For most Singaporeans, we live in apartments where space is a premium. During our recent move, we decided to get the kids a bunk bed to save space. Yes, although the new home is slightly bigger, the kids are also growing bigger and all needed more living space. Our 9 year-old needs more space for her books, her study desk and even a place for her to read and wind down, while our 3 year-old has taken a strong liking to vehicular toys (read big chunky toys) as well as irregular shaped board books. In addition, we thought it would be nice for the kids to experience sleeping on a bunk bed as part of their childhood memory.

Tough Choice:

It turned out that searching for the ‘right’ bunk bed for kids was tougher than we thought. Firstly, we wanted a bunk bed that is sturdy and safe. Due to its height, everything about the bunk bed needs to be well-designed and well-built. That includes the ladder / stairs which must be safe for kids to climb particularly during the night.

Next, we wanted a bunk bed that is not bulky (we are quite tough to please right? Safe, study but yet not bulky!?) After all, the idea of the bunk bed is to save space. Our search led us to several imported brands of bunk beds, which are safe but too expensive for our budget. The less inexpensive ones we came across tend to be flimsy and industrial-looking. 

We toyed with the idea of ordering from online retailers (i.e Taobao) but decided against it for these reasons:

1. Size is difficult to visualize: What you see on screen (i.e. online catalogue) can be very different from what you actually get to see, touch and feel.

2. Quality is not assured: From dimensions to actual finishing, these are difficult (if not impossible) to ascertain until the actual bunk bed arrives at our doorstep. By then, it may be too late.

3. Lack of service: Our friends’experiences with overseas online furniture purchases have been far from satisfactory. When contingency strikes, all they had were only an email address. No shop nor telephone number or a face to turn to. They panicked when the emails went unanswered and they had to contend with zero after-sales service. Online shopping may seem cheaper at first but more problematic in the long run. So truly, ‘caveat emptor’ – buyers beware.

After careful consideration, our bunk bed hunting quest brought us to Star Living, a trusted Singapore furniture retailer since 1981. With a long heritage since 1981, Star Furniture Group now has a strong presence in Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan with over 40 retail showrooms, and an export network over 45 countries. When we visited their showroom, we were thoroughly impressed with the following:

Watch our Vlog on our Bunk Bed hunting trip:

1. Ideas and Variety: We found a good variety of space-saving children’s beds at Star Living. Most of the bunk beds come in impressive hybrid designs where beds and shelves are combined into one which was great, as it means parents don’t have to carve out extra premium ‘space’ for the kids’ shelves etc…

2. Quality at your fingertips: There’s nothing like touching and feeling the quality of the furniture yourself before purchase. Trusted for generations since 1981, the quality and feel of Star Living’s children’s bunk beds are evident. In fact, the beds are built with full pieces of planks as backing (not just thin strips of cheap wooden planks sold elsewhere). The railings and finishing are solid and very well-made.

3. Safety: When it comes to kids’ bunk beds, safety is our main consideration. We were impressed that Star Living bunk beds come with very broad, sturdy stairs. Some even come with an optional step-drawer stairs, which would be ideal for younger kids who may not be steady in using ladders yet. The solid structure of their beds is a testament of Star Living‘s dedication to safety.

4. Style: Apart from the variety of styles and designs to choose from, Star Living bunk beds are available in myriad of cheerful colours and innovative combinations that suit any home configuration and children’s preferences.

5. Service: We sometimes lament about the lack of customer service in the local retail scene. This is not the case with Star Living. We shopped at their Labrador Park branch twice and consistently received friendly and attentive service by their sales staff (On the first occasion we went incognito). They were patient in answering our queries and were never intrusive as we took time to shop around for the right bunk bed that fits our budget and needs.

In addition, when the installation crew came, they were very polite and professional. Even took extra measures to ensure that our new parquet flooring would not be scratched. Despite their busy schedule, they ensured that our kids’ bunk bed was installed properly and safely.

6. All-in-One: With Star Living, customers need not fork out extra for installation and delivery with minimum spending. With professional installation, we are assured that our purchase would be set up according to specifications so that it can last and serve the family well.

Watch a Vlog of our bed-hunting experience at Star Living here:

It didn’t take us too long to decide on the Hilken Junior Set, which is one of Star Living’s signature set designed by their in-house design team. The Hilken Bunk Bed Set impressed us with the following features:

1. Stylish: The bed’s Sinoma Oak Wood grain finish in high gloss white and grey gives this bunk bed a sleek, stylish Scandinavian look that complements any modern home decor. It’s hard to imagine that this was designed locally and produced in Star Living‘s own factory in Johor Bahru, Malaysia (and not China). 

2. Safe & Sturdy: Instead of just the usual ladder, the Hilken comes with option to purchase 2 types of stairs – one without bannister (side rails) and one with bannister. These stairs are broad and wide, safer for young kids, especially at night if they need to climb up and down to use the toilet. Both these stairs come with additional storage space. The bed frame is very sturdy, sleek yet built to last.

3. Comfortable: A sturdy bed is a comfortable bed. What is also impressive about the Hilken is that the support for the lower and top bunk is a solid piece of wood plank and not a series of cheap plank strips. This meant that support for the mattresses is firm and sturdy. We can rest assured our children will enjoy quality sleep on this bed.

4. Clever: The Hilken, like many of Star Living’s bunk beds, is very cleverly designed. The Hilken comes with long cupboard space (and even hidden storage space) to display/store everything from books, games, rackets, and musical instruments etc. to soft toys etc. Who doesn’t welcome  more shelving space? Perfect for families with kids!

5. Space-Saving: The Hilken comes with a 3rd pull-out layer which was what we were looking for as we needed an extra single bed for our domestic help. When not in use, we tucked it nicely back into the base of the bunk bed, creating more living space for the kids’ bedroom.

Buying furniture for the Singapore home is not an easy task and buying a children bunk bed, which the entire family is happy with, is even harder. We are so glad we found the right one at Star Living! Click on our Vlog to go bunk-bed hunting with us! 

STAR LIVING

Website:https://www.starliving.com.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starlivingsg/

Visit the Singapore Showrooms at:

1. Star Living @ Sungei Kadut Branch 

50 Sungei Kadut Ave Star Living Mall Singapore 729674 Tel: 6362 7077 Fax: 6363 1952 Weekday: 11.00am – 8.00pm Weekend & PH: 10.30am – 9.00pm

2. Star Living @ Serangoon North Branch  

7030 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, Star Living Mall #01-36, NorthStar @ AMK, Singapore 569880 Tel: 6459 8832 Fax: 6570 6182 Weekday: 12.00pm – 9.00pm Weekend & PH: 11.00am – 9.00pm

3. Star Living @ Labrador Branch

1 Pasir Panjang Road Star Living Mall Singapore 118479 Tel: 6273 2522 Fax: 6273 0801 Weekday: 12.00pm – 9.00pm Weekend & PH: 11.00am – 9.30pm

4. Star Living @ Tampines Branch

18 Tampines Industrial Crescent #01-07 & #01-08 Space @ Tampines Singapore 528605 Tel : 6275 8832 Fax : 6384 6007 Weekday: 12.00pm – 9.00pm Weekend & PH: 11.00am – 9.00pm

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you in collaboration with Star Living. All photos, opinions and comments are as always, authentically ours.