After driving past the building that hosts Artbank a few times, I finally managed to break up my…read moreday and stop for a visit. What is Artbank? It's an art rental establishment which was established in 1980 by the Australian Government as an arts support program. We're sold already! Part of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Office for the Arts, Artbank promotes the diverse Australian culture and offers everybody the chance to enjoy Australian art by offering the collection for rent. The revenues from the rentals are then reinvesting back in to the collection. Sweet! Walk through the sunlight filled space and you'll find a large group of artworks by emerging artists from paintings and photography, to contemporary craft, sculpture and Indigenous art. (We hear the whole Artbank collection has over 10,000 contemporary artworks for rental) And even though we'd love to have more art at home, our walls don't have the space for it right now. Just in case, we found out the costs involved anyway and were pleased to discover that rental fees start from $110 per artwork, with the minimum contract total of $550 per year. And for businesses, fees are 100% tax deductible.

Lock up the credit cards! You're going to want just about everything in this store to make your…read morebathroom smell better, your kitchen look pretty, your bedroom feel cosy and your loungeroom more achingly hip. From the rafters adorned with leather bunting down to the floors that hold baskets overflowing with nic-nacs and gorgeous items you simply can't live without, The Shelley Panton Store is an absolute delight to explore. I love the tables filled with colour co-ordinated items, the book selection (food, design and travel genres all well represented), hand-made ceramics and the items dangling from the roof (THAT bunting, light fixtures and even feather dusters!). There's complimentary gift wrapping too, which is perfect if you're in the market for a special gift. They'll offer a variety of papers and twines to match your purchase and the vast gift card selection makes this a one-stop-shop for all your gift giving needs.

Quick! Hide your credit card when you come here! It has an amazing array of home wares and art for…read moreevery single room of the house, and every occasion you can think of. This is my idea of heaven. Seriously. OK, I admit it. Sometimes it feels like us Southsiders are a little hard done by with a lot of cool crafty places north of the river. Shelley Panton helps to fix this with an eclectic range of products - whether you're looking to buy for yourself or for a gift, you're bound to find something here that tickles your fancy. The shop is beautifully decked out - visualise baskets of good overflowing with cute little pieces, colour coordinated products lovingly laid out on tables and also friendly service. Leading into Christmas and special occasions, they will have late night trading (complete with glasses of prosecco and a cheese platter - for real) and special dinners for events such as the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Best of all? Shelley who own the place also has her own pottery for sale (visualise gorgeous plates and kitchen goods) and Jess the resident rescue dog is a beautiful black lab that often wanders around for a little bit of customer love. OK, I admit it. I want to work here. I want to be surrounded by beautiful things, play with Jess all day and lovingly wrap presents and adorn them with ribbons

I have a lot of praise for South Yarra Picture Framers…read more They researched all over Australia, for a particular old frame, I love when no other framer would even bother. My limited edition was framed wonderfully, I love the idea of the raised slip which gives you a window in effect. Thanks again for getting it finished on Tuesday which I know was 3 days ahead of the due date. Thank you Shannon and Sue, for the wonderful design, you are clever girls, it is in pride of place in my dining room. I used the25% Off framing voucher as well. A happy customer. Oh by the way , it is a treat to view all the artworks for sale there and I am going to the next exhibition later this month. I do love Paul Evans paintings.

From the owner: South Yarra Art House permanently displays in excess of 100 pieces of original art from…read moreAustralian contemporary artists.

Hidden Beer Garden for the layed back client…read more This place is cool, i mean i lived around the corner and sometime you would spend all night there and other just a warm up for the night but either way a cool joint. Good music and a very hipster-esk clientel means its a very relaxed environment and for a smoker like me HEAVEN. They make a mean pizza and the cocktail jugs are a good price and decent. the toilets however were too small and the line a mile long but that was updated recently which is good. it needs a few other things but its a new cool layed back Been Garden which works well. P.s Bring back the Shisha guys!!!

From the owner: Outdoor Pop Up Food Trucks Eventsread more

Yeah, this place is all sorts of cool. It is the perfect place to go when searching for a gift for…read moresomeone who may just have everything. The Cool Hunter stocks products from around the globe that you don't usually see in stores in Australia. From books to cold dripped coffee, iPhone cases, Tom Dixon candles, Sunglasses and amazing pieces of art. Bare in mind these products are not just the run of the mill products, they are from the high end scale. When you are next in Prahran you really need to check The Cool Hunter out.

I love the Signed & Numbered concept. A huge array of art prints that regular people can afford…read more And actually want. Signed and numbered by the local and international artists that created them. These are not knock off prints and you won't find dodgy rip offs of the art spotted at The Cullen down the road that contestants of reality TV series seem to favour (not cool). This is a Melbourne art lovers paradise. With many of the works we've come to know and love adorned on our street walls and pasted up in laneways, Signed & Numbered is one of the few places you can actually find printed works from these local street artists. Ghostpatol, Kaffiene et al. All prints are available as-is or framed. Buying a framed print from here is the most affordable option with prices very reasonable compared to taking it to a separate framer. But it's always nice to have the option. Awesome spot for putting the finishing touches on your living space or finding a really unique gift.

Just around the corner from Greville st opposite Babble is the part retail part gallery concept…read more'Signed and Numbered'. This is a cool place to visit and flick through high quality street art at a relatively affordable price. The majority of the works are limited edition prints that come with a signed certificate of authenticity from the artist. The editions usually run to 10 prints per image therefore maintaining a high level of exclusivity. Signed and Numbered currently display 10 - 15 different artists that are related by their medium (illustration, print, etchings) and their works have a distinct surreal street vibe that wouldn't be out of place in a Frankie magazine. Unique etchings can be bought for as little as $35 or $70 framed. The larger prints range from $150-$400 dependant upon framing.