French Vanilla Home and Garden has opened a whole new world of expression and re-purposing old…read morefurniture and items that would be considered junk. Some of the items I have refinished using fabulous Fusion paints, Hemp Oil and Acrylic finishes sold at French Vanilla are coffee and occasional tables, book shelves, cabinets and candlesticks. It is amazing how they take on new life. All of this new found art has been inspired by visits to French Vanilla and discussions with the lovely owner, Sheila Stone. Sheila takes the time to explain application of paints, offers suggestions on how to make pieces really unique and introduces me to new techniques on almost every visit. Sometimes I purchase, sometimes I don't but I am also respectful if she is speaking to other customers, as it is not like other shops that just sell merchandise. Sheila is personable and bends over backwards to help her customers. Thank you Sheila. Deborrah Oak Bay

Resident of Vancouver and returned to this delightful store and found owner Sheila Stone so…read morepersonable and helpful. Beautiful selection of items for home and more!! Put this on your list to visit.

When I decided that my living room needed a total makeover, I was apprehensive about implementing…read moredrastic change without professional help. I have always known what I like, but I was intimidated by the myriad of decisions facing me, and more importantly, I did not want to make any expensive mistakes. I live in Vancouver so hiring an interior decorator in Victoria seemed problematic, but I knew what a great designer Sue Pipes was and Janice, the owner of Calla Design, assured me that the extra cost would be minimal. The first thing I have to say about my experience with these 2 highly professional ladies is that we quickly established a very easy working relationship. They were immediately accessible through email and phone, and from the outset exhibited terrific enthusiasm, even though my one-room project was a relatively modest one. They suggested 3 different options for my living room and provided paint, fabric and carpet samples for each look. What was amazing is that they helped me recognize how important it was to keep an open mind and push the boundaries of my comfort zone in order to achieve something special and exciting. The result was just that - a look much bolder and more colourful than I would have ever imagined for myself - but because it was put together with professional expertise and flair, I have to say I am thrilled with the outcome! Along the way one unfortunate problem was encountered with a piece of custom-made furniture where an error in dimensions had been made by the supplier. Sue & Janice swiftly alleviated my concern, emphasizing that my satisfaction was paramount. They resolved a difficult situation in a thoroughly professional manner without involving me. Following this hiccup, Sue worked long and hard to help me in the final stages of the project - assisting me with decisions relating to artwork, and accessorizing - for that final polished result. For anyone on a hunt for a first-rate interior designer who has fresh and original ideas relating to style and a remarkable sense of colour, I recommend Sue Pipes of Calla Design without reservation!

From the owner: A unique home furnishings boutique offering full service interior design, home accessories,…read moregiftware and small treasures. We carry a number of exclusive lines including Canadian furniture company Whittington & Co, bath lotions and soaps from elizabethW, Anitca Farmacista diffusers and Match pewter handmade in Northern Italy. Also included, we gallery the original work of five local artists Complete renovations or if you are just looking to freshen things up...reupholstery, window coverings rugs and flooring. Start with a 1 hour consultation...

Buyer beware. The customer is not always right! I do not…read morelike to post negative reviews about a local business but I feel customers should be aware of this store's policy regarding the return of imperfect goods. (A policy which is not posted obviously in the store or on the receipt). I bought a sweater at Madison and Muse and when I took it out of the bag three days later I noticed a small hole in the back. I immediately returned it expecting an exchange. I was told by the assistant that they do not exchange damaged goods! When I emailed the owner the reply was: " If the customer notifies us of damage immediately upon arriving home the same day, we review our security cameras to ensure that the staff member checked the clothing at the cash desk. If she did not, we accept the exchange." As I had not opened the bag on the day I bought it I was out of luck! Nor of course was I privy to the security footage. I obviously will not be shopping at Madison and Muse again and I would urge customers to scrutinize their purchases extremely carefully.

Wow, beautiful things in this store. Their customer service is incredible and I always get inspired…read morewhen I visit. Check out their Instagram for good ideas too! Lots of great stufff on there. Glad I found this gem!

Most amazing furniture/home store in victoria! The owner is super friendly, knowledgeable, and…read morehelpful. The prices range from fair to fantastic. Their eye for amazing vintage pieces is unmatched in Victoria. Check in often because things fly out of this place!

Do not order from Bois et Cuir online under any circumstances. They've promised me 6 separate times…read morethat the table I ordered was shipping and it still hasn't shipped, even after charging me an additional $50 for shipping after the order was placed. I was told with 100% certainty that it would ship by today and they'd call me to confirm, but neither happened. I placed my order 2 months ago and the table is ready (or so I'm told), but still no shipping. Unacceptable.

