If you like exotic pictures, statues and ornaments then you'll love this shop. I was amazed at how…read moremuch they sold and was almost captivated by all the products. Their products range from giraffes as tall as you to animal masks to brightly painted pictures to unique African style ornaments. They could really spice up your home. With all this going on it made the shop look a bit cluttered this was a minor issue for me because I was so amazed at the products. Who knew a little taste of the exotic could be so close? The prices are good as well and if you've read any of my other reviews you'll now I like a bargain. The paintings were about ten pounds and small ornaments were on offer for less than £5.00. Being in here temporarily took my mind of the real outside world. If I had the money on me I definitely would have taken something home!

I really like wooden carved ornaments and unique art pieces, so I thrive on visiting these sorts of…read moreplaces. When I first discovered Exotic Homeware, I was literally amazed at the amount of cultural creativity that they sold, especially considering that the store is not far from where I live; I feel like I should have discovered it sooner. From wooden crafted giraffes to elephants to masks to brightly coloured birds to cages to canvases, the shop sells a great selection of organic and hand created objects, which really do make your home look more interesting and cultured. The price of items isn't bad either; usually when you go to similar shops, they put a high cost on these sorts of unique gifts. But here, you can pick up a medium sized collection of three wooden owls for £5! Bargain! I really wouldn't mind buying every item in this shop to be honest. Then I'd be able to develop my own haven of all things exotic to escape the drudgery of Birmingham. (from time to time)

Wow, what a gem! I wish I had discovered this earlier…read more Located within walking distance from Broad St, and has very good transport links, this handy business sells everything from ornaments, furniture, flooring, Chinese antiques and arts, to clothes, fabrics and jewellery that are unique and distinguished in character. This is an ideal shop that has it all to fit out your home with all the decor, and more, whether your a first time buyer, or just in need of some stuff. I really liked this outlet, as it's not like the Ikea's of the shopping world, it's a great independent outlet. You feel like your walking through someones home as it's so nicely fitted out. It would be nice if the shop offered gift vouchers, as there is so much housing in the city. That way, if your not exactly convinced of a purchase, you can still buy a voucher where friends and family can choose instead.

With neighbours including a hair salon, a beauty spa and a newsagents, Curzon's is an unusual…read moreaddition to the mini commercial district in the otherwise residential area along Sheepcote Street near the NIA. Stocking a wide range of Chinese furniture, ornaments and clothing, Curzon's is well worth making the trip. The family-owned business also offers traditional Chinese teas, interpretation and translation services, and tutoring in Mandarin Chinese. The staff are really chatty and happy to assist you with making your purchase, and the shop often has special offers on a wide variety of stock. You might expect a shop like this to be found nearer the Chinese quarter, but given the number of apartment complexes in the immediate area that might benefit from an oriental makeover, it makes sense to something a little closer to home.

This store is in the Upper Mall, next to Laura Ashley. It looks very warm and inviting, especially…read morewith it's very impressive double fronted window display. Inside you can purchase handcrafted gifts, plus much more, which range from home decoration with a shabby chic style to individually handmade cards and stationery. I liked the design and layout - every where you looked there was something to behold! As with many of these "shabby chic" type of stores, there was a great deal of various shades of white, cream, beige and grey. Which does look nice, especially with pastel shades thrown in. But I have to wonder, how long will our love of all things "vintage & shabby chic" last? Oopsy Daisies supports the Rheumatology Department at Russells Hall Hospital through the sales received.

From the outside of Muji I think its quite hard to work out what kind of shop it actually is....the…read moreclothes in the window give the impression of a fashion retailer but you can clearly see office supplies inside the door. Confused I ventured inside to have a look around. The place is a home and fashion retailer stocking stationary, homeware, bedding and clothing. All of the items in the shop are very well designed and have a very crisp vibe. I like the attention to detail in the shop with the very minimalistic approach to the layout making everything very easy to look at at and make your way around. On a personal note there was a cuckoo clock I saw while inside the shop that I think now has my name on.....it was really special. Ill think twice before going in for a look around again it could be an expensive habit!!

Muji can easily be seen from the ramp as you leave New Street station. Head past Jane Norman (on…read morethe corner) and head up towards Centenary and Muji is located on the right hand side. It's a strange old shop, originating from Japan, their mission statement to develop new simple products at reasonable prices by making the best use of materials while considering environmental issues. They sell stationary, bedding, furniture, and clothes. The stuff they produce is very basic and simple, well made but I find that it's rather expensive. (The last time I looked, dressing gowns were £40). I do have a brother who hates labels and likes simple clothes that are enviromentally friendly so for christmas presents it is always worth a look.

Another new edition to the High Street - which is obviously excellent news as there is something…read morerather sad about seeing a high street filled with empty buildings and failed businesses - Cherry Tree Interiors is a purveyor of tasteful home decor as well as cards, soft toys, candles, cups and...bunting (so much bunting). Much like Amelie up the road, this is the place for a nice cushion or a wedding present. Their window display is lovely and a lot of the stock looks homemade. The lady who runs it is very nice (even looking out for my bus for me whilst I rifled through their selection of greetings cards). The toys in particular seem good so definitely somewhere to visit before Christmas.

Weddings, Christmas, Birthdays....they come around with shocking regularity and smack you firmly in…read morethe wallet. If you are as useless at shopping you such things as I am, they also play havoc with your imagination. Cherry Tree Interiors is one of a growing breed of shops that appear to cater for precisely such issues. In here you'll find be sure to find the right card or gift for the occasion and the recipient will love it, I'm sure. The range of stock is good (from what my limited experience of such matters tells me) and the prices are fairly reasonable - you're looking at around the £10-£15 mark for a card and (small) gift. The staff are friendly and will help you find something.

