I was drawn into this place by the amazing (and I think original) iconic film art work in the…read morewindow. At £45 a pop they were not cheap but the art was stunning and classy, making classic almost artdeco style posters for films old and new- there were even a few Harry Potter ones smidged in with classics like The Big Lebowski and Star Wars! Something for everyone there. Inside was a bit small and pokey, but has the look of an old fashioned artists' attic, especially on the upper floor. We were greeted as we entered and the staff seemed happy for us to wander around the shop and take it all in without buying anything. Some classic prints upstairs without frames available as well as a few fairy pictures and even Disney princess images at reduced prices. Well worth popping in.

You know the way your walls are looking really drab, that recent coat of paint didn't help and the…read moretatty Betty Blue poster has seen better days? Got some funky prints and one off gig posters rolled up in your attic? Maybe even some work you or an artist friend have done? There is a simple solution, pick out your favourite three or four and head down to Sheldon Framing. These are the go-to-guys for getting an image expertly and tastefully framed. I know Ikea et al do much cheaper frames but they only come in their restrictive standard sizes whereas these guys will do you a custom job so in theory any shape or size should be catered for. They are also helpful with suggesting colours or options that will simultaneously complement your image without detracting too much from it. I've had tons of posters framed up by these guys over the years and the job has always been quality. They also sell a wide range of art by local artists from contemporary to the usual watercolours etc... Pros: Helpful, knowledgeable staff. Cons: If you're getting larger stuff framed it can get expensive quickly.

This is a really sweet shop which specialises in children's bedrooms and nursery's. The shop is…read morekinda small inside and a bit cramped so certainly not good for manoeuvring a pram around. In fact when I was in someone had to leave their pram and child at the door. However, looking past that wee glitch, the stuff in here is really great! It's full of beautiful unusual things that you wouldn't find in Mothercare or Mamas and Papas. The decorations are really nice and they cover things like thermometers, coat hangers, boarders, cushions, pictures, linen, and furniture and everything in between! They also stock prams and the more practical things you'd need. The prices are quite high, as seems to be custom with these independent stores. But if you're looking for something different and don't mind paying for it, it's certainly worth a visit!

Now I am going to sound like a muppet who has nothing much to worry about in life, but when I…read moreredecorated my son's bedroom with a cowboy theme, I really struggled to get little bits and pieces to accessorise his room with. Until I found Funky Bedrooms. Funky Bedrooms is located rather awkwardly right on the bend where the Holywood Road meets the Newtownards Road. Luckily you can sneak into the car park behind it which I think is really for the health centre. It's filled with all manner of cute and lovely things for babies and younger children's bedrooms. Think gingham, boats and dinosaurs for boys and butterflies, flowers and hearts for girls. And cowboys for boys too. I scored a fab cowboy storage bag and bean bag which look just perfect. Not the cheapest at £40 ish each but well made and, as the sign says, funky. They also do loads of practical stuff like prams, cots, maternity clothes, changing bags and potties. Eeeww, I'm so glad we're past that stage.

Yankee Candle shopper heaven. If you're a fan of Yankee Candles, flowers, paintings and prints, and…read moregeneral pretty items for your house, then The Gift Shop is a good place to pop into. Yes, I know it's labelled as somewhere to buy gifts for 'other people', but you can't help but want some of the items on offer, because some are really tasteful and lovely. I don't love all Yankee Candles, some of them are too strong and scented, but one or two of them were really nice and subtle, so I bought a couple. The prices are reasonable too, so if you're are looking a gift or just some nice bits and pieces for your home and want to treat yourself, then The Gift shop is a good place to have a look.

On an extremely wet, miserable and despondent day in Bangor, Innovation gift shop was a glaringly…read morebright beacon of light, shining brilliantly in my direction. The selection, for such a small shop, really is vast. There were a lovely array of cute, well-priced pillows - the kind with proverbs and messages written on them, complete with a beaded hanger for attaching to your wall / door etc. £5.99, if my memory serves me correctly. A lovely collection of bridal accessories, including head bands and tiaras for half price, as well as wedding favours and other relevant bits and bobs were all available for purchase. A wide range of gorgeous ornaments, unusual jewellery collections, incense sticks, candles, baby gifts, to name but a few filled the shop to the brim. I had never seen such unique and special gifts all in the one place. An older lady was also browsing round 'Innovation' when I was in, and her excitement at the overwhelming gifts and brilliant bargains was very evident. She had purchased something a matter of moments before her eyes lit up, having spotted yet another alluring object. "Oh, I'm never going to get out of here!" she laughed. The shop assistant laughed along with her and was most helpful in referring the lady to another shop in Newtownards where she would be able to buy something they did not have. I settled upon a black cherry Yankee candle melt for the decent price of £1.05, and was served by the shop assistant's son, who was still learning the ropes. Both were extremely pleasant, and topic of conversation turned to the horrendous weather before I left, quietly satisfied that I found yet another fantastic gift shop to add to my list of birthday-present-purchasing-places. Innovative indeed.

