So a paint shop wouldn't be my first choice of retail therapy but needs must and the shameful state…read moreof the exterior paint on our garage drove me to organise a painter and to my horror I discovered that he won't be bringing the paint with him. So I was forced to enter the alien world of a paint shop as someone had told me I would get a much better price there than in one of the big DIY stores. Happily I was pleasantly surprised as Johnsons is bright and airy and that the nice man working there was able to interpret my vague request for outdoor paint and get me exactly what I needed. He knew what kind of paint I needed (water based masonry paint if you must know) and even how much I would need. He even offered to give me a refund on one of the tins if it turned out that I didn't need it. I had a little chortle at their very proudly displayed certificate to prove that in 2008 the shop was 'an accident free zone'. No sign of a certificate for 2009. Maybe they had a clumsy employee that year.....

Called to get paint mixed to match a colour I had seen in B&Q, for wooden doors. The guy at the…read moretill had a laugh at me going elsewhere to choose a colour, but in good nature. What he didnt know about paint was worth knowing. He took time and with what to use and I was able to get the gloss, undercoat, and few other bits at an amazing price. Was well pleased. Have been back since and got the same service again. Great place to go for professional advice and service.

"Located in the recently expanded Bloomfield Shopping Centre, Hanna & Browne Bangor offers the best…read morein destination shopping. With convenient free car parking, the store, situated on two levels, brings together under one roof all the quality products offered by our other Home & Gift shops and Lisnasure Interiors: Fabric, drapery and design service, carpets, flooring, furniture, beds and linens, hifi, complete range of home appliances. Gaggia coffee makers, Swarovski Crystal, Newbridge Silverware, Bridal Services, giftware, tableware, kitchenware, mirrors and decorative accessories." Above is how it is described on the website but in reality this place is a bit posh and a little but up itself for my tastes but it fits in perfectly into Bangor's kind of middle class feel. There is plenty of free parking and it is easy to get to but its a bit depressing if you have to go here because that means you are buying knick-nacks for your home and that is the sure fire way of knowing your life is over.

Now I'm not an outdoorsy or garden kind of person, but every time I visit this garden centre, I…read moreresolve to go home and transform our boring patio and lawn into a overflowing cottage garden. Then I get distracted by the interior goodies. And the café. There's always next year to create that garden. Donaghadee Garden Centre is the ultimate treasure trove of lovely things for your home. Scented candles, oven gloves, cushions, little pieces of furniture. If you're a minimalist freak, it's not for you, but if you love a little bit of controlled clutter, then you'll be in heaven. There's Cath Kidston galore and lots of shaker style pieces like wooden signs and table cloths. But none of it is twee which is my worst nightmare. Oh and the café. I often go in swearing that I'll just have a scone, and then just cannot resist the unbelievably good chicken and broccoli bake. It is just so tasty and full of proper pieces of chicken and real ingredients, and comes with beautiful home made coleslaw and salad. Delish. So, for those of you who must buy stuff for the garden when you're in a garden centre, there are all kinds of plants and shrubs and compost and other dirty things that you need for digging about in the flower bed. Happily for me, there are also some very knowledgeable members of staff to help the clueless.

Christmas tree selection was good, Santa not on site today. Had coffee and some freshly baked goods…read more Got 2 bird houses and bird feed. Staff helpful in selecting the bird feed

Yet another of the massive amount of international names that have come to Northern Ireland in the…read morelast few years and set up huge stores just outside of towns. Laura Ashley is a perfect fit for Bangor with its large middle class and, quite simply, bored population who are more than willing to spend lots of money on bed linens and the like. Here you can get all sorts - mirrors, home furnishings, cushions and throws, sofas and chairs, paint and other homely knick-nacks. The staff are nice enough and always helpful. Its based in Bloomfield Shopping Centre so its easy to get to and there is plenty of parking about.

Blooming dear, as in expensive!…read more A packet of pot pourii, pouree, pourie, smelly stuff - you know what I mean was over a tenner IN THE SALE - sweet jumping Joseph we are in a recession don't ye know! Called in for a nose at the sale stuff even though I wouldn't buy a thing from here in a million years as it is all soulless mass produced over priced middle class crap. The sale was rubbish - a two seater sofa reduced down to £900 even though it was very similar to a sofa a few doors away that was priced at £500! Don't get me started on the clothes - really expensive and dootsy - skirts that are either too full or a weird length. Dresses that my mammy wouldn't even wear. I dunno this place is not for me. If I lived in a pastel palace or a lighthouse I might buy the wallpaper and bed linen from here - but I don't so I won't.

Great service and selection. My first stop for baby accessories and toys for all ages. Great…read morerange of retro corgi, dinky, train sets, slot cars all found here.

Fantastic shop. It's changed over the years a fair bit in appearance and function. When I was young…read moremy parents would take me here to get model planes and cars as well as having ornaments for around the home for themselves. The home furnishing and ornamental side is pretty much the same however the toys and models have been gone for some time now, replaced (handy for us) by baby gear. Prams, car seats, cots etc. The range is very impressive indeed, they will have something for everyone, from well priced entry level prams to the Rolls-Royce type top of the line stuff. The pram we were interested in was demonstrate to us by very knowledgeable and friendly staff who made selecting the right stuff a breeze. When we then saw the same one slitghtly cheaper elsewhere they even matched the price. Customer focused shopping experience just the way it should be.

I popped into Express Frames the other day on a whim because I had been carrying around three…read moreprints for weeks, meaning to get them framed. A quick look round and I had seen loads of things I wanted to buy - as well as framing pictures, they also sell little nic nacs for the house like pin boards and little wooden boxes. They also have lots of ready framed prints and pictures and seem to have a never ending sale. The guy working there was out the back obviously having breakfast and first impressions weren't that great as I thought he would have preferred to finish his bacon sarnie than talk to me. Once he realised that I was serious about choosing three frames, he was great, patiently holding up about 20 samples for me to see what they would look like. I was also pleased with price and think I would have paid more elsewhere. Hopefully I will be as pleased when I collect my framed prints.

Tiletec pulled me out a very scary DIY hole a few years ago. Him indoors had to go abroad for work…read moreand a few days later we got a leak in our bathroom. I was left to deal with the turmoil. I decided to redo the entire bathroom but I didn't even know where to start so I went to Tiletec and asked for advice. The woman who works there was fabulous, she gave me a print out of all the local tilers, painters and decorators. She chatted to me about colours, patterns and prices. I was in and out of that place about ten times. The lady gave me samples to take home so I could get a better understanding of what the tiles would look like. It took me weeks to finish the bathroom and I went against the opinions of others by picking white and green. It's all white now though because the green was tiring. I really recommend Tiletec for a personal, reliable service. They were so helpful and gave me many great tips, I was even able to bring my extra tiles back for a refund. They saved my bathroom and me from Do It Yourself hell!