If you are looking to get serious about making the most of the outdoor living potential of your…read morehome then this has to be the place to start. The showroom is a great source of inspiration. They have a huge range of stone flooring and walling options to suit any style. Rather than destroy the end look by filling your new space with those grim, mass produced plastic furniture settings, Eco outdoor has really cool and affordable outdoor furniture options. They also stock some great accessories to help complete your space. Knowledgeable and friendly staff plus good products = Happy Days!

If you're in the search for bits and pieces needed to build or furnish your house, you should check…read morethis place out. It is chocked full of second hand furniture and timber and bathtubs and light fittings and taps and toilets and any stray item you may need for renovating your house. But beware, the woman who runs this place is a horny being, and if you take your man she'll do all she can to flirt. I spent an hour or more in the place while she virtually took my partner's clothing off him, not physically but using sexual innuendo. He went along with it thinking it a good laugh, but towards the end we were both pretty keen to get out. This place is interesting and has heaps of great stuff. Beware though, the prices are ad hoc, and you may get an item cheap one day, and something very similar four times the price a couple of days later. But there is heaps here of you're searching for hard-to-find items to restore your house, or even if you're sustainability-minded and don't wish to use new products.

Not too long ago, we were re-doing our courtyard area and were in need of pavers and bricks to…read morecomplete it. We came to Boral Bricks. Man this place is huge! I have never seen so many different bricks in my life! We met with a nice staff who helped us out and pointed out some bricks he thought that may be of interest to us. He asked us about colour schemes, sizes and design. I found him to be very helpful. A good thing about this place is all their bricks are manufactured on site. They have a massive manufacturing plant just behind it. They supply their bricks to other landscaping shops. So really, if you like their brand, you might as well come to their own shop to see every kind of brick they do. An important thing to note, is in my comparison, I found quite a few styles of bricks here are sold cheaper compared to other landscaping stores. Great range at a good price, can't go wrong with that I say.

Calico House is a bizarre shop. The front of the store and name suggests the sort of place…read morefrequented by avid seamstresses in the 19th Century, because hey, who uses calico anymore? This shop was once a post office and then, later, a pet store and a number of failed ventures before it became Calico House. I'd say it has an edge over its predecessors because it's made the smart decision of diversifying from calico whilst keeping in-trend with the local homeware store vibe. Hence we see rows of homeware products mixed in with calico handbags, pillows (hmmm, comfortable), throws, wall hangings etc. These homeware products are the standard fare of trendy Paddingtonesque plates, mugs and glasses covered in artistic, pretty images and of standard price for the area (i.e. on the side of expensive). There's a serious sewing section and a "cutter" sitting behind a stall, ready to carve up your calico needs. I also saw a large cane basket, containing large disjointed scraps of old hessian bags (like the type you see holding potatoes) for $1. I had to stare at it for a few seconds and wonder who would need this. Some questions are better left unanswered. Despite my lack of understanding of the finer points of calico, the atmosphere was pretty cheery and the staff were nice. Sewing stores tend to draw snobby know-it-all-staff in my experience, so this is a big bonus for anyone wanting to buy calico and not deal with the mind games of a bitter seamstress.

Where most homeware stores offer some of the loveliest displays and store layouts around, this one…read morefalls a little short in that department. If you can refrain from judging the book by its cover, there's some lovely stuff to be found in here. The best thing about this place is the natural fabrics they offer, especially the ones imported from India. It's a family owned business which always makes me anticipate that the service will be just that little bit better. They also have offer a made-to-measure service.

The only plywood mill left in Queensland, of the 4 left in Australia. They produce premium Hoop…read morePine Plywood here, which has been used in huge projects around like the new Brisbane Supreme Courthouse, Perth Arena, and the sound acoustic Melbourne Recital Hall. They don't sell to the customer direct if you're a builder, hobbyist or whatnot, but you can give them a call to find out your closest distributor. They do have offcuts if you're looking for a bookshelf or drawer or a random piece of wood you can get it for a bargain ($11 for a 1200x597mm sheet) possibly free (not joking). If you are an architect or builder, you can ring them to ask them technical questions and they are more than happy to answer and super friendly. I like the fact they are local and one of the few places that take being environmentally friendly seriously. With the whole imported goods take over happening these days, we need to support local businesses like these more.

There is much to DIG about this house and garden centre,…read morewalking past this place I was immediately arrested by the sight of the gorgeous blooms, trees and fountains beckoning from behind the fence. Opened in the early 90's DIG have remained true to their "classic simplicity" ethos. They have a solid gallery of client pictures and are more than capable of tacking any garden or interior quandaries you may face. Aside from offering their design knowledge and personalized consultations, DIG also offer a plethora of quirky and cool design elements that will transform your garden from grim to great. (Think fountains, giant trees and ornate pots.) Perfect for a browse (or preparation for your next gardening blitz), DIG is well worth a pop-in.

Sigh, apartment living has its perks but a garden is not one of them. Occasionally when I like to…read moredream about my future landscaping abilities I head into d.i.g. on James Street. Housed in this gorgeous store, and in its courtyard, are plenty of plants, statues, water features and ornaments to make your garden beautiful. It's more up market than your average Bunnings garden section but offers beautiful items which would be tricky to find elsewhere. There are also a few things for inside the home such as decorative pieces and tableware. If your outdoor area needs a bit of sprucing up, or you know someone who would love something for their garden as a gift, it's worth having a look in d.i.g. After all, what's shopping if you can't stop to smell the roses?!

I love this store! The owner, Peta, is so helpful and knowledgable. There are gorgeous handmade…read morelamps, rugs, paintings, jewelry, and handbags! I also love that this is a family business. Peta designs and makes the lamps and her daughter creates paintings from photographs you can bring in. This place is such a great find!

In need of an interior designer? Look no further!…read more Peta Sweatman is the brains behind Bowerbird Collections. The showroom at Red Hill is an elegantly organised space full of handmade lamps, vases, custom rugs, artisan accessories, just perfect for your home. The handmade lamps are particularly beautiful. They are custom made to your specifications- to a limit. There are five base moulds you can choose from. You also choose the colour and type of glaze you want, and the fabric sheeting for the shade is up to you. The lamp in store that caught my eye had an ultramarine high gloss base, accompanied with a fabric vintage, bold floral printed shade. It was unusual, but screamed elegance at the same time. Sweatman also offers workshops to help people create beautifully designed homes. The quote on her website sums up her outlook perfectly "A beautiful interior is not only a joy to live in, it is a way of expressing the soul". If you're looking for some design tutelage, or some handy tips on how to give your home a makeover, Bowerbird Collections is the place to come to. It should also be your first stop if you're scouring the market for that signature piece for your home.

Raby Bay Nursery is deceiving when you drive past. The view you have from the street does very…read morelittle to draw you in or present itself as a nice place to stop from the muddy dirt drive way to the hand written opening hours sign. It is however, worth a look. Fortunately it is a fairly nice place. They have a lot of what you expect from a nursery plus a landscaping service. The staff are helpful and quite friendly.