College students in dorms and young couples starting out often need a few items to make their spaces more comfortable. These often include basics like flatware, plates, beddings and maybe a lamp or two. While there are department stores and home store chains that offer pretty much the same kind of mix, one of the newer entrants is the Metro Retail Stores Group. Last month, it launched its own brand of home basics, Metro Living in its four Metro Department Stores located in Alabang, Market Market, Ayala Center Cebu, and Super Metro Colon. Arranged on open shelves and in compact displays, the merchandise is basic and designed to work together.  “For Metro Living, we’ve shifted our entire retail philosophy from selling individual products to delivering fully integrated lifestyle solutions. Previously, customers had to navigate different aisles to assemble a look,” Joel Orense, Metro Retail President and COO told The Manila Times in an email interview.  “Through our dedicated shop-in-shop concept, we bring fully curated, pre-styled living spaces directly to the retail floor. It eliminates decision fatigue, offers immediate aesthetic inspiration, and maximizes customer convenience. We are elevating the overall shopping experience, and based on initial performance, we plan to scale this format to additional key stores next year,” he added.  Placing these household staples in a dedicated location inside their stores was only logical as it takes out the guesswork for shoppers.  Orense said that historically, people bought items for their homes from different stores. While this can actually be a fun exercise on a weekend or during sale season, it can also be a chore for people who might prefer to do something else with their time.  “By engineering a cross-category, cohesive product matrix, Metro Living bridges that gap — transforming single-item transactions into complete room solutions,” he said. The current merchandise mix at the Metro stores includes beddings, pillow cases and cushion covers, kitchen linens, and window treatments. There also plates, cutlery and compact storage systems.  “Metro Living is tailored for the modern Filipino demographic — specifically first-time condo owners, growing families, young homeowners, and value-conscious style seekers,” Orense said. “These consumers want practical, elevated, and contemporary home aesthetics without compromising on affordability or functionality.”

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