Designing your own HDB flat is an exciting endeavour. But it can also take a lot of time and put a lot of pressure—on you and your wallet!

Hence, the road easily taken for HDB interior design leads to second hand furniture stores. These stores provide a variety of options and when you look closely at some of the products, you might even score expensive pieces for only a fraction of the original price. Ooh, what a rewarding feeling!

But looking closer may also open you to some unwanted features you wouldn’t want to pay for. And they’re not as easily disposable as unwanted second hand clothes, you know?

So before embarking on your furniture hunt, think twice if second hand furniture is the best option for you. Here’s the flip side:

1. Shopping can take more time. You may find a couch you really like except that it’s not in a colour that matches the paint of your living room. So you find another. You may fall in love with a second hand armoire but you can’t bargain enough. Or you find a good one but it requires a lot of fixing… you get the drill?
2. You’re actually taking a gamble when it comes to quality. The previous owner may have discarded this nice dining table because it’s not as sturdy anymore. Or maybe this cute chair has morphed into a residence for a community of bed bugs. There may be an odour you can’t quite remove. Although some vintage finds may have interesting background stories, you’ll never know what a particular piece of second hand furniture has gone through.
3. There may be regrets. You thought you really liked this piece, but seeing it in your flat made you realise it wasn’t the best choice after all. Or you could have bought a bunch of items while fuelled with the rush that comes with purchasing bargain items, then you realise they’re not really what you need. Worse, you bought online and the item delivered wasn’t exactly as advertised. Remember: you can’t just be practical, you also have to be wise.
4. Too much cost-cutting may cramp your style. If your HDB interior design principle is to buy the cheapest second hand furniture you can find, you may be sacrificing your own taste, style, or even comfort just to get the best possible savings. Your home is your personal space, your respite away from the usually chaotic outside world. Why not make it a reflection of your personality, something you’d look forward to after a tiring day’s work?
5. Warranty or replacement may not be available. There’s no need for much explaining here. Once you purchase a second hand furniture, it’s the end of the deal. No calling the store and saying, “There’s a damage in this bed frame, can it be exchanged?”
6. Lastly, it’s not for everyone but there is no brand new smell. No excitement that comes from unboxing, the adult version of opening Christmas presents. It’s what it is.

You may think of a number of workarounds to these disadvantages and that’s fine. But if you don’t have the time, patience, and resources to source and refurbish second hand furniture, then we got you covered.

There’s another option that can give you an exciting shopping experience without breaking the budget. Whether you’d like to shop with an actual or virtual cart, Giant offers the furniture you need to furnish your HDB.

Here are some stellar options:

Want more tips? Say no more and check out Easy HDB Interior Design Tips for Your New Flat.

Visit the Giant branch nearest to you today. Happy shopping!