I don't normally write reviews, but the customer service is second to none. We walked into the…read moreVictoria store and were immediately impressed with the interior display and furnishings. The store has a great welcoming vibe. We decided to purchase 4 dining chairs and bar chairs now - even though our house is still under renovation. The manager, Sandy, truly understands the stress of home renovations and furnishing problems. Her expertise in design and understanding our needs really helped us envision the possibilities. I cannot ask for better service. I even bought some great candles to add to our home. Thank you so much.

For any Vancouverites out there, you will understand this reference: this store is very similar to…read morethe "Circle Craft" store in Granville Island, and a bit like the "Make It" store there, too. This is a higher-end boutique that showcases the handmade works of local artisans: jewelry, paper goods (greeting cards, stationery), lotions and potions, candles, soaps, gourmet foods, some textile goods (knitted works, scarves, etc.), prints, household gift ideas (ceramic trays, small pottery pieces), and more, much much more. I always loved shopping local and supporting local artisans, so stores like this really speak to me. I really liked how there were posted informational cards throughout the store, talking about all the artists who created the pieces. When you shop here, you know you aren't getting a mass-produced item. It feels more "personal" when you get something made by hand by an artist you know something about. As is usually the case, one pays a premium for hand-made artistic pieces. The prices here are high, as they always are for artisan works. But I think it's worth it.

Love this store! So many cute things from local makers that I had a difficult time choosing what to…read morebuy. There was everything from art, ceramics, jewelry, etc, etc, etc. You will pay a little more but you're supporting small businesses!! The gal at the counter was super nice and made me feel welcome. Will be stopping by again later today as I love this store that much!

A few years back I bought a beautiful floor lamp from Urban Barn. It was expensive for my budget…read morebut I looked at it as an investment in something I loved that would look beautiful in my living room for years and solve my light issue in that room. Recently I noticed the lamp shades were discolouring and starting to fall apart. I think this may have been my own fault by using the wrong watt of light bulb. I contacted Urban Barn and they promptly ordered me new lamp shades to replace the old ones and my lamp is now as good as new. I am very happy with Urban Barns exceptional customer service and resolving the issue for me without me having to invest a new lamp. In my experience, not all companies would have done so and would have left me screwed with an unusable expensive lamp. Thank you Urban Barn, great customer service! This will not go unnoticed when shopping for my home. Fiona Johnson

Horrible customer service. Did a major price increase mid transaction without warning and wouldn't…read morehonor. Terrible procedures for returns to warehouse. No paper trail leaves you wondering if it will ever get processed. Snobby and unfriendly staff. For no good reason, it's urban barn!

Nice shop for home goods and gifts. I would come back to shop again as it is in Chinatown.read more

LOVED this store! We were visiting Victoria for the holiday weekend, and I just randomly stumbled…read moreupon this shop when we came to Chinatown for breakfast at one of the cafes- and when I peaked inside this store I was like YASSSS this is exactly my kind of shop!! So many cute items for kids and beautiful home wares- and wow the JellyCat selection! Everyone was polite and helpful and efficient. Highly recommend! And the Lit candles smell amazing!

This has always been a fun place to look when I've visited Victoria. This time the door was locked…read moreat noon on a Friday. They had a sign on the door to ring the doorbell and to please be patient. We could see people shopping inside. While we waited others came and left because they didn't wait to wait: We were just getting ready to walk away (after about 10 minutes of waiting or so) and when someone came out and we caught the door and slipped inside. While looking around we heard the doorbell ring so it was definitely working. What kind of business practice is this to treat your customers like this? They do have a lot of cool stuff but it's not cheap. Not worth waiting out in the rain for (thankfully it was a dry day for us).

Wanted to stop in last time I was in Victoria but door was locked and no one answered. They do…read morehave beautiful mostly expensive things but they also mark up items. Last time I was able to get in I saw several items that were twice as expensive as the exact same product at other stores!

We were in Victoria, Bc for a spring break. I was on my morning walk when I passed by this shop on…read moreGoverment St. The shop was well organized with a lot of selection of snacks and souvenirs. The price of a maple cream cookies was CA$5.99 which was a dollar cheaper than other shops across the street. Customer service was great. I wish I had bought more of maple cookies.

On a cruise-visited this shop-very nice selection- how do I…read morecontact you to order a sweatshirt ?