CUSTOM FURNITURE FROM BANGKOK
FOR A SINGAPORE HOME

Singapore is one of the destinations we ship to most often outside Thailand. International shipping is something we arrange on request rather than a standard service, and Singapore — along with Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur — is where most of those requests come from. The reasons are straightforward: the same apartment-scale design problems, a short sea route, and furniture built directly by the atelier rather than through an importer and a showroom.

This guide covers what to plan before you commission, so the piece you approve in drawings is the piece that arrives in your living room.

WHY BUY IN BANGKOK AT ALL?

Bangkok has a deep furniture-manufacturing base. Our atelier has built upholstery and furniture for hospitality and developer clients for four decades, and the pricing difference between a direct commission and an imported designer piece is the same whether the finished sofa ends up in Sathorn or in a Singapore condo. The main thing that changes is the logistics — which is what the rest of this article is about.

The other reason is fit. Singapore homes, like Bangkok condos, reward furniture sized to the room rather than to a catalogue. A sofa drawn for your wall, a dining table drawn for your dining area, storage drawn for your alcove — that is what custom furniture is for.

1. MEASURE THE ROUTE, NOT JUST THE ROOM

Whether you live in an HDB flat or a private condominium, the limiting dimensions are usually the lift, the corridor and the front door. Measure the lift's internal width, depth and height and its door opening; the narrowest point of any corridor; and your front door fully open. Note any tight turns.

Give us those measurements at the start. Large pieces can be designed to arrive in sections — a sectional sofa that joins on site, a wardrobe delivered as carcasses, a table with a removable base. It is far easier to design for the route than to discover the problem when the crate is in the lobby.

2. HOW THE FURNITURE TRAVELS

Furniture from Bangkok to Singapore normally goes by sea. Broadly there are two approaches: a full container, which only makes sense for a large order or a whole-home move, and consolidated (shared-container) shipping, where your crates travel with other cargo. For one or a few pieces, consolidated shipping is the usual route. Your freight forwarder will advise which fits your volume and timing.

We do not quote freight prices in this article because they change with fuel, season and capacity. Ask for a freight quote alongside our furniture quote, so you can see the full landed cost before you commit.

3. CRATING AND PROTECTION

Furniture for export needs more protection than a local delivery: wrapping, corner protection and, for most pieces, a crate. If wooden crating or pallets are used, export packaging is normally heat-treated to the international ISPM 15 standard and marked accordingly; confirm the packaging requirement with your forwarder. Upholstered pieces should be wrapped against moisture for the sea leg — containers can get humid.

4. GST AND DUTY ON ARRIVAL

At the time of writing, Singapore charges Goods and Services Tax on imported goods at 9%, generally calculated on the value of the goods plus freight and insurance. Most furniture does not attract customs duty in Singapore, but rules change and particular materials or items can be treated differently, so please check the current position with Singapore Customs or your forwarder before ordering. Your forwarder or customs agent will normally handle the declaration and permit.

5. THE TIMELINE IS PRODUCTION PLUS SHIPPING

Plan the timeline in three blocks. Design development — drawings, material samples and a fixed quote — usually takes one to two weeks. Production is 8–12 weeks for most pieces after design approval, up to 14 weeks for complex commissions. Then add shipping, customs clearance and final delivery, which your forwarder will estimate. If you are timing furniture to a move-in or a handover date, work backwards from that date and start early.

6. APPROVING A DESIGN FROM SINGAPORE

You do not need to fly to Bangkok to commission a piece, though many people enjoy doing so. A remote commission usually works like this:

A first conversation by video call, with your floor plan, photographs of the room and reference images.
Drawings with dimensions, revised until they are right.
Material samples — fabric, leather, timber finish, stone — posted to you so you can see them in your own light.
Progress photographs from the workshop at key stages, so you see the frame before it is upholstered.

If you are in Bangkok at any point, the showroom in Wang Thonglang is open by appointment to see frames, fabrics and finishes in person.

7. WARRANTY AND AFTERCARE ABROAD

Our furniture carries a 5-year structural and 2-year upholstery warranty. In Thailand, honouring that is simple; in another country it takes more thought. Before you order, discuss with us how a warranty issue would be handled in Singapore — for example, which repairs could be carried out locally and which would need parts or work from Bangkok — so the arrangement is clear on paper rather than assumed.

WHERE TO START

Most Singapore enquiries begin with the sofa, the dining table or storage. See custom sofas, custom dining tables and built-in furniture, or the overview on custom furniture in Bangkok. Published starting prices include custom sofas from ฿165,000 and dining tables from ฿120,000; every commission is quoted at a fixed price before production.