I have always found the customer service excellent every time I have entered the store. They have…read moretaken exceptional time and care in all.my home decor requirements sometimes spending an hour with me to bring together a look I am trying to create. I have gone here many times over the last 3 years and never have I not been extremely happy wither advice and products and will continue to go back and recommend to friends E Products well priced and love the quality and design and uniqueness of range of home decor and excellent value for money

Move over IKEA I have a new Scandinavian lover, and it goes…read moreby the name of The Modern. This place has got to be one of the sweetest furniture stores I have come across, It boasts pieces that are understated but beautiful in the simplicity of their design. What I love about their range is that it doesn't boast huge cumbersome pieces that are overly grandiose or OTT. Instead I feel the furniture is designed to be seamlessly transitioned into your living room..almost like its been there all along. Made out of solid Oak and Elm these pieces have been manufactured to meticulous european standards and have withstood my rigorous testing (This includes jumping up and down on the chairs and knocking importantly on wooden surfaces.) If you are moving into a new pad or feel the need to update those digs I highly recommend popping into Modern,

Imitation Antiques. What a brilliant little shop. It's situated in a row of shops that look…read moredecidedly more dishevelled and dilapidated than any other commercial stretch along Ipswich Road. The name gives it all away really. The shop is full of newly made, beautifully crafted cabinets and furniture that has been given the 'antique' treatment. You'll find lots of ornamental features, lots of lathe work and lacquer. If you appreciate old world trades like woodturning and cabinet making, you should look at this store. Going to Imitation Antiques is a better idea than going to an antique store for your furniture because you essentially get the same product for less than a quarter of the price. I mean, if you're a Roadshow Antique fiend and can actually tell the difference between a vintage piece of furniture and a convincing copy, this obviously isn't the place for you. However, most of us aren't antique fiends. It's a great place to get something that looks like the genuine article for cheap. Bring on my 1820's rustic north American designed dining table! Open by appointment only.

As someone who lives in an apartment, it's not often you'll see me in a shop that devotes itself to…read moreoutdoor living. My Secret Garden in Teneriffe is the exception. The shop is treasure chest full of beautiful things for your garden, balcony, outdoor table as well as lovely art and gifts. I recently ducked in to buy a friend a wedding present and was highly successful in buying a unique gift that I was sure they could cherish for a long time. But it's possible to buy for yourself (even if you live in an apartment) with items such as pot plants which sit over a balcony railing, candles, deck chairs and hammocks. The owner Rick who mans the shop is friendly and always willing to chat. It's obvious that he is passionate about creating comfortable spaces and an urban oasis for us Brisbane dwellers. My Secret Garden is a treat of a shop whether you're shopping for yourself or not. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Teneriffe!

What better way to escape the heat of summer than to drop into what has to be the coolest…read more(temperature cool and awesome-cool) boutique outdoor living store in the inner-north. You feel like you've reached the inner-sanctum of serenity as you're greeted by the sounds of chilled out meditation music blended with the gentle gurgling of splashing water. Bliss? Yes. Dark wooden shelves are adorned with outdoor table decorations - from scented candles, to table cloths and an assortment of cups, saucers, cutlery and iced tea pitchers. The middle of the shop features outdoor furniture draped in bright cushions, towels and lamps. And of course, discounted, high-quality Christmas decorations and oversized deer (why not?). A perfect place to unwind and begin hoarding those decorations for your garden which you know you'll have to have once you step foot into this oasis of calm.

