Finding the best furniture stores in Timaru comes down to who actually stocks the lounge suite, dining set or bed you want to sit on before you buy it. The furniture stores in Timaru below run from a family showroom carrying La-Z-Boy and Sleepyhead, through a country interiors showroom, to a reclaimed timber workshop building pieces to order. Millikens Furniture & Beds and Maree Hynes Interiors open the list.
1Millikens Furniture & Beds
Millikens Furniture & Beds has been run by the Milliken family from Barnard Street in central Timaru since the early 1980s, supplying furniture across South Canterbury for more than 40 years. The store covers bedroom, living and dining ranges alongside beds, and is a La-Z-Boy Gallery store and a Beds R Us stockist. It suits shoppers who want to test a recliner or a mattress in person and have it delivered by the store’s own team.
Services
- Lounge suites, corner sofas, recliners and armchairs
- Dining tables, dining chairs, bar stools and buffets
- Bedroom furniture including headboards, dressers, tallboys and bedside tables
- Mattresses, bed bases, adjustable beds and pop up trundler beds
- Entertainment units, bookcases, coffee tables and wall units
Highlights
- Family owned and operated by the Milliken family for over 40 years
- La-Z-Boy Gallery store and Beds R Us stockist
- Stocks Sleepyhead, Coastwood, Furtex, Debonaire, Central, Maggies and Furniture By Design
- Free delivery and removals using the store’s own people and own transport
- Founded by Ashley Milliken and now owned and managed by his son Andrew
Location & Contact
Name: Millikens Furniture & Beds
Address: 28 Barnard Street, Timaru 7910
Phone: 03 684 5004
Website: millikens.co.nz
2Maree Hynes Interiors
Maree Hynes Interiors sells furniture, homewares and window furnishings from a purpose built showroom on a small country block at 253 Beaconsfield Road, a couple of minutes off State Highway 1 south of Timaru. Maree Hynes brings more than 25 years of interior design experience and hand picks a collection spanning modern contemporary, modern classic and traditional classic pieces. It suits shoppers who want design advice and furniture in the same visit, with Harlau House Cafe on the same site.
Services
- Sofas, armchairs and occasional seating
- Dining tables, coffee tables, dining chairs and bar stools
- Bedroom furniture, sideboards, cabinets and side tables
- Interior design, colour consulting and free measure and quote
- Custom drapes, blinds and upholstery
Highlights
- Purpose built showroom opened in 2022 on a country block south of Timaru
- Maree Hynes has more than 25 years in interior design
- One off antiques stocked alongside new furniture
- Open seven days, with Harlau House Cafe on the same site
- Advice extends past furniture to tiles, carpet and kitchen layout
Location & Contact
Name: Maree Hynes Interiors
Address: 253 Beaconsfield Road, Timaru
Phone: 03 686 6784
Website: mareehynesinteriors.co.nz
3Harvey Norman Timaru
The Harvey Norman store at 226 Evans Street in Waimataitai carries furniture and bedding alongside its appliance and technology departments, so one visit can cover a sofa, a mattress and a fridge. Furniture is split into lounge, dining, home office, bedroom, nursery and outdoor living ranges, with a New Zealand made section within them. It suits shoppers who want a large floor to walk and the option of Click and Collect.
Services
- Lounge furniture including sofas and lounge suites
- Dining tables and dining room furniture
- Beds, bedroom furniture, mattresses and bed linen
- Home office furniture, bookcases and entertainment units
- Outdoor furniture and outdoor living ranges
Highlights
- New Zealand made furniture section within the furniture range
- Click and Collect available at the Timaru store
- Furniture, bedding, appliances and technology under one roof
- Nursery, home decor and massage chair ranges alongside the main departments
Location & Contact
Name: Harvey Norman Timaru
Address: 226 Evans Street, Waimataitai, Timaru 7910
Phone: 03 687 7000
Website: stores.harveynorman.co.nz/harvey-norman-timaru-south-island
4Big Save Timaru
Big Save’s Timaru store sits at 189 Evans Street in Waimataitai and stocks furniture, beds and whiteware at the value end of the market. The range runs to corner suites, contemporary dining sets, multi drawer buffets and mattresses, and the store trades seven days including both weekend days. Orders placed on the Big Save website can be prepared for pickup in store, which suits shoppers who prefer to browse online then collect locally.
Services
- Corner suites, sofas and lounge furniture
- Dining sets and multi drawer buffets
- Beds, mattresses and bedroom furniture
- Whiteware and kitchen appliances
Highlights
- New Zealand family owned business trading since 1973
- Shop online and pick up the order at the Timaru store
- Open seven days a week
- Finance and Farmlands payment options offered
Location & Contact
Name: Big Save Timaru
Address: 189 Evans Street, Waimataitai, Timaru
Phone: 0800 244 7283
Website: bigsave.co.nz/store/timaru
5VillaWood Creations
VillaWood Creations makes furniture, homewares and decor from reclaimed timber at a shop and showroom with an adjoining workshop at 172 Church Street in Seaview. Most designs are the workshop’s own and can be built to a customer’s size and finish, so very few pieces are identical. Noel Berry runs the business, and it suits anyone after a one off piece rather than something off a showroom floor.
