Home Zone is all about interior design for the kind of person that knows what they are looking for,…read moreand doesn't need to leave it all to a designer, (although I bet that interior designers use Home Zone just as much as we do, for both inspiration and ideas, as well as purchasing their products and services). Home Zone have only been around for five years, but have established themselves really quickly, and are generally considered to offer us a benchmark of what is both tasteful and innovative. In addition, Directors Jayne Bishop and Sean Kerr offer a full and attentive service, which has also gone a long way to augment their standing. Specialising in made to measure curtains and soft-furnishings, upholstery, blinds, and tracking with a comprehensive measuring and fitting service, they draw on their combined 40 years of experience, which puts them in the enviable position of being able to work with trusted people that they have had regular dealings with over the years. These days they have a dedicated, highly experienced team of sewers, upholsterers and fitters who work alongside them, as well as a network of crafts people who can be commissioned to make accessories when required. Some of the beautiful things that the crafts people make are amazing, and prove that everything is possible! Using every material imaginable, and every technique available, they are able to produce practically anything you could dream of for the house and home. Home Zone can do conventional as easy as falling off a log, but where they excel is when they are pushing creative boundaries and coming up with unique solutions for clients that have a real appreciation of what is possible.

From the owner: We are a small, local, team of specialist curtain makers, upholsterers and fitters and we offer a…read morefabulous service, providing you with made to measure soft-furnishings, upholstery, blinds, shutters and tracking along with a comprehensive measuring and fitting service, to make the whole process a bit easier for you!

Calico is located at the Newport end of city road and close to many other competing fabric stores,…read morewhat set this store apart from the competition is the type of material available that Is more suitable for furniture upholstery and home décor such as curtains. There is a range of lighter materials but nothing close to the volume as Terry's or Butteryfly fabrics can offer. The shop also sells a range of furniture and this reflects the heavier materials on sale. The Calico sales people adds just the right amount of helpfulness to the shopping experience allowing you to browse, until you engage them with questions. As home improvement or curtain retailers go this ones got the smaller independent shop atmosphere providing the material for soft furnishings such as cushions, drapes, throws, upholstering etc.

Calico is a furniture shop but it is also a fabric shop. In case you hadn't yet realised I am a big…read morefabric shop fan. I couldn't make an outift for the life of me - unless it involved making holes in a bin bag, tying a belt round the middle and insisting I was creating garbage-bin-chic - but I do love to go and just look at and stroke fabrics. Is that weird? Regardless, this is the last of the fabric shops that we visited on City Road and it wasn't as much fun as either of the other two. The fabric was absolutely beautiful but it is more of a home improvement shop, than a fabric for dressing up shop. Having said that, it is beautiful and the prices are pretty good for what it is. The people who work there are friendly and I felt free to wander around for a while.

Now that The Pier has sadly left our little Welsh lives forever, Habitat is the next best thing for…read morehigh street home furnishings and furniture. This is a giant and unmissable store located in The Hayes in the centre of Cardiff, near to all the new glory of St. David's 2, yet still I speak to local people who don't seem to know where it is. I'm sure you'll be fine though; Yelp is populates by sensible people. Habitat is great for items such as picture frames, vases, cushions and candle holders, as well as larger items and items that you didn't even know existed before. But now you must have it. They go in for quite a modern style; combining sleekness and practicality with traditionalism and ethnic designs. If The Pier and Ikea had a lovechild, it would be called Habitat. My mother is now pointing out that habitat apparently came first (?), but I'm sure you know what I mean despite her confusing the issue. Although Habitat can be quite pricey, it's a great place to go for cheaper frames and small items. If you're ever stuck for a mother-in-law type of present, this would be a great start.

I'm a big fan of interior design, so I have a real soft spot for Habitat. This furniture here is…read moretrendy with a capital T, if you like traditional items this is not the store for you. The pieces available for purchase are incredibly modern, I recently purchased a glass desk from here, and it really has become a key feature in my office. I must admit the prices are rather high, but the uniqueness and quality of the furniture in my opinion really justifies this. On the cheaper side of things they do sell a wide variety of clip frames (both glass and Perspex), which are often on sale and great for art lovers.

