This beloved Australian furniture brand still makes all of its stylish, buy-for-life furniture right here in Melbourne. In recent years, its considered homeware ranges have won plenty of new fans. The bed linen and glassware ranges in particular are wedding registry staples. This Melbourne flagship is also just a beautiful space, which encourages lingering.

Outdoor furniture doesn’t get as much attention as its indoor counterpart. Not at Tait. Here the focus is almost exclusively on furniture that’s designed for outside. The pieces here – from the dining tables to the drinks trolleys – combine mid-century lines with weatherproof materials. On the smaller side, the planters, which come in any colour from bottle green to crisp white, are always popular.

Some of Melbourne’s best and best-known restaurants – Chin Chin, Attica, Circa, to name a few – use plates from Made in Japan. The business has been importing ceramics and other wares from Japan for well over forty years now, and it’s one of the best there is. Here at the South Melbourne flagship store, you’ll find a wide range of Japanese pottery, from sake servers, to bowls and teapots.

The stock at this Australian favourite will invigorate any home. These fun, art-inspired pieces use colourful prints and bold colours extensively. So Dinosaur Designs’ homewares are equally at home when deployed for contrast in a minimal room, as they are in a full-on maximalist space.

Minimalist sensibilities collide with high-calibre craftsmanship and design in this colourful space. Mud’s homewares may seem simple, but every product has a lot going on under the hood, especially the tablewares. These handmade, spