Wow, wow, wow!!! If…read moreyou've just purchased your perfect dream house and want to make it that extra bit more special then look no further than Garuda design!! Brought to you by Interior designer Suzanne Garuda this showroom is out of this world! When you walk in you immediately want everything!! The store was set up to make designs and products that little bit more affordable to the average Joe and even though its still upmarket it's certainly achievable. The sheer quality of the showroom speaks for itself and the designs wouldn't look out of place in cribs! They offer service such as project management, interior architecture and interior design. And also boasts of various projects across the country including Killeen Castle and Charlemont on Malone. Really love this place...maybe one day I'll be able to take advantage of this fantastic designer on my doorstep...

This little wallpaper shop at the top of High Street in Bangor is a little bit out of the way of…read morepassing trade but well worth a call in if you are seeking a lovely wallpaper. The shop is a bit of an illusion as it looks tiny from the outside but is really very well stocked with posh expensive brands as well as more familiar affordable products. I recently called in for a look at their neutral coloured wallpaper and was impressed by the selection. The staff were lovely as well and very helpful - unfortunately I didn't find what I was looking for that day but I am glad I ventured in as I will no doubt be back the next time I decide to do a bit of painting and decorating.

Lovely wallpaper shop, family run business, with lovely, helpful staff, it really is old fashioned,…read moredecent, one to one contact, helpful, down to earth, service. The wallpaper choices and fabric choices are tremendous, from lower budget, to middle budget, to the higher budget, there is something to suit everyone. Traditional wallpapers, contempory wallpapers, wallpapers on the roll, wallpaper from the designer books, you really cannot come into the shop without coming out with something great selection. A real step up from places like B&Q, Homebase etc, and different wallpapers, your not going to see in other peoples houses, very unique. I certainly would not shop for wallpaper anywhere else now. A wee gem of a shop, with first class customer service which nowdays is very very difficult to come by.. Recommended 100%....Bangor High Street.

Maven is a shop and also offers interior design services. It's a lovely space selling beautiful…read morehousehold items, ceramics, furniture, textiles and gifts. I especially like the Derek Wilson ceramics and the fact you can purchase Northern Irish magazine Freckle from Maven. So even if you're not wealthy enough to use an interior designer (or just like to do your own) you can pick up some beautiful bits and pieces for your home. However the minimalist, simple, natural, muted style Maven trade in wont be to everyone's taste. Well worth a browse though. Unfortunately the shop is small so you'll see a greater range of items on their website: http://www.wearemaven.co.uk/home.

A real hidden gem stocking some beautiful modern furnishings, accessories and locally produced…read moretoiletries. Its in a very nicely restored little hall just off the busy Lisburn Rd and the lady behind the counter couldn't be friendlier, full of great tips on places to eat and other interesting shops in the area (nearly as good as yelp :). A great place to browse and get inspired by modern Scandinavian style...

Always love visiting this quaint shop. Great service and unique items. I'll be back soon!read more

The feeling walking in to this shop evokes is in it's name - yep that's right 'joy'!…read more Oscar & Joy is a graphic designers dream, it's bright, beautiful and proportionally spaced just the way a true work of art should be. Their company motto is 'bringing design to life' and this is exactly what they do. Every product they sell is beautiful in it's own way. You can get books, gifts, household items and practical things. One thing I noted was that there was a huge amount of specialist coffee and tea products. One whole shelf dedicated to them. The lasy working was extremely friendly - saying a big warm 'hello' to everyone who walked in the door. That's not something you experience everyday, especially in retail. Looking for something different, a unique gift perhaps or just want to brighten up your boring kitchen - I suggest you head to Oscar & Joy - you won't regret it!

Lush place. Very very fancy. Out of my budget but nice to…read morelook around. It's located inside an old church. Displays are on the ground floor and office space upstairs on the balcony. Lovely venue. Great branding. Though when your in an interior shop and it says on some of the displays 'no photos' it's a bit strange. Rather cold inside. Very difficult to park outside. Some of the furniture etc is also being used in the Vestry cafe in the same building. Perhaps this company either own the whole premed is or done the for out for the others also.

Keens is a pretty cool interior design shop in East Belfast. The stuff on offer is pretty…read moreimpressive and although it is quite expensive, it's great quality stuff so worth the price- no boxed self build stuff in here! Its a far cry from Ikea! They obviously must be doing something right if they've been here for 40 years, especially as it's not exactly an upmarket part of town. I'd advice going in for a browse if you're doing a bit of decorating as the stuff is both beautiful and different!

Heading to find a sofa a couple of days after Christmas is not the way the OH wanted to spend his…read moreholidays, but I dragged him here anyway. Firstly, don't be put of by it's dreary location. Once through the doors you are greeted by a rainbow of colours, shapes and textures. A bit of a maze, with 3 massive floors there is loads to see and perhaps buy. I say perhaps as it is a good bit more expensive than the chain retailers, but what they do have is quality. If you are just looking to add a hint of style head towards the back of the ground floor where you will find all manner of trendy accessories to funk up the dullest living room at more reasonable prices. There was some cracking statues, which I really would have bought if the other half hadn't dragged me out. My VISA card thanks him.

This is an exclusive interiors shop selling a particularly good line in pretty pattern china (pink…read moreand white and blue and white) and lots by Emma Bridgewater. Goulds has joined my Christmas shopping list of places to visit anyway for that and the selection of nice soaps, creams and bath stuff by Occitaine and Crabtree and Evelyn for instance. The shop, which is very small, also has upmarket paints and fabrics from makes such as Colefax and Fowler and other pleasing though expensive items.

I'm very into improving my home and so am always putting up pictures or touching up paint and I…read moregenerally go to B&Q or Homebase for supplies. But there are times when I just need something really small like a tiny pot of white gloss paint or another little bit of black gloss - thanks to the five year old standing on the wet door saddle, exactly where I told him NOT to stand. Or times when I'm really in a hurry to touch up a skirting board before the school run. Yes, I know it's not normal. On those occasions, a jaunt to the cavernous DIY superstores, where I can get lost for hours, just isn't on the cards. That's when I go to my little local place, Decorator's Touch. This is a small shop which I can park right outside so that's time saved before I even go in. It's one of those mysterious little places that seems to have more stock than its space should allow. Paint, varnish, brushes, wall paper, check, check , check. They also offer a full interior design service - curtains, cushions etc. Quite how they manage to pull all that off is a miracle, but manage it they do. The owner is usually behind the counter and is really helpful if you're not sure which product you need. And best of all, he doesn't patronise me just because I'm a laydeee.

The world of student housing can be a very bleak one with unhelpful landlords, last weeks baked…read morebeans stuck to the way behind the bin and the kind of temperatures that would make an Eskimo feel at home. The least that can be done to make your place to live is get it decorated a wee bit( with the landlord's permission of course!) to make things less sterile and more conducive to good times! So when I was driving with my friends on their way to their new abode, we went out on a whim and called in here to pick up a few bits and pieces, and I was quite impressed! The staff were helpful and informative, and were ready to guide our bunch of unruly males to the lower cost end of the paint spectrum! There are a wide range of paints we were able to pick from, as well as other wallpapers, paintbrushes and other accessories that would be useful to the more advanced DIY consumer! We were just idiots with brushes, so basic coloured paints were just the ticket for us! I find the likes of Homebase and B&Q almost too large at times, and the customer service is sometimes lacking, so I find places like this most refreshing!