Habitat (Shop)

Most people will of at least heard of Habitat, the furniture store opened in the 1960’s by Terence Conran. They were the first furniture chain store to sell contemporary designed items, and opened many stores across the country. Unfortunately there are not as many stores left open now, but they can still be found in major towns and cities. Although in Hull, where I live, they closed down in the 1980’s, I think this is also true of the Liverpool store. Surprisingly I believe the company where bought by Ikea a few years ago, so they probably use the same designers now. What Habitat ... more

A little insider’s review of Habitat! So, as some of you may know Habitat is owned by Ikano-the same company that owns Ikea. It was established in 1964 in London, and has now become an international brand with stores all over the UK and Europe, and now has franchised branches in places such as Dubai, Thailand and Turkey to name a few. It focuses on beautiful and stylish products, and on the whole, in my opinion succeeds in this. The main objection most people will have is the price. Habitat is not intended to be a high street retailer, it is an upmarket shop....open any specialist home design ... more

Well, I am a home-improvement addict. I love Habitat as a rule. It is everything right about the world in what it sells, it is the staff and sales system that fail it. Habitat is the ultimate in snobby interior stuff! It sells everything from candles to glasses to cushions to tables and chairs. There seems to be a Habitat in almost every city and although not cheap it sells VERY nice products. Everything is very trendy and colourful. I have been shopping there for as long as I can remember - even before I was able to pay for it myself! But this op is not about all that is great in Habitat, in ... more

Habitat is really one of a kind - a national chain store selling contemporary home furnishings. I say national, but the stores can be few & far between, & you may have to travel a little way to find one. We used to have a branch in my hometown of Hull many years ago, but by the time I reached adulthood & was in the market for some modern home funishings, the store had gone. It's becoming increasingly evident that no-one wants anything decent in my town... But I do have a couple of branches within approx. 60 miles of my home, & I visit them both several times a year. I love the stylish products ... more

Habitat stores offer a wide range of modern household items - nothing about their design is cluttered or fussy. There are both modern classics and things which are more daring. It's also a good place to get gifts for people - they even offer food items such as pasta and olive oil in presentation bottles. Their items are well priced (in the mid range) and they have plenty of options for smaller houses. Somewhere like Heals, for instance, has furniture for much larger houses than mine. The atmosphere in Habitat stores is infinitely better than somewhere like Ikea although it is more expensive ... more