Services
- Entertainment units, coffee tables and magazine racks
- Side tables, lamp tables and wine racks
- Bedroom pieces including mirrors, blanket boxes and standing coat racks
- Shelves, cupboards and small bookcases
- Furniture repairs, upcycling and special orders
Highlights
- Shop and showroom with the workshop attached, so pieces are made on site
- Everything can be made to a customer’s own size and finish
- Free quotes, including on a design the customer brings in
- Nationwide delivery offered on most small to medium items
Location & Contact
Name: VillaWood Creations
Address: 172 Church Street, Seaview, Timaru 7910
Phone: 0274 869 215
Website: villawood.co.nz
Furniture Stores in Timaru at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Millikens Furniture & Beds | Timaru | Family owned and operated by the Milliken family for over 40 years |
| Maree Hynes Interiors | Timaru | Purpose built showroom opened in 2022 on a country block south of Timaru |
| Harvey Norman Timaru | Waimataitai | New Zealand made furniture section within the furniture range |
| Big Save Timaru | Waimataitai | New Zealand family owned business trading since 1973 |
| VillaWood Creations | Seaview | Shop and showroom with the workshop attached, so pieces are made on site |
How to Choose the Right Furniture Store in Timaru
- Decide what you need to try before you buy. Recliners, mattresses and dining chairs are hard to judge from a photograph, so a showroom you can walk into beats a catalogue.
- Check what the shop actually carries. Some Timaru retailers are lounge and bed specialists, others sell whiteware and technology in the same building.
- Ask how delivery works and whether the old furniture goes away at the same time, and whether the store uses its own drivers or books freight.
- Look at the brands on the floor. Named ranges such as La-Z-Boy, Sleepyhead and Coastwood carry their own warranty terms and replacement parts.
- If nothing on the floor is quite right, ask whether the piece can be specified to size, fabric and finish, or made to order, rather than settling for the nearest stock item.
Frequently Asked Questions About Timaru Furniture Stores
Where are the furniture shops in Timaru?
They are spread across a few parts of town. Millikens Furniture & Beds is on Barnard Street in central Timaru, while Harvey Norman and Big Save are both on Evans Street in Waimataitai. VillaWood Creations is at Seaview, and Maree Hynes Interiors sits on Beaconsfield Road on a country block a couple of minutes off State Highway 1 to the south, so that one is worth allowing extra driving time for.
How much does furniture cost in Timaru?
It depends entirely on the brand and the range, and South Canterbury retailers rarely publish a full price list, so ring or visit for a figure on the specific piece. Individual product prices do appear on some store websites, and sale pricing moves through the year, so a quote is worth getting in writing before you commit.
Can I get furniture made to order in Timaru?
Yes. VillaWood Creations builds from reclaimed timber to a customer’s own size and finish and gives free quotes, including from a picture or sketch you bring in. Showrooms carrying branded lounge ranges will often let you choose fabric, leather grade and configuration too, which amounts to a made to order piece with a longer wait than stock.
Where can I buy a mattress in Timaru?
Beds are stocked at several of the stores on this page. Millikens Furniture & Beds is a Beds R Us stockist carrying Sleepyhead, Harvey Norman runs a separate beds and bedroom department, and Big Save sells mattresses alongside its furniture. Lying on a mattress in store for a few minutes is still the only reliable way to judge firmness.
Do Timaru furniture stores deliver?
Most deliver, but the terms differ. Some use their own staff and transport and will take the old furniture away on the same run, while others quote freight or send smaller items by courier anywhere in the country. Confirm the delivery charge, the lead time and whether removal is included at the time you order rather than on the day.
Do I have to buy a whole lounge suite, or can I buy one sofa or chair?
Single pieces are completely normal. A furniture store in Timaru will typically list two seater sofas, three seater sofas, corner sofas, recliners and armchairs separately, so you can add one chair to what you already own instead of replacing the whole room.
What are my rights if furniture arrives damaged or faulty?
Anything bought from a New Zealand retailer is covered by the Consumer Guarantees Act, which requires goods to be of acceptable quality and fit for purpose, on top of any manufacturer warranty. Contact the store first with your receipt and photographs of the fault. Plain language guidance on repairs, replacements and refunds is published at consumerprotection.govt.nz.
How do I check a retailer before spending a large amount?
Ask what warranty comes with the range, who handles a repair, and whether the store or the manufacturer holds the parts. Get the delivery date and any deposit terms in writing. Independent testing and buying guidance on household furniture and mattresses is published by Consumer NZ at consumer.org.nz.
How We Chose the Best Furniture Stores in Timaru
Every business in this guide was found by searching for furniture stores in Timaru, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Timaru, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.