This place should be in every guide book and on every website of Cardiff…read more The Pumping Station is a densely packed building filled with antiques and collectibles. So densely packed in fact, that a supernova of flying Hornby trains and silver spoons can be expected any day now. The drive up to this place is full of statues and garden sculpture, and always reminds me of the Narnian statues in the White Witch's palace in 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe'. The main hall is a Victorian building full of old fireplaces and interiors. Everywhere you look there is something new to catch your eye. With around 40 individual stalls, there is a downstairs area with sections made to resemble old-fashioned shop fronts, each with their own speciality. You might find anything from old comics to fine bone china. There is also a small cafe at the back, which, although not wonderful, is friendly and very reasonably priced. They make a good cup of tea. If you have something very specific in mind then you may need to enlist the help of a member of staff, but otherwise the main joy of this place is the browsing and discovering.

This is very recognisable and icon building thats easy to spot from the Cardiff Bay link road. I…read morefirst went when i was a child and easily bored, especially by antiques. Now as a grown up looking for unique artifacts to decorate my own place with I really love the place. It really is a treasure trove of everything that you want, from vintage clothes to reclaimed tiles. It really has the most massive selection of really unusual stuff and the old building that houses it all really adds to the atmosphere of the place. I'd probably say that because its so well known, you maybe won't get boots sale bargain finds but its a definite must visit.

Wyatt's Home and Garden is just around the corner from Flowers With A Twist and Over The Rainbow…read moreGifts, making this area a very attractive proposition to prospective gift buyers of discernment! It is a pretty little shop offering everything for the country style home and garden, particularly retro reproductions of time honoured favourites like roll top baths and iron bed frames. Yes, despite having limited floor space, it manages to pack in some pretty hefty items! Like Flowers With A Twist this is a relatively new business in the area. Jane, who also owns another shop of the same name in Ledbury, this one's predecessor, opened the Pontcanna branch about three years ago. (Jane wasn't about when I called in recently to take some pictures... that's Jan in the pictures!) During my recent visit I managed to keep my purse in my bag... I'm always overcome by an incredible urge to spend money when I walk into this shop, and could quite easily spend a small fortune! I love everything from the pretty floral doormats, as well as the multi-coloured wavy modern ones, to the garden furniture, crockery and kitchenware and the beautiful iron beds. They intersperse the retro reproductions with the genuine articles. A sign out front invites you to come in and browse, and makes the distinction between antiques and second-hand items, both of which they stock. They also offer an interior design service.

This is a relatively new addition to the shops in the Pontcanna area, and it's been a long time…read morecoming if you ask me! A home and garden shop is exactly the kind of thing that Pontcanna-ites are into, and this shop is flourishing. For anyone who is a fan of the traditional country home feel, this shop is a must, and offers an excellent range of homely items and gifts. A very tempting little place indeed. This is the kind of shop that does well because the products on sale turn a house into a home. With the classic type of resident in the area being arty, Welsh-speaking and middle class, I really am surprised that we've not seen something of this ilk sooner. Although I'm personally more of a fan of collecting items that are personal to you, rather than mass produced items which you are told are personal to you, I can certainly still see and understand the appeal of this shop.

This is a beautiful little shop that is quite unexpected due to its slightly hideaway location and…read moremodest frontage. When you walk into Hamptons you know that you've found a little bubble of quality in Penarth. They sell a wide range of home, garden and gift ware. Ranging from bath bombs to tables and chairs. The space is decorated superbly, and is a pleasure to be in as you potter around. Their items for sale are all of a high quality, and have price tags to match, but you would get what you paid for at Hamptons. There is a great little cafe upstairs, The Blue Pelican Cafe (which I've also reviewed), so Hamptons is a lovely little place acting as getaway from the hustle and bustle of Windsor Road. However, this is not really the kind of place you could go and relax for hours at a time with a book. This is the kind of place where women take tea; take heed, and be careful not to break anything.

Wowee! This store sells the most beautiful items and as a big fan of interior design, I'm already…read moreplanning my next trip. What I particularly adore about this shop is that most of the pieces available are completely unique, and I haven't seen them available to purchase elsewhere. One word of warning though, avoid buying the birthday cards; at £6 they're far too pricey (there's nothing particularly special about them) and I guarantee the person you give one to will not appreciate it's value.

Like most of the stores that have recently opened in Mumbles, I'm incredibly impressed with The…read moreMulberry Bush (what a fab name).