Thousand Island Dressing; ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. My attention was split five thousand different…read moreways walking in here because there are literally so many beautiful things everywhere. You walk in and straight away there are shelves and shelves of jewellery in every style and colour to greet and entice you. They have the most incredible range of jewellery with pieces that are adorable, in particular a teapot/teacup set of earrings and floral headbands that you just can't find anywhere else. There was even a silver necklace with an envelope that opened with a letter inside. Cute! The jewellery is colour coordinated, making it very easy to find pieces you want and match them to anything you have in mind. They have bags, wallets, soaps, books, pillows, lights, jewellery holders, literally everything! The place has been converted from an old Paddington house and the fixtures that decorate it mesh so well with the very pretty and very original items. French brand Taratata Bijou is also featured and they have quite a big range of cufflinks for the boys too. You pay a little more here but it leaves you feeling like you've spoilt yourself to something special. Everything is ornate and really gorgeous - perfect for gift ideas and birthday presents. They even have aluminium Christmas decorations for the season. They cover homewares, accessories, and jewellery and you definitely won't find it difficult to find something here; the problem is settling on just one thing.

I am very sorry to sound like a grouch but I just do not get the big deal about this place. Yes, it…read moreis colourful and beads are falling out of every angle. Yes, it does sell nice jewellery that I probably would like to wear. And yes, you could probably find a nice gift for someone here. All of these positive points do not change the fact that I have had awful customer service from this place. So much that it has put me off going there altogether. Ok, so here is the scenario that has happened more than once. You walk in, there are a couple of staff members standing in the corner gossiping away. Usually this does not bother me that much even though I know it is not considered to be good customer service. When I actually go to counter to pay and actually have to wait 5 minutes for someone who is not busy at all to serve me, that is what annoys me! When you try to make small talk with the sales assistance, you just get ignored! I am not the only person who find their customer service awful, my sister has had a similar experience. Maybe I'm just being sensitive or have only been to the store during bad times, but this place needs to consider opinions like mine. I'm not asking for the best service of my life, but a little bit of service with a smile would be nice.

Belle Pot is a little kitchenware store, stocking anything and everything you need to add a splash…read moreof colour to the most important room in your house. The carefully arranged shelves reach all the way to the ceiling, towering over you full of utensils you never knew you needed but are sure to make life ever so much easier. Clocks adorn the walls as a variety of kettles jostle for space below. The completely open front of the store is partially obscured by a display of unusually designed plates and other crockery. My favourite thing they stocked were the water bottles, which may sound strange, if you don't know me. I carry a water bottle with me everywhere, something which has led to a great deal of lighthearted teasing on the part of my friends. Belle Pot had a display of a few different brands out the front, so I amused myself for a while deciding whether it was time for a new faithful friend. This is the perfect place to go if you're in the market to revamp your kitchen.

I thought Belle Pot was overpriced the first time I visited and there are some prices I wouldn't…read morepay for goods, but on the other hand, there's always some little enticing thing on the table out front to hook me when I'm walking by to lunch. The man who runs the store is always keen to help; I like to have a bit more of a browse before I commit, but like all tiny stores, we're very aware of each other's presence as soon as I go near the place. I've bought stable trays, tea cups, a knife, and some pretty glasses. No doubt I'll go back for more.

Swop fills a gap sorely needed in Brisbane. Where Sydney is peppered with boutique vintage clothing…read morestores, Brisbane tends to have clothing collections mothballed in the dark corners of antique furniture and collectibles warehouses. While Swop advertises that they will take high end or trendy fashion, when you get up the stairs you will definitely feel you stepped back in time. A sweep of the hand over any track will give you sensations of old: Terry toweling dresses, velour pants and jackets, fur collars, stiff gloweave, lame by the kilometre, rustic polyesters (you know what i mean! Polyesters just don't feel that way now!!!) and linen linen linen. Swop is perfection. There will be no mothballed or mustiness here. Every thing is laid out logically and aesthetically. It's uncluttered but well stocked. The men's section is at least a third of the store (speak to any man who frequents op shops... A 1:2 ratio is extraordinary). Don't expect op shop prices, and good on em too. The better run Swop is the longer we get to shop there. I spotted two fantastic condition retro wool coats at $40 and $60, and a classic symmetrical equestrian theme scarf for $20. So again, realistic prices to run their business, but of course they only stock good quality and interesting items. You will find: clothes, hats, shoes, bags, belts, denim, leather. Probably more but I'll have to find out another day.