Nook Interiors is a lovely looking shop in Harborne that sells a range of products - lighting,…read morecushions, desks, vases and smaller items of furniture. They are also able to produce bespoke pieces upon request and offer interior design consultations so if you are looking to decorate but don't know your magnolia from your hint of macaroon then this might be the place to go.

This is a wonderful business and offers some truly lovely bits for home and also good advice about…read moreinterior design. It has some beautiful items for sale inside that are great as house gifts or just perfect accessories for your own home. I came in here to seek out something nice for a friend who had recently moved into her first home. I was really impressed by all the pretty little bits and bobs inside and I ended up distracted by things that I thought would like nice in my home, instead of my friend's! The staff were really friendly and very helpful and asked me if I needed any assistance or advice. In the end I bought a couple of candles and a cushion. The prices are moderate, but the items are very much worth it. This place also offers various interior design assistance for any projects or requirements that you may have. Overall, a great place!

Specialised in 20th century vintage design furniture and gadgets for home, Fragile Design is a fine…read moreshop to stop and take a good look around, with no pressure or hurry, if it's possible! If you're looking for a unique home design fix, this is the place to be! I have looked for a new coffee table over past few weeks and I was glad to find some gorgeous samples at Fragile Design. As their collection includes an exclusive and stunning memorabilia, it's likely to be undecided about what to get. The pottery decorative pieces are amazing and this is just a snapshot of what you can expect from this shop. There are pieces and prices affordable for all kinds of pockets and honestly, for an outstanding vintage shop like this; I didn't find it expensive at all. Fragile Design is placed at Custard Factory, inside the Zellig building, and it's open from Tuesdays to Saturdays (from 10am to 5.30pm) and Sundays, Mondays and Tuesday by making an appointment in advance.

I first came across Fragile by accident about a year ago but only recently managed to get in due to…read moreits limited 'designer-esque opening hours (Wednesday to Saturday or by appointment only)! However, I'm glad I made it inside this wonderful oasis of 20th century furniture! It looks like the house I grew up in with furniture of browns, greens and oranges and yet the furniture looks new. Most items have been refurbished to look like new but still distinctly retro. I was after a very large but unique lampshade and what they actually sell are new ones (albeit made with vintage materials) I thought it was odd that the gentleman didn't take my details to sell me one but instead gave me a flyer of the designer in London that makes them. Fragile Design do offer 'looking for something' form on their website so the store is fantastic if you have something very particular in mind, as I tend to when it comes to furnishings.

I was surprised that no one had added this as a business before, as this home decor shop has been…read morehere for a while now. They mostly sell beautiful cushions, table lamps, rugs and furniture, but you can also pick up gift cards, mugs and other small gifts. I often go in just because I want to browse! Today I found out that they offer a service whereby if you show id then you can take an item home without paying, to see if it's suitable and then just phone up to pay if it's what you want:)

Decoron is a specialist decorating store that sells wallpapers, paints, tools and brushes and much…read moremore. It is a family run business that has been running since 1966 and is also an award winning company. If you are looking for a store that specialises in decorating, Decoron could be your answer. Decoron regularly update their showroom with the latest designs and colours but they also offer contemporary and traditional wallpapers. I did like the wallpapers on sale but to be honest they were on the expensive side. Decoron offer a range of paints and colours so there are plenty of paints to choose from. The staff are very friendly and they will help you if you need it. Decoron is worth a visit if you need guidance on decorating a new room(s) or need new wallpapers.

This newly opened shop is the latest in a number of excellent independent businesses to set up in…read morethe famous Jewellery Quarter area of Birmingham and it compliments well the many already there. It's a gift shop with a difference, the difference being that profits are reinvested in the good works undertaken in the city by its parent social enterprise. So when you buy something here you also leave behind some added value that's reinvested in the community. I'm not sure whether everything sold is actually produced by other social enterprises, but I think that is the aspiration. The range of stock actually surprised me; there's everything from wrapping paper, scented candles and retro vases to gift boxes filled with all kinds of wonderful stuff, so it's an ideal stop off for Christmas gift hunting. When I popped in I right away found several items to add to my shopping list, including an item or two for those difficult to please folks we all struggle with. The shop itself isn't that easy to notice at present, but it's only been open a few days. If I didn't live within a minute or two I may have missed it, but I had seen the shop had been taken over, having been empty for quite a long time now, so my curiosity was pricked. I'd suggest an A-Board outside to help potential customers notice as they walk down the street. It's got a great old-style but rather discrete frontage that belies the size of the interior. OK, it's not huge but it's actually very nice and bright inside with lots of room for stock. Knowing how the building was before I'd say they've worked hard to bring it up to scratch! The staff are pleasant and attentive but don't hassle or linger. I felt quite comfortable browsing. While the shop had one or two people in while I was there, three staff did seem like overkill, but it's clearly great work experience for them and that's part of the social enterprise idea I guess. They'll probably need three as we approach Christmas! This end of Vyse Street was fairly dead when I first moved here but over the last few years has picked up nicely. This is a lovely and welcome addition, very well located close to the brilliant, rather fascinating JQ museum and a couple of excellent cafés, one a traditional egg and chips place, possible the best in the area, the second more a deli and tea shop (also really good). So you can have a walk down the street checking out the jewellery (remember to haggle!) and the famous museum, pop into Citizen Home for a few gifts and a browse, then finish off with some lunch or a decent cuppa! I wish the business well - a great idea that seeks to make the world a better place!

From the owner: We provide gifts and homewares with a bit of a twist! Many of our products are ethically sourced…read morefrom social enterprises and local businesses. We are always keen to add more locally produced products- pop in and say hi