If I had a thousand pounds to decorate my room, I would come to Sense…read more Very contemporary, very chic, very nice! I couldn't help but feel a little in awe wandering round this shop, they have thought of just about everything from furniture, to decoration, lighting of every kind even garden accessories. At the moment they have some huge, and I do mean huge, cups and sauces outside which I assume you would plant a pretty plant in, though they looked way to good to put soil in if you ask me! As well as quite extravagant things they do have a good selection of affordable bits and pieces ideal from presents or to brighten up your room, like picture frames, fairy lights, and statement cushions! Not everything in here is to my taste, I think you will either love or hate some pieces but it's definitely work popping in on your way past.

"DO NOT ENTER if you have a dreary, grey, misty, Autumn outlook, as you may be distressed by the…read morecontents of this shop and might have convulsions". This sensory warning should be displayed prominently at the door of the excellent shop - 'Sense Clifton' - all bright and glittering, colourful pinks, blues and shiny metals. On the other hand, if you have a sparkling magpie persona, fine. Or if you just want to be shocked out of your November torpor, come to Sense for a quick fix. You dont have to buy anything, just browse and you'll fell much better. Though of course, the owners would also feel much better if you did buy something, so why disappoint - they will have done you a good turn. According to some blurb, Sense "...offers a smart mix of design-led products with a contemporary edge...". Apparently, the owners' frequent trips to Holland have given them a new perspective on design. They wanted to attack all the senses and create a complete home environment, everything from comfortable leather seating, exciting lighting and soft furnishings to unusual gifts. Pay a visit yourself, check it out, but take heed of the sensory warnings - highly recommended.

Homesense has a real hotch potch (proper phrase?) of household furniture and items available to…read morebuy; from the extremely tacky to the rather tasteful you never quite know what you're going to find. I was particularly impressed by their bedding selection; they had duvets by brands such Cath Kidston and Designers Guild selling for around only £30, which is quite incredible (though absolutely infuriating for me as I've just spent a fortune on Designers Guild bedding from the brands website). Additionally they had a massive selection of photo frames, in wide range of varieties, in my opinion these would make great gifts for those it's trick to by for. I wasn't to keen on the actual furniture available in Homesense (mainly just small chairs). The quality just did not appear quite good enough, and many of the pieces looked rather tacky. I was surprised to find that they also sell a small range of specialty foods. Nothing to grand, mainly pasta, olive oil, and Italian biscuits, but they're brands that you won't find in your local supermarket. I've really only touched the tip of the ice berg, Homesense just sells so much! It rather reminds me of TK Maxx, you need time and patience, but you could come away with some real bargains!

I was meandering down Pontcanna Street, one of my favourite little areas of Cardiff, the other day,…read morewith time to browse and soak up the ambiance... a rare treat these days... I love its chilled out vibe, and its independent shops, some of which sell curios that you won't find anywhere else, like the brass lined magnifying glass that I bought from Electric Designs the other day. The owner was out on the pavement talking to the owner of the neighbouring shop, enjoying the sunshine, and discussing how everyone has had their glass fronts tagged with a diamond cutter in recent times... how rubbish is that? Being a dignified area, neither of them looked anything other than gentile and composed, (if it were me and my window, I would look a lot more scandalised, and would be spitting expletives as though on a conveyor belt). I'd asked Jeremy Sage if he was the owner of the shop as I went in... he was. I also asked him what kind of electricals he sold, because I couldn't for the life of me recall there being an electrical shop on Pontcanna Street. Clearly, in my haste I'd misread the sign... "Washing machines" he replied glibly, without a hint of sarcasm. About ten minutes later I emerged with my brass bound spyglass, that somehow would look very much at home on a tall ship, or some other aged wooden boat. The circular band of brass creates a lip about one and half inches in depth, allowing the magnifying glass to glide over newsprint in a fluid motion, doubling the size of the lettering as it goes. "How much is this washing machine?" I asked as I held it up for him to see. "I don't know", he replied flatly, and then came into the shop to try and find his purchase document so that he could calculate the retail price. He couldn't find it, and so instead picked a figure out of the air. I then presented my credit card, which he declined... "the minimum transaction charge was absolutely killing us" he explained. So, replacing it in my purse, I pulled out a twenty pound note. Rather gleefully he took and put it in his pocket, and then started jangling around in there in an attempt to find me some change. He was unsuccessful. Without explanation he then headed off out the door and down the street, returning about five minutes later triumphantly handing me £2.50. The whole thing was utterly gorgeous!