Like a very similar shop in Holywood, Urban Orchard, this is a bit of a middle class woman's…read moreparadise and doesn't really have much for anyone else other than their target demographic. That i unless someone else is buying a gift for the woman in their life. Like Urban Orchard, this is a lovely place to go into in to shop. There is all sorts of stuff such as pillows, knick nacks, candles and bridal accessories on sale and there seems to be quite a large amount of stock for what is quite a small shop. You can basically pick up anything you would need to furnish a new house or to buy a housewarming or engagement gift for a friend. The prices are pretty standard for this sort of stuff, which is to say that it seems quite expensive. More for girls than for boys, but I guess there is nothing really wrong with that. There is handy parking near by which is always a bonus.

Not everyone is a fan of candles or room fragrances, however it's not just the overpowering…read morecinnamon sickly, strong fragrances to choose from anymore. Most people have some kind of candle or fragrance at home or even the car. It is an ideal shop to get a gift for someone who doesn't like flowers or wine. This Yankee store in Forestside is big in comparison to the small yankee concessions found inside other stores. They have everything from tea lights, candle holders, burners, car air fresheners, small/large jar candles and wax melts all in a variety of scents. Pink Grapefruit, Black Coconut, Cranberry pear, Sicilian Lemon are a few of their fruity fragrances, Ebony and Oak, Sunset breeze or Midnight Jasmine are other good alternatives. I like getting their fragrance sachets in sea spray, I also have a small 'soft blanket' candle for my son's room.

There's not a whole pile I can say about this store apart from it sells smelly candles…read more Okay well it sells a bit more such as Potpourris, tea lights and car fresheners but basically you only come to this shop if you parents are coming up to visit your house and you haven't cleaned your room in months. Anything you buy in here will automatically hide the fact you can't be bothered cleaning. However my mum absolutely loves this shop as she likes to have a different aroma (that's smell to me and you) in every room. Therefore I came to the shop to get her a gift box. For £13.49 I got to choose a small jar and box of Tea lights from a range of fragrances that were then presented all wrapped up in a wee box, almost as if I had made some sort of effort. Ha! This shop is great if you have a thing for candles and fragrances but other than that you're better off avoiding it as it smells. A lot!

What is it that draws me to IKEA, well apart from the fact that it is my spiritual home and when I…read moremoved I literally lived in the place for a few months. You can easily spend a few hours wondering through IKEA and have breakfast, lunch or dinner. The layout is spacious although don't deviate from the arrrows on the floor otherwise you'll be be scene from again. Ok, that is a slight exaggeration. Just bear in mind Tom Hanks in Castaway. The furniture does change and is extremely sturdy as well as having a sharp design element. The market downstairs I guarantee you'll be hard pushed to leave empty handed. Who knew anyone needed 300 mugs.

You'll need half a day to go round this store & see everything you want to see. It's not very clear…read moreat all as to how you are supposed to make your purchase, unless you've been before & have picked up how it's done! I find the prices very high & the quality very poor! It's quite a stressful place to be & difficult to find and actually buy the item you wish to buy! Personally i wouldn't buy furniture here , as it looks really cheap but the prices are premium prices! The last & final time i visited, i bought several small items, such as cutlery & kitchen utensils (Should know better by now) & when i got home and checked same items on internet, found them at less than half the price! It's a tad confusing & rather poorly set out store , with very inadequate help to hand ! The swedish meatballs & mash in the restaurant are excellent though.

Having just moved into a new place and really not trusting the mattress that was already here, I…read moredecided to take a trip to Bed World to see if I could get a new one for an epically thrifty price. Sadly, I couldn't. This place is pretty expensive but if it is and independent store then they usually are. The staff however were very polite and helpful when I came in. This is not the sort of place I'd usually go so I probably had a very lost look on my face. If you had a little bit more cash, or were looking for a complete bed set, which seem cheaper overall then it's worth popping in.

I really like The Works, you can pick up all sorts of interesting books here for a bargain price,…read morethey are arranged out by category like they would in a library, children's section, thriller, local history, cookery, reference books etc. They also stock a wide range of craft goods, such as easels, all types of paint and paintbrushes, scrapbooks, stickers, wool, needles, you name it! The Works is a good shop for giftware too, for example if you have secret Santa, there are loads of fun items, themes such as Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Hello Kitty, and more. This is actually one of the nicer The Works stores I've been in, it's not too crammed as some others are, and is easy to navigate without knocking things over!

This is a great wee shop inside connswater shopping centre. There are a vast selection of books…read morethere are every book you can imagine in this shop, I like the cookbooks as I like to bake at home , most of my cookbooks are from here and theres lots to choose from and the prices are decent too. The works also sell children's books and children's toys and sweeties at the till. Theres a small craft selection which has a good selection of boxes ec to keep your crafting supplies in. If your an artist theres a brilliant selection of canvas's and paints and brushes even charcoals and pastels. Theres a great selection here for anyone into painting. Also a selection of DVDs, calendars and diarys. Theres gift sets and gadgets in store. Shop is always crammed and well filled with stock!