A fantastic addition to Banbury's old town area. Whether you are looking for a 'statement piece' to…read moreanchor a room or the perfect accent to finish off a shelf or cosy corner, this is the place for you. Also a must if you need to buy a gift for the interior decor fiend in your life. Have bought both gifts and treats for myself here and it's always a shopping highlight for me. Fab stuff and helpful proprietor.

From the owner: Independent shop specialising in one off vintage painted furniture pieces, decorative antiques,…read moreinteriors & lifestyle. Frenchic Chalk Paint Stockist & tutor. Based in Parsons Street, Banbury and within Banbury Antiques Centre.

Loads of furniture of the bright and modern variety. Not really my style, but my friend who's into…read moreall things kitch regularly lusts after various things in here. It's better quality than Ikea, but with a price to match, and they have some unique lampstands and funky chairs that wouldn't have looked out of place in the 70s (in a good way). Definitely worth considering if you're buying a present for someone, or if you're into that sort of thing. If not, at least wander past and look at the window displays.

Great place for window shopping and browsing and for finding things you won't find elsewhere in…read moreOxford. Very modern and stylish.

If you like exotic pictures, statues and ornaments then you'll love this shop. I was amazed at how…read moremuch they sold and was almost captivated by all the products. Their products range from giraffes as tall as you to animal masks to brightly painted pictures to unique African style ornaments. They could really spice up your home. With all this going on it made the shop look a bit cluttered this was a minor issue for me because I was so amazed at the products. Who knew a little taste of the exotic could be so close? The prices are good as well and if you've read any of my other reviews you'll now I like a bargain. The paintings were about ten pounds and small ornaments were on offer for less than £5.00. Being in here temporarily took my mind of the real outside world. If I had the money on me I definitely would have taken something home!

I really like wooden carved ornaments and unique art pieces, so I thrive on visiting these sorts of…read moreplaces. When I first discovered Exotic Homeware, I was literally amazed at the amount of cultural creativity that they sold, especially considering that the store is not far from where I live; I feel like I should have discovered it sooner. From wooden crafted giraffes to elephants to masks to brightly coloured birds to cages to canvases, the shop sells a great selection of organic and hand created objects, which really do make your home look more interesting and cultured. The price of items isn't bad either; usually when you go to similar shops, they put a high cost on these sorts of unique gifts. But here, you can pick up a medium sized collection of three wooden owls for £5! Bargain! I really wouldn't mind buying every item in this shop to be honest. Then I'd be able to develop my own haven of all things exotic to escape the drudgery of Birmingham. (from time to time)

A nice change from Ikea: this home store specialises in ranges of lighting and bits and bobs for…read morethe home. I don't own a house, but I still find the range of lamps, lightshades and quirky lampstands really intriguing. It's best to go in with an open mind and let yourself be drawn to something, rather than going in with a set idea of what you want. There are lots of things under the rather vague category of 'soft furnishings', which can range from bags to trays to ornaments. The general trend is colourful and contemporary, with the odd squirt of quirkiness. It's a bit different from the nearby antique shops, but it works. The items seem like good quality and the staff are helpful. Prices are reasonable and all in all it's worth a visit if you're into that sort of thing. Personally, I find it interesting, but can't quite get excited about lighting and soft furnishings. I guess you've got to do it at some point though, and you could do a lot worse than starting here.

Northlight is a fascinating shop just to browse around, and great if you're looking for an…read moreintriguing gift, especially for a style-conscious fella. I've received and given a few presents from there and they always go down a treat, especially when used to brighten up a gloomy student room. They have a selection of almost painfully elegant home furnishings, including cushions, throws, candles, decorative items They also sell crockery and other kitchenware as well as picnic bags and hand-made kids' toys. There are some quirky items of jewellery in a cabinet at the side, and lovely children's mobiles dangling from the ceiling. This is all crammed into a tiny shop (don't take a large bag with you!) with very friendly staff. I am so tempted by their lovely fruit bowls, sigh. It really isn't cheap, by the way, but if you are looking to treat someone (including yourself) then it is a great place to find an unusual present.

It is amazing how much they squeeze into this little shop. All the furniture is of a very high…read morestandard & better quality than the out of town furniture shops in retail parks.

A very nice branch of this popular homewares chain. Spread over two floors, there's a good…read moreselection of bedding, soft furnishings, curtains and blinds, lighting, kitchen and bathroom items (inc. good value towels) and cleaning equipment and materials. This branch has a first floor cafe - there's a lift and also toilets (kept really clean). They do a simple cream tea for £3.50 with a scone, clotted cream and jam, with tea or coffee. It's not the Ritz, of course, but nice for a low-cost break if you are shopping in the area. They also have a selection of cakes and sandwiches. There's a good sized car park, from which it is also a short walk to a number of other retailers, like Screwfix, Wickes, and ToolStation.

I recently popped into the Farnborough store to buy some kitchen items and was served at the till…read moreby a lady called Jo who was very friendly, welcoming and chatty which made my day.

This is a wonderful shop with some beautiful pots and an owner who loves his craft.read more

A great place to buy your pots and pans, also has a good selection of kitchen knives amongst many…read moreother items

This place reminds me of a place in Boston called Bed and Bowl. It also reminds me of chicken…read morenuggets served on a golden tray owned by Jeff Koons. Why? I don't know. So, back to the store. This place is full of home and kitchen decoration things. Picture frames, pots and pans, kitchen towels, clocks, monocles, velocipedes. It's decent stuff. No Octopus, but alright just the same. I'd definitely go here for some good kitchen basics if my apartment was feeling a bit bare. Fortunately my apartment likes to wear its clothing - wool sweaters and long johns and jeans to be exact. There's also some things here which would work well as gifts. Anyone seen those chicken nuggets? Anyone? I've got to go find them.