I can totally understand why this shop is entitled 'The Barn'. It's got a kind of storage feel to…read moreit, and you can't really move too far without tripping over something, or bumping into that other thing. Especially if your name's Lynne... Crammed full of furniture, soft furnishings, candles, gifts and a whole lot more, The Barn is a tad overwhelming if you're trying to find something specific. I quite like a challenge (most of the time), but since it was wet and I was carting half of Donaghadee's shops around with me (it certainly felt that way), I was pretty fed up and didn't exactly feel like having to dig too much. Plus, I was totally aware of my being ever so slightly clumsy at the best of times, and not wanting to end up paying through the nose for breakages etc., I decided to look and not touch. That was until I spotted a cute cat tea towel, and instantly knew my mum would love it. Managing (somehow) to pick it up off the rail, I admired the pattern whilst hunting for the price. Ah, yes there it was...£5.95?! Heavens above. Maybe I'm a bit stingy, but I certainly wasn't paying that for a tea towel. Not a chance. Everything else seemed to be slightly pricier than I'd first thought, right down to the scented candles which started at £2. At this stage, I realised there were three likely-things-to-happen: 1) I knock something over. 2) I buy something. 3) I leave. The latter being the cheapest option meant it was instantly favoured (not flavoured, that's an entirely different thing altogether). I'm much too poor for such shops. Nice stock though...

Argh, this review has probably been the most difficult one for me so far, and I haven't even begun!…read moreThere are really three reasons behind this... 1) When I looked at my receipt, the name of the shop was written as "Grey Goose Interiors et Salon de Tea" (which, of course, isn't proper French), but the the actual name of the shop uses the French version of tea, which looks like the with an accent over the e. And this is where my problem lay. I went to select a symbol for the e, and ended up choosing the wrong one. I then had to open up Word again, and select another e with the accent facing the other direction. Stress. And all because it's a French tea room. 2) When I popped into the Grey Goose, I was totally unaware that it was also a tea room. Thankfully, I was dressed appropriately enough, and despite my out-of-place look and accent (one of the customers had the obligatory posh North Down accent to a tea, er, I mean tee), I managed to inconspicuously have a look round. To be fair there wasn't a huge amount to look at...a few pretty accessories, even more pretty cards, and cute little gifts. I selected a card, and then realised a third dilemma... 3) There was another section adjoining the tea room, which I dandered into, thinking I could pay there. Unfortunately not. I was redirected back into the Grey Goose, and a girl who was working in the tea room came and served me. Apparently the shop next door is The Lightning Tree, which stocks some unique clothing. I didn't really look though, if I'm honest. So, apart from the name issue, the la-de-da type nature of the Parisian tearoom and the confusion of essentially three shops in the one building, it wasn't all that bad...

Stumbled on this place for the first time the other day and really enjoyed it. It is a blend of a…read moreboutique and coffee shop with a great selection of sandwiches, soups and cakes. The food and the staff alike are top notch and it provides a friendly, warm and very comfortable environment to have breakfast, brunch or lunch. The shop side of the business is very nice as well with home furnishing and ornaments on display. They are all very nice but I thought perhaps mainly of a similar aesthetic with you tend to get with smaller shops, so you'll probably either like nearly everything in this respect or next to nothing. The one thing that let it down just a little for me was the coffee. I had a cappuccino and couldn't really taste the coffee, it was frothy milk with a chocolate taste from the sprinkles. So it wasn't unpleasant, just not what I like, it would remind me of Starbucks offerings. If the coffee had hit the mark it could probably hit 5*s from be in the future.

So a paint shop wouldn't be my first choice of retail therapy but needs must and the shameful state…read moreof the exterior paint on our garage drove me to organise a painter and to my horror I discovered that he won't be bringing the paint with him. So I was forced to enter the alien world of a paint shop as someone had told me I would get a much better price there than in one of the big DIY stores. Happily I was pleasantly surprised as Johnsons is bright and airy and that the nice man working there was able to interpret my vague request for outdoor paint and get me exactly what I needed. He knew what kind of paint I needed (water based masonry paint if you must know) and even how much I would need. He even offered to give me a refund on one of the tins if it turned out that I didn't need it. I had a little chortle at their very proudly displayed certificate to prove that in 2008 the shop was 'an accident free zone'. No sign of a certificate for 2009. Maybe they had a clumsy employee that year.....

Called to get paint mixed to match a colour I had seen in B&Q, for wooden doors. The guy at the…read moretill had a laugh at me going elsewhere to choose a colour, but in good nature. What he didnt know about paint was worth knowing. He took time and with what to use and I was able to get the gloss, undercoat, and few other bits at an amazing price. Was well pleased. Have been back since and got the same service again. Great place to go for professional advice and service.

Well, as I often say, you can never have enough room for gifts. Or something like. Well, after a…read moretrip to this perfect little gift emporium, I might just have proven them right...I was entirely tempted to buy the whole shop. Right from the moment I opened the shop door, and that beautiful sweet scent of some astounding fragrance hit me right up the nose, I knew this was going to be a titillating visit. Filled with mental notes to self, such as, 'Oooh, check out those handmade cards over there, complete with little sequins in the shape of hearts and stars!', and 'Ooooh, they have such pretty napkins', and indeed 'Bags. I don't need a bag. Wait, my sister needs a bag for her formal. Oooh baby'...yes, it was a tumultuous experience for me. In an incredibly good way. Not only does Home have the most exquisite gifts and greetings cards, but it also encompasses the luxury (yet affordable) home decor end of things, with the likes of dining tables / chairs, dressers and cushions available to purchase. And if that's not enough, they offer a wedding list service, a flower arranging service and a gift wrapping service. Arriba! Yes, thank you every much to anything and everything. I love it all.

