A fantastic addition to Banbury's old town area. Whether you are looking for a 'statement piece' to…read moreanchor a room or the perfect accent to finish off a shelf or cosy corner, this is the place for you. Also a must if you need to buy a gift for the interior decor fiend in your life. Have bought both gifts and treats for myself here and it's always a shopping highlight for me. Fab stuff and helpful proprietor.

From the owner: Independent shop specialising in one off vintage painted furniture pieces, decorative antiques,…read moreinteriors & lifestyle. Frenchic Chalk Paint Stockist & tutor. Based in Parsons Street, Banbury and within Banbury Antiques Centre.

Loads of furniture of the bright and modern variety. Not really my style, but my friend who's into…read moreall things kitch regularly lusts after various things in here. It's better quality than Ikea, but with a price to match, and they have some unique lampstands and funky chairs that wouldn't have looked out of place in the 70s (in a good way). Definitely worth considering if you're buying a present for someone, or if you're into that sort of thing. If not, at least wander past and look at the window displays.

Great place for window shopping and browsing and for finding things you won't find elsewhere in…read moreOxford. Very modern and stylish.

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)

A nice change from Ikea: this home store specialises in ranges of lighting and bits and bobs for…read morethe home. I don't own a house, but I still find the range of lamps, lightshades and quirky lampstands really intriguing. It's best to go in with an open mind and let yourself be drawn to something, rather than going in with a set idea of what you want. There are lots of things under the rather vague category of 'soft furnishings', which can range from bags to trays to ornaments. The general trend is colourful and contemporary, with the odd squirt of quirkiness. It's a bit different from the nearby antique shops, but it works. The items seem like good quality and the staff are helpful. Prices are reasonable and all in all it's worth a visit if you're into that sort of thing. Personally, I find it interesting, but can't quite get excited about lighting and soft furnishings. I guess you've got to do it at some point though, and you could do a lot worse than starting here.

Northlight is a fascinating shop just to browse around, and great if you're looking for an…read moreintriguing gift, especially for a style-conscious fella. I've received and given a few presents from there and they always go down a treat, especially when used to brighten up a gloomy student room. They have a selection of almost painfully elegant home furnishings, including cushions, throws, candles, decorative items They also sell crockery and other kitchenware as well as picnic bags and hand-made kids' toys. There are some quirky items of jewellery in a cabinet at the side, and lovely children's mobiles dangling from the ceiling. This is all crammed into a tiny shop (don't take a large bag with you!) with very friendly staff. I am so tempted by their lovely fruit bowls, sigh. It really isn't cheap, by the way, but if you are looking to treat someone (including yourself) then it is a great place to find an unusual present.

It is amazing how much they squeeze into this little shop. All the furniture is of a very high…read morestandard & better quality than the out of town furniture shops in retail parks.

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.

A very nice branch of this popular homewares chain. Spread over two floors, there's a good…read moreselection of bedding, soft furnishings, curtains and blinds, lighting, kitchen and bathroom items (inc. good value towels) and cleaning equipment and materials. This branch has a first floor cafe - there's a lift and also toilets (kept really clean). They do a simple cream tea for £3.50 with a scone, clotted cream and jam, with tea or coffee. It's not the Ritz, of course, but nice for a low-cost break if you are shopping in the area. They also have a selection of cakes and sandwiches. There's a good sized car park, from which it is also a short walk to a number of other retailers, like Screwfix, Wickes, and ToolStation.

I recently popped into the Farnborough store to buy some kitchen items and was served at the till…read moreby a lady called Jo who was very friendly, welcoming and chatty which made my day.

I love this store, I am madly in love with about 3 of the windchimes on display here, I already…read morehave 2 from here - there are only so many chimes a person needs, but they are so pretty. I know nobody needs a geisha snowglobe in their life but again, its hard to resist when you are surrounded by cute trinkets! It isn't just cute and silly, it sells some nice accessories. I got a bag from here which got loads of compliments. This is a great place to buy some pretty pretty gifts or just treat yourself to something fun.

Evolution is a gift shop in The Galleries in Broadmead. I think this is my favourite shop to buy…read morepresents from thus far! They used to be quite a Balinese style gift shop buy quickly has moved towards a more Brittania, cutesy and kitsch feel lately. I would happily decorate my apartment with the stuff here. There are great welcome mats here that I've been eyeing up recently that look really well made and are affordable too, at £12. They have a few pieces of kids wooden furniture, some chairs sold here are so very cute, with carvings of animals on the chair backs- however I have no children to buy them for as yet! A few presents I have bought here are their rustic metal gifts; like wall clocks made to look antiquey and wall hangings with old style postcards printed on them. I bought my best friend one that said 'live well, love much, laugh often', which she loved. When on sale, I bought a huge amount of candles here which lasted me ages, and smelt great (they were mighty cheap). I could go on talking about the many various things they sell, but the best is if you keep this place in mind to check out for when you next need a gift!