Really nice VINTAGE clothing just a bit more pricey than I thought. Plays really good music and…read moregreat overall vibe. I recommend going if you're looking for shirts, dresses or hats :)

I'm not a fan of Super A-mart whose showroom is chook full of cheap-looking, student -style…read morefurniture without the student prices. The warping chipboards on their book shelves and flimsy mattresses on the bed frames make me suspect their durability. On the plus side, the Macgregor showrooms are huge. There's one big shed dedicated to outdoor furnishings, another shed for office and a third shed for indoor lounge/ dining. The first time I came here, I didn't appreciate the distance between the showrooms. By the time I walked to the third shed (in the midday sun), I was dehydrated. Points go to their excellent vending machine facilities in the third shed. Perhaps they've had too many customers faint while walking the length of their showroom. For future reference, it's much better to drive you car around to park at the specific shed you are after. Super A-mart is worth checking out during the sales if you are looking at furnishing student accommodation at relatively cheaper prices.

I understand this is considered cheap furniture here, but at this price level at an equivalent…read morestore in Canada (where I come from ), the quality would be about 50% of what it is here. Wood items are mostly solid wood, there's lots of leather and mostly leather furniture, fabric quality is good, and now that we have the furniture in our home, I can tell you everything is perfectly comfortable. They have three separate showrooms, one for living room, one for bedroom, and one for outdoors. Prices are pretty good, at a little more than half of what you might find at just about any furniture store. Delivery was quick and painless and customer service was not bad, either. One of our items arrived damaged, but they replaced it right away with no questions asked.

Handmade High Street throws together some really great local crafters and creators of all things…read morepretty and fun. The first things that caught my eye was a crocheted rose-shaped brooch with quite a few other similar ones to keep it company. I found delight in the handmade jewellery and recycled accessories including hairpins made out of old buttons and old teacups being transformed into candle holders, which is something I would never have thought to do. They also had one of the very lovely dresses that is so identifiable as one of Rachel Burke's I Make My Day projects, which is surrounded by a mountain of handmade things to choose from like tin earrings and very flamboyant floral hairbands that are just gorgeous. I was most impressed with earrings that were fashioned out of origami designs. Some of the things in here are so original and it's so nice to see support for local crafters. One of the back shelves advertises renting a space in the store so other artists can sell their wares. As I was walking out I laughed out loud at the cute new spin on bottle top jewellery when I saw bottle tops printed with vintage pictures and resold as necklaces. I think that's a really cute and unique idea. Another item Handmade High Street currently sells is a product by Reclaimed Records, who make old records into new products like notepads and use only recycled paper. A recycled record notepad will set you back $45 but hey, you are paying for an old record. I like what this place has going on. They've got some really great pieces and I see a lot of potential for the artists who showcase their wares here.

Kath Chownston, one of three brains behind Handmade High Street, said that she wanted to provide a…read morespace for artists and craftspeople to easily sell their wares. Markets are often exhausting, subject to the elements, and aren't a very reliable way to get the money coming in if you're selling your goods in this fashion. The internet is a great way to get your stuff out there, but still, she went one further and opened a store- for the good of everyone! For her, for the people who rent space in her store, for the person who happens to pop in for a look and take away something local and unique. For the interested artist or craftsperson- the way the rent system works at Handmade High Street works is that there are small 'cubes' (shelving space) that are $20 per month. If you do larger scale work, clothing for example, and you have a rack that you'd like to have in store, it might cost you around $200 per month. The rental price is subject to how big and how much of the work there is, and whereabouts you want it placed in the store. There's some great stuff there too. The beads by Patti Pennisi made me want for the ocean, the glass work of Cairo Made That was gorgeous, and I couldn't help but want to take home some scented soy wax melts by Lisa Macnab. There's not the tired repeat of like works in there either; there's great diversity. Go in and support a new local business that supports it's locals. Handmade High Street. Remember that name.