 18th April for purchases that are $599 and above, so do go for it especially if you’re in it for the long run.
Address: 260 Orchard Road 04, COURTS Nojima The Heeren, Singapore 238885
Opening hours: 11AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 6916 3861
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
