Good hardware stores are a rare breed these days. Good hardware stores that sell a range as…read moreextensive as Houseproud of Morningside are like dodo eggs. From compost to pans, screwdrivers to bird tables they have it all. Split into two parts, the left hand side sells all the things you'd expect to find in a hardware store and more. They have a nifty garden section, selling pots, trowels, compost, bird tables among other things. They also have the usual range of tools, light bulbs. All the things you'll ever need. The right hand side is dedicated to kitchen products, and they have a huge range. I bought myself a hand blender from there which, at £20, was a little on the expensive side but not too overpriced. Given this place is an independent shop in an affluent area of Edinburgh you can expect to pay a little more than you would in a major chain. However, the staff are engaging and helpful and the plethora of products makes it worth a visit next time you run out of tea towels.

I have always found that good DIY stores, outside of the major chains, are hard to find in…read moreEdinburgh. Houseproud of Morningside are the exception to this rule. Situated on Morningside Road in a visible on-road location, they stand head and shoulders above all others I have tried in the city. As DIY shops go, they stock pretty much everything you would expect to find. From paints to Polyfilla, screwdrivers to sandpaper, they cover all the bases. I've visited this store on two occasions. Firstly, I went to pick up some expanding foam to fill in mouse holes in the flat. Not knowing exactly what I was looking for, I asked the assistance of a member of staff. He helpfully pointed out to me all of the different things they offered, showing a range of prices and uses. He helped me to find the product that was ideal for what I needed it for, and didn't automatically go for the hard sell on the most expensive. The second occasion was to buy a bradawl - something that is like a screwdriver, but has a point on the end rather than a screw head. Whilst this time I didn't need help finding it, the shop assistant at the counter still engaged me in some light-hearted chat whilst I was paying. It's these sort of things that I really appreciate in a small shop like this. They don't view customers as more money for the tills, but engage with you as a person. I will definitely be using this place again, as it saves a trip out of town to one of the larger chain stores. This shop is a must for all your Morningside DIY needs!

This review is for two shops : Spektakular and Lilla. They are sister shops that sell a range of…read moreScandinavian products, the former geared more for adults and the latter for children. I stopped in here today because they had Moomins in the window. The fact that they sell Moomin mugs would be enough for 5 stars in my mind, but that is not the only endearing quality. They sell a great selection of products and the staff are kind and friendly. Emma was very nice and helpful to me today, and patient while I squeaked with joy over the merchandise. They have a great selection of holiday ornaments and gifts. You should definitely visit them for any gifts you may need this upcoming season!

Little independant shops are so much nicer than big chain stores and this place is no exception as…read moreit brightens up the street. I often go in when im buying gifts for people but of course I always come out with something for myself too :) The best thing about this shop is that the goods are very affordable but the quality is not compromised..a combination that is hard to find!I'm slowly building up a Spektakular collection and when I move flat in a couple of months i'll be making space especially (and i'll have to arrange a party so I can buy the gorgeous martini glasses I have my eye on too). definitely worth a look, particularly if you are looking for gifts.

I took my grandparents here when they came to visit. I think this says it all. It's a lovely little…read moreshop selling everything from tea-cosies to candles, everything you would want in your stately home. Unfortunately for me, I live in a 2-bedroom flat in Holyrood, and have no use for this sort of stuff. Don't get me wrong - it's a lovely place and my grandparents loved it (Gran bought a cushion, she takes it out every Christmas and Meg next door is green with envy) and I'm sure it has a large market, but for the younger generation I think it simply isn't appreciated. Maybe I'll come back when don my power-suit and 2.3 children, but until then I think I'll go to Ikea. Gran's cushion was £45, so you get a sense of the general prices. Granda still can't believe the woman who won't spend an extra £1 on real soap (she prefers Asda's own) spent that much on a cushion. A festive cushion, no less.

Clementines is another of Bruntsfield's little gems that makes me wish I was a whole lot richer…read more Another pretty little shop filled with beautiful treats for your home. I would love to decorate my flat using this shop as inspiration as everything is just so darn nice. They have gorgeous cushions, quilts, teapots, candles, hanging things and ornamental bits and bobs. There is a real rustic, country feel to this shop. Everything seems to come straight from someones summer house in the Hamptons or at the beach. If you like pretty and nice, then you will love Clementines.

I'm downgrading Acanthus and am actually considering writing to the owner/manager because I think…read morethe staff may be really letting this place down. As I said previously, Acanthus is located next to my bus stop. As such, when I have a while to wait and especially when the weather is dire, I pop in for a browse. A gorgeous trinket caught my eye yesterday and, as I had almost 10 minutes to wait for my bus I decided to go in, browse and buy it. Another customer came in after me as something she had purchased there wasn't exactly what she had wanted. Both girls working at the time immediately hopped to, were very apologetic and helped her right away. As they *both* helped her, I took my item up to the till to pay for it, and waited. The two sales assistants and the one customer were stood right next to me, the three of them going over her purchase. As I stood there, waiting to pay. In this time, no one acknowledged me, no one said it would just be a minute, and there was no reason to have two members of staff helping one person. So I left. I wasn't going to miss my bus for an impulse buy in a store where the staff can't sort out how to best serve customers. When I left, one of the girls apologised to me but, really? Acanthus has some items that people will go there specifically to buy but quite a bit of what they sell is pretty little trinkets that people don't actually *need*. They have a market of people waiting for the bus next to the store who will impulse buy these trinkets and these people don't have the time to wait. It's not that I had waited an incredible amount of time, or that anyone was rude, it's the fact that I was ignored. I realise that not wanting to wait will make me sound like a high maintenance customer but I'm not , I just know bad customer service when I see it and I'm not willing to spend my money in a place where I've experienced it.

