Every suburb needs a knick-knack/gift store that isn't naff. For Port Melbourne, Mister White is…read moreit. This designer homewares store offers the usual suspects of small furniture items, mantelpiece adornments, scarves, bags, cushions, giftcards, saltwater sandals, happy socks. If you've seen one, you've seen them all, but that doesn't mean that Mister White is not worth the trip in - it means there's a good chance if you know the type of gift or item you're after, you know that you'll find it here. Nice layout, quality products and good range across price ranges makes Mister White a cut above the competition on Bay St.

Mister White has a really lovely range of gifts and homewares and I used to shop here whenever I…read morehad to find a unique birthday present. I purchased a homeware product for myself though and when I got it home it just wasn't right for the space. I had spoken with the assistant when I was purchasing and she had said that I could bring it back if it wasn't right. I returned the product the next day, expecting that I could get a refund. I was told however that they won't refund any products - only a store credit. Whilst the woman I spoke to when I purchased it did not specifically say I could have a refund, it definitely wasn't made clear that it would only be a store credit. The assistant I spoke to when I was trying to return the product was also quite rude during our entire interaction. Given they are a homewares store and that some of their products really need to be placed in situ to see if they are really right, their store policy seems quite unfair. In any case, if that is the store policy they wish to enforce then they could make it a lot clearer before purchase. A small sign near the register doesn't really suffice. For this reason I won't personally be shopping there again as it's a deal breaker for me. It is a real shame though as they have the potential to be great.

Coco Republic takes me to Los Angeles and shops on Melrose Avenue - delightful pieces with a high…read moreend look (yes, you will pay a decent sum for their goods) made with quality and friendly people to boot! Their focus on you and your designs will ensure you will not leave without some excellent recommendations - even if you are not buying at that moment.

Coco Republic is as Ralph Lauren is to fashion - classic designer furniture with a quiet style and…read moreexquisite finish. Walk through the Melbourne showroom and you're guaranteed to be transported to another world. Perhaps it's the large range of classic designer pieces dressed in luxurious fabrics with a high attention to detail that does it, or the warm, inviting ambience that makes you feel so at home. The excellently styled spaces with a clever mix of decor and functional pieces also helps you envision and be inspired when shopping for your home. Whether you're looking to buy a decadent sofa, an exquisite dining table or the crème de la crème of occasional furniture, Coco Republic will impress on all counts. But remember, quality furniture like this belongs in million dollar homes. So if you're like me, perhaps just go there to be inspired and then come back to reality and dream your dream home. You never know, one day, I too might have a Coco republic furnished home. We can have dreams you know!

Living Edge is one of the few places in Australia where you can order originals of the Eames…read morefurniture collection. Thankfully we are not talking about the cheap replicants you find in other shops. These are the real deal, manufactured by Herman Miller in the US. I purchased my Eames soft-padded management chair here. It took about 12 weeks for it to be custom made in the US and then make its way across the Pacific down to Melbourne. The order went smoothly and it was clear that the saleswoman was quite knowledgeable and made some excellent recommendations about selecting the right leather. The chair arrived the other week (just as I was promised), looked exactly as I expected and made my home office all that much comfortable. Living Edge's Richmond shop has a nice range of accessories on display (limited stock though, annoyingly most pieces have to be ordered from Europe or the US which takes a few weeks). The Living Edge is not a cheap store by any means, but they only sell originals. I guess the one advantage of buying in Australia is they source the Eames collection from Herman Miller and not Vitra which is the case in Europe. Luckily Herman Miller is a bit cheaper. Living Edge is a great store for anyone interested in browsing classic designed furniture originals, less so for those seeking newer and trendier collections.

Small but seriously good stock. Retro rehab is in the business of sourcing predominantly Australian…read moremid century designs and lovingly restoring them to brand spanking new. "Occasional" furniture .....I think is furniture you don't use ALL the time......but more than NONE of the time...........making its use ......occasional. Anyway they stock some cute occasional furniture, good for adding a little retro love to a room. I have found their pricing to be lower than that of the larger vintage traders which makes the pieces more accessible for a younger market. There are the larger/$$ pieces of furniture but also a selection of smaller, affordable bric a brac straight from the kitchens and lounge rooms of the 60's. Its new and its on the 112 tram, worth a visit.

We were lucky enough to be given a tour of the Matt Blatt showroom by a friend who works there and…read morewere very impressed by the array of furniture they have on offer and the sheer size of the showroom space. Some of the pieces are extremely tacky and some are extremely classy. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. They do make a number of replica products that are remakes of classic furniture designs across the years. This means you can get classical designs for cheaper than otherwise. They do specify that these products are not affiliated with the original designers whatsoever but still make for very interesting pieces and designs. You could easily spend a couple of hours here deciding on what suits and there are pieces to suit a number of different budgets.

Impressed with the customer service I received for a bulk order of Tolomeo wall lamps. It was an…read moreurgent order for the JIFF 2013 and with the help of Laura (Showroom Manager), we managed to deliver the product to our client on time. She went above and beyond the call of duty and help coordinate a successful courier pickup from their warehouse to our office. Great customer service and products at an affordable price. One of the best places for replica designer furniture.

I'm actually a little OCD when it comes to bedding and accessories for the bedroom. I always will…read morehave a look in Forty Winks for something I could add to my room. I feel like because it's in a strange position on Glenhuntly Rd there are a few more sales than usual. It's always a nice feeling when you go into stores like this and feel like it isn't totally going to damage your bank balance if you buy something. The items are good quality and if you're into the fancier pieces than there are a lot of nice bed frames and draws etc. Their simplistic style suits me as well so it's definitely worth a look due to most of these places being very expensive and IKEA being a nightmare to go to!

Living in the CBD it is sometimes hard to find everyday services, so when needing a print framed I…read moresearched for a local framer. The entrance off Hardware Lane is up a dingy staircase shared with a restaurant storage area, not a promising start, but persevere. Greg Mahoney runs a great service, lots of choice and good advice. The work was ready in good time and perfectly done. Last but not least, cost was very good!. If you don't want to brave the stairs there is an on line service. I have used the service again and only good things to report. I had bought two artworks from an art gallery for a Christmas present and the gallery's favoured framer couldn't do the job in time but Mahoney's could and did! Well done!

Another store where I can't afford anything. Sigh…read more Nique caters for men and women and has some of the most beautiful clothes I've seen on Glenferrie Road in a long time. The look is sleek and very modern with minimal colours and interesting textures. Both men's and women's wear are gorgeous and made with love and expertise. This is a brand that we should be proud of and was started here in Melbourne - no wonder it is so great! It has more of a European edge to the clothes and makes a nice contrast with some of the lighter and more casual stores along the strip. The space is really interesting - it is only small but they have worked hard to make it appear spacious, and they have succeeded. The clothes are scattered around and there are designated racks for men and women's sale items (yay!). Expect great service, a warm welcome, bold fashion and beautiful fabrics. Bliss.