Our|Home opened its doors at the Mall of Asia, and I had the opportunity to attend the launch event. In view of the pandemic, it was carefully organized to observe health protocols and social distancing. But what took my breath away wasn’t the face mask, but the moment when I entered its doors and felt the light, airy atmosphere, and saw how tasteful the displays have been curated and laid out.

I’ve been to the original Our|Home at SM Megamall, which opened in 1997. If you think the store is staid or conservative, you would fall in love with the fresh, more vibrant approach they’ve come up with for their “New Look.” Now found in over 30 major SM Malls and a major lifestyle furniture chain, the Our|Home philosophy has stayed constant -- great designs coupled with great prices, and superb service.

The New Look exemplifies this modern and contemporary design ethos. The set-ups help suggest concepts without being rigid, as there is always an opportunity to mix and match. The furniture pieces and decor, which are meant to be functional yet playful, do not cost an arm and a leg. The photos you see with this feature will show you that.

I was toured around by Joanna Chung, VP for operations, and Wade Tan, AVP for operations. Both of them said that the store is “interior designer-friendly.”  The selections inside the store are not only for those with an eye for design, but for upwardly mobile Filipino consumers who want the best for their homes.  

I was very impressed with Our|Home’s own version of the Mies Van Der Rohe lounge chair. The chair’s dimensions were “tweaked” so it’s more appropriate to the body type of Asians. I love that attention to detail, as so many of these iconic designs from the ‘50s and ‘60s are beautiful to look at, but when you sit on them, however, it can be a chore to find the right angle, fit, or body position. I appreciate the fact that Our|Home made sure that the chair’s specifications were customized to fit the body frames of Filipinos.  

It’s special considerations such as these that were eye-openers to me -- helping me understand why Our|Home has enjoyed popularity, and has evolved into a successful chain of stores. For more than two decades, it has kept itself relevant by knowing who its customers are, and finding ways to make them truly feel at “Our Home.”

The new look will be the template for future Our|Home’s still to come. As for the existing ones, Joanna promised that they would undergo makeovers when the opportunity arises. With retail giants like IKEA looming toward the third quarter of 2021, it’s nice to discover how Our|Home sets its own standards, by mixing the functional and the whimsical.