I have ventured into this lovely shop a number of times and have found the staff to be extremely…read morehelpful and pleasant. They are enthusiastic and seem to genuinely enjoy helping meet the needs of their customers. They have lovely items, some of which have made their way into my house. I love the variety of wallpapers they have on offer especially Zoffany's range. I will definitely be returning in the near future and would advise others to have a nosey.

City Vintage is a fantastic furniture store which stocks a great mix of retro and vintage…read morefurniture, home accessories and jewellery. It is only open part-time though so have a look at the opening hours I've posted if you're planning on visiting the store. If you are interesting in collecting some truly unusual items for your home then City Vintage is an absolute must. This isn't a shop full of a load of broken crap which is piled high and sold cheap. In fact a lot of the stuff is pretty expensive but it is in mint condition and is the genuine article. Recently I have bought a fantastic retro wall clock for just under £50 and an amazing green glass bottle which used to belong to a chemist but now sits on my make-up stand as a perfume bottle! I'm not sure how safe that is put screw it, it looks fabulous! I am lusting after a stunning French bakelite telephone but at £250 it is more than a little out of my budget! The selection of jewellery is the best I have ever seen in a vintage store and I don't think I have ever visited City Vintage without leaving with one of their gorgeous brooches! City Vintage does have a small collection of clothing and bags but the real stars of this store are without doubt are the home accessories and jewellery.

City Vintage is a gorgeous little store that I stumbled across during a wander through Morningside,…read morehidden away on Colinton Road. I was enticed inside by the gorgeous ornate mirrors in the window and I couldn't help but take a peek inside. Inside there are pretty little pigeon holes filled with vintage treasures from retro coca cola merchandise to antique jewellery and home furnishings. You can expect to pay up to around £200 for one of their big beautiful mirrors, however at the other end of the spending spectrum you will find nice little ribbon tied bunches of lavender for around £1 each and unique and interesting cushions for around £5 each. The whole place has a quirky kooky feel that you might expect to find in any vintage store, however it manages to sieve through the tat to bring its customers the very best vintage treasures in this beautiful boutique.

Oh look, another shop that sells things and stuff. What stuff? Oh you know, stuff that you want and…read moreneed. Like key holders and candelabras. That sort of stuff. I'm probably being a bit acerbic and unfair. I just don't really have time for shops that sell 'stuff'. The other thing about this places is the smell. They have a massive collection of candles (duh!), scented and unscented. The thing is, a single scented candle on its own can be quite pleasant. Even a few can be OK. But a whole shop full of clashing scents is positively nauseating. To me anyway. You might like that. I'm not saying this is a bad shop, that wouldn't be fair at all. It's got myriad candles and an impressive greetings card assortment. And loads and loads of stuff. Gifts, some people call them. It's just not for me. I'm told it's because I'm a man and I just don't get it. I don't think I want to either.

I used to and, to an extent, still do hate places like this but I'm open-minded about this one…read more It's a 'gifts and greetings' shop - the bane of visits to remote villages with the family as a child. I was here last week with my mum as she wanted to have a look inside for - specifically - some terracotta coloured candles. The ladies inside seemed pleasant and directed took her in the right direction, and she left content with two terracotta candles costing £6. It also sells gifts and little ornaments and things to fill the mantlepiece with. As you can probably tell, I'm no expert in this field but it all seemed pretty reasonably priced. I'll definitely bear this place in mind for future Mother's Days and impending birthdays.

We turned to Insurepair after a friend recommended them, as the company we were using before hadn't…read morebeen great. From the start, Insurepair were efficient and professional. Their survey was quick but detailed, and they actually discovered that some of the work we'd been told was needed wasn't necessary at all! The team carried out the repairs promptly and to a really high standard -- we're absolutely delighted with the results. Communication was excellent throughout, and the whole process was stress-free. I'd definitely recommend Insurepair to anyone needing reliable, quality home repairs.

Property Repair have just recently completed the reinstatement works to my home after we were…read moreflooded by our neighbour above. They were Fantastic. Just Fantastic. They were extremely helpful from start to finish. At one point just before the claim was accepted, the insurers decided to go down the 'cash settlement road', which pretty much meant that they were washing their hands off me, which I was not going to stand for. Richard at Property Repair contacted the Loss Adjuster to explain my plight and shortly afterwards rang me to say all would proceed as planned. His Tradesmen all arrived in company liveried vans and wore company uniforms, they were polite and not once did I hear profanity from any of the builders, even if I did use some myself. Very Happy with Property Repair, very happy indeed! J x