EY Y03 L17 Interior Design

  1. There are many famous brands who sell us furniture and furnishings in Japan. Name one. Do you shop there or buy their products? Why?
  2. Which is the most relaxing room in your house? Who furnished it? Where did he/she buy the furniture and furnishings that made the room feel special?
  3. These days interest in and consumer spending on housing renovations is growing. What renovations or decorating have you done or had done to your home to make it easier or more comfortable to live in?
  4. What is the worst purchase of furniture or furnishings you have ever made? What did you buy? Where did you buy it? Why was it such a waste of money?
  5. Compared to Europe, there are far fewer houses in Japan that are more than 40 years old. Why is that?
  6. Imagine the team from "before/after" re-built your home to perfectly match your tastes, hobbies and needs. Describe the result (for example; 'it would have a home cinema in the basement, a sound-proof music room with guitars on the walls and an island kitchen with a huge granite work-surface').

Question 1

When I first moved to Osaka, I was shopping in Nitori for some big furniture I needed in my house. I don't go there so often anymore because I've already bought everything I needed.

Question 2

The most relaxing room in my house is the living room. I furnished it myself! I bought the corner sofa from Nitori and everything else from Amazon. I have a gold and marble coffee table in there as well as 2 carpets, a TV board and some cute and soft throw pillows. The free delivery from Amazon Prime is incredibly convenient.

Question 3

My bedroom originally had orange walls, which I really hated and made the room look warm. I spent many hours sticking white wallpaper over the orange walls. It looks far more relaxing now with all white walls.

Question 4

The worst purchase I've made so far was an airconditioner from Iris Ohyama. I only bought it last year and it stopped working from July. I called the manufacturer and they told me that since it's 2 months past the warranty I needed to pay full price for the repairs, which will cost about 40,000 yen, that's about the same price as a brand new aircon! I'm still upset about it.

Question 5

I think it's because the building costs are different in Japan. I once read somewhere that demolishing an old house is more expensive than just building a brand new house at a new lot.

Question 6

If I could have my dream home, I would want a big kitchen that has an island work station with a granite top work surface, similar to the one in my parents' house in Manila. I would also want a library with many cozy reading nooks. For the bathroom, I'd want an onsen type bath in there where I can relax after eating dinner. Lastly, I would want a huge california king sized bed in the bedroom and a bay window with a comfy day bed where I could lounge around with Mogu.

Tough Vocabulary