Can you credit a place for NOT selling you something? The kitchen tap in our new house leaked…read morebadly. It was one of those lovely hose ones, which you can use to spray lashings of water into large pans and all over the kitchen floor. Also excellent for warding off irritating children. But no. Despite the evident advantages of these quite expensive versions of a kitchen tap, they are apparently destined to leak ... so the men at Reece, to their loss, talked me out of the fun-stuff and into a far cheaper, more practical and longer lasting regular spout. Boring, but practical. It works.

I love hardware stores! I always feel like I'm adventuring into a world I don't quite understand,…read moreAlso, confession time, I always think anyone who sees me in there will think, "That's a savvy chick, she knows her tools". As it happens I do know a few tools, but only the human kind unfortunately. I wander in here maybe once a year, if I need something hardware-y like compressed air or a long weight (that's a hardware joke people!) The staff are helpful and friendly. My last visit was a quest for Tarzan's Grip to fix a wayward heel, and suddenly realised I didn't even know if that was the best product. So I asked the nice man which glue he thought would be best for shoes and he said," I was just talking about that with my mate", grabbed a tube of something and guess what? It worked.

Great store! I went in there looking for gorilla glue (best glue ever) as a last attempt to put up…read moresome light bookshelves that refused to stay up (regardless of drilling, replastering, anything). Not only did someone stop to help me just moments after I walked in the door, but they were able to give me multiple ways in which to fix and finally finish my pesky project (all of which have worked). The people there were knowledgeable and extremely nice- a wonderful difference from the Bunnings at Rose Bay!

Smallish local presence for the second-bigest hardware chain in Australia. It's usually got the…read morestuff I need, but I don't usually require (or know how to use) anything too specialised. Staff are OK.

I don't know about you, but I never really thought much about the importance of hardware like…read moredoorknobs, coat hooks, and cabinetry knobs. In fact, these details are absolutely vital elements of putting a house together. At Mother of Pearl and Sons Trading, you can find a vast range of beautiful hardware to embellish your home. There are both classic and modern architectural styles with knobs and handles made of different material. The employees here are very well qualified at helping you decide among the numerous options available. Depending on the look you want to achieve, the staff at Mother of Pearl and Sons will liaise with your designer and architect to fin the perfect fit.

Bunnings at Carlingford isn't as big as some of the other Bunnings in the area, such as the one in…read moreNorthmead. However, if you're just looking for the general hardware needs, you can find it here. If you want a specific item, it's best to call up first because the variety can be limited here sometimes.

You know those home stores that you walk into and think 'I wish this was my home' or 'I want that,…read morethat, that, that, that and that'. I don't do that very often, mainly because I've had to cull my hording persona off in order to travel and move about a lot. But this place - Eco Outdoor - gets my into the 'I want' frame of mind again. I feel comfortable saying that too, I think it's because this place is of the eco conscious class. The people behind Eco Outdoor come from a landscape design and construction background. Quality, natural and simplicity are two word that come to mind when I see their stuff. Their focus is walling, flooring and furniture. The showrooms and website give you a good idea of what they have and what combinations go well together but unless you're a designer yourself I'd ask one of their store designers for advice.

It would only make sense that one's outdoor furniture be as friendly as possible to our…read moreenvironment. After all, the purpose of outdoor furniture is to soak up the nature around us. At Eco Outdoor, not only do they purvey sustainable furniture, but also eco-friendly options for walling and flooring. When it comes to walling, this store has a remarkable selection of stone facades that are environmentally friendly and excellent at insulation. There are stone walls that recall the style of Provençal French, rural Spanish, and modern Australian architecture. The same goes for flooring, which can be constructed from a variety of beautiful stones and cotto tiles. Eco Outdoor sells everything you need for your patio. From chairs and tables to day beds and even beanbags, this furniture is unobtrusive and practical. I really love Eco Outdoor's main concept. They basically strive to make an authentic connection between man's construction and the natural raw materials found in the surrounding landscape. This organic style is essential to maintaining the integrity of the natural scene. As humans, we all live among nature and should always put some effort to minimize our footprint.

We love going to Urban Lighting! After 18 years, we have never had a bad experience. Good products,…read moreknowledgeable staff, excellent service. They go the extra mile to get things at short notice mid renovation. And they are dog friendly! Caileen's review is very strange - I have never had a problem with returns and have always found their pricing to be competitive. Which is why I now don't waste time going elsewhere. Charmian

Scott and the team are amazing. We ordered and had…read moredelivered to NT. Everything was packed carefully for delivery and service was prompt and tracked the whole way. Will definitely use for future purchases for our construction company.

Opposite this there used to be a chain hardware store, but its demise has led to this gem of a…read morelocal supplier being the only one in Annandale. Don't be surprised if they are pricey, but they more than make up for it with service. I've never had a bad experience and I've been using it on a regular basis for a couple of years now. Good advice, well stocked selections and quick service make it worthwhile coming back rather than schlepping it out to a warehouse type store.