Best Gift Shops In Brisbane
by Jodi Panayotov
Good gift shops keep on giving, not just for Mother's Day but for occasions all year round. Here are some of Brisbane's best, where it's never too late to pick up something unique or special because the thought has already been put into the gift for you.
A Francophile's dream on a Bardon hill, this quaint cottage is packed with a hand-picked selection of gifts and wares, old and new. Charming proprietress Pascale trawls the markets and country stores of her homeland to bring back Provencale table linen, exquisite old world soaps, traditional dinner wares, book boxes, clay bracelets, ceramics. parasols, shawls, nightgowns and more.
An eclectic mix of vintage and new wares, hand-picked with impeccable taste by the owners, make this a shop worth travelling to. One-off pieces and objects are the order of the day here so that no two visits will turn up the same stuff.
Expect to find anything from Festival of the Dead themed jewellery and Aboriginal art-themed satchels to quirky Scandinavian kitchen gadgets, hand creams and vintage chairs.
A gift boutique where luxury and ethnicity meet, Kova brings its own inimitable personality to the James St precinct. Fragrant oils, ornate bone inlay boxes and trays, stylish table ware and linen sourced from around the world, NY designer soap dishes and artisan wall hooks are some of the signature offerings.
Aesthetics and quality rule in this beautiful shop of unique home and gift wares, owned by a mother and daughter team who are more than happy to help with suggestions. Kimonos, artisan lamps, clocks, resin jewellery, purses, scarves, cushions, vases and table accessories are just some of the likely finds in this suburban treasure trove.
An old war igloo in a Valley side street has been transformed into an achingly beautiful shop by jewellery maker and Ivy and Bird creator Maria Diakos. Think clothes made from recycled Japanese kimonos and Liberty prints, fine leather wallets, hand-stitched cushions and totes and individual hand-crafted jade and silver jewellery.
Statement gifts and pieces are the go in this uber chic interior design, home and gift ware Paddington boutique. Here the mostly imported wares, no matter how small, are chosen to enhance whatever room or body they adorn while being highly functional. Stylish comfort clothes by Mela Purdie, calf and leather handbags, colourful trollbeads, photo frames, Venetian masks, luxuriant body creams, leather boxes and jewellery rolls are some of the can't-go-wrong gifts to be found here.
Hidden away at the back of a True Value hardware store is this little Aladdin's cave of exotic gifts (with built-in café). Follow the footprints through the aisles of tools to reach Newmarket's best kept secret, a world of gorgeous tiffany lamps and mosaic mirrors, funky and feminine clothes, boots and shoes, hand bags, hats and trinkets. A deck to one side overlooks the district and is a fine place for a coffee or Turkish tea while deciding what to buy.
If all you need is love here's where to find it - a delightful hippy trippy gift store that is all about spreading positivity. Inside can be found an abundance of inspirational sayings, pretty lights, hand-dyed clothes, angels, crystals, jewellery along with rarities like bird cages and houses.
The bold and the beautiful rule in this Paddington cottage, with a strikingly colourful collection of gifts, accessories and home stuffs like no other, sourced from the USA. From Civil War berets repurposed into jewellery, hand blown glass vases, recycled costume jewellery and candelabras to goblets, ceramic lamps, cushions, hair bows and fabulous novelty cards, this shop is not one for the beige-hearted.
© Must Do Brisbane
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