From the owner: Gorgeous gifts for all occasions including new born babies, weddings, birthdays or merely a lovely…read morethank you for that someone special. Our ranges include East of India, Yankee Candles, Maxwell Williams, leather gloves, stunning jewellery & beautiful scarves. We also stock lovely gifts and furniture for the home. We offer a gift wrap service, wedding lists, unique floral arrangements, as well as numerous items that can be personalised.

It just struck me (like a bolt of lightening, some might say) before I began my review as to why…read morethis place is named so...Hardys Hardware. Excellent. Aside from the innovative name, Hardys is a pretty darn good wee shop. The fact that it's slightly more than a hardware store made me feel slightly more at ease (you may recall my previous review [singular] of a hardware store, and how I felt completely out of place), but I have to say that it was also the accompaniment of my dad that made the whole experience generally nicer. Thanks Daddy. Back to the vast range of stock though. Yes, it's got the wood, tools, gadgets and DIY stuff, but there's a huge variety of other stuff too. There's toiletries, household cleaners, pet goods, home decor...even confectionery! I got lost in the toiletry section while my dad looked for some man thingy. Or something like that. It's definitely the extensive assortment of goods that makes Hardys that little bit special. Hardys and Other Items You May Find Yourself Needing doesn't have quite the same ring though...

One of the best general hardware and DIY stores you will find in NI. The range is huge and its more…read moreconvenient being in the centre of Comber than travelling to B&Q and other superstores in Ards north Down or Dundonald.

Martha's provides an interior design service for people with plenty of cash but no style or time…read morebut what draws me in are the exquisite home accessories. Think napkin rings, mugs and storage baskets that you just cannot live without. Ditto cushions, place mats and table cloths. I simply don't know how I managed before I got my blue checked table cloth and napkins. What was I thinking? This is the kind of place where you buy yourself the occasional treat and get gifts for Christmas and birthdays. Mostly for ladies it has to be said, unless you know any men with a taste for matching table linen. And lucky you, as they sound like fun. The costume jewellery is also worth a mention - lots of chunky silver(ish) necklaces and bracelets at reasonable prices - around £30 for a long chunky necklace. There's a café upstairs which is on my list of places to go. I didn't make it upstairs on my last visit but the smells wafting downstairs were enough to convince me that it's gonna be good!

This isn't you're average charity shop, the idea behind Vintage Glow is to regenerate old and used…read morefurniture or up style it in girly terms. They are really on point with this idea as this seems to be a real trend gripping Belfast. I popped in on Monday and some of the items they had on offer you would expect to see in High Street shop windows, the beauty of this place is that all the furniture is reasonably priced and not only that but it will be a one off. Glow isn't just a great shop but it's also a great cause - the idea behind GLOW is that it provides women from both communities the opportunity to develop confidence and self-belief through creation and craft. The beauty of this place is that you can either purchase items that are donated to the GLOW team or you can bring in your own tattered furniture for a makeover. I would definitely pop in for a look next time you're on the Lisburn Road - you could pick up a bargain and help a good cause.

I can't believe I am the first person to review The Cove. This is a true Yelpers paradise. This wee…read moregift shop is literally full to the brim with antiques, cards, gifts and presents that your mum would like. Thy have a huge rang of vintage items set outside the store, this is what actually caught my attention. It's a bit like an upmarket car boot sale. There didn't really seem to be a theme to the items. There was a mix of furniture, household decorations and general bric-a-brac. I loved it - there is something really exciting about sifting through all their products. Almost like a treasure hunt. Antiques collectors would love this place. It also had a range of vintage camera equipment that was behind lock and key. Upstairs houses more modern handmade gifts, cards and part accessories. If you want a unique gift for a loved one or are decorating your home and want something a little different look no further than The Cove! Couldn't recommend it highly enough.

Yes this shop is great. My first car was a Morris Minor, dark blue. I got a little Corgi car…read morejust like it, even the registration number is similar!

Bright Living is one of those shops which feels quite small but has an amazing amount of things to…read morebuy! Jewellery, pictures, candles, furniture, lighting, table ware and now, miraculously, clothes too! It's an upmarket little place but many of the lovely trinkets are surprisingly affordable. It's perfect for teacher's gifts, birthday presents, and treats for your own self too, because you're worth it of course! I love the big chunky bracelets and necklaces they do with lots of bling hanging off them - hearts and coins and that kind of thing. Bracelets are about £12 and necklaces £30ish so it's affordable and they look much more expensive than that. I also have a lovely chunky Perspex ring which cost me a rather purse friendly £7 and which I wear almost every day. Other good buys are the candles in tins. I bought one for the hostess of a dinner party I was going to and she loved it . Oh yes, must confess I bought one for myself too - cinnamon is a much better smell around the house than my boys' smelly trainers. The clothes are on the expensive side but would be perfect for a special occasion . I splurged on a jacket by Z Biz for a work function and it looks reassuringly expensive!

From the owner: The store offers Home Accessories, Furniture, Lighting, Wall Art, Mirrors, Home Fragrance, Gifts,…read moreJewellery and women's sleepwear. Other services include Interior Design, Soft Furnishings Design, Made-to-measure Upholstery and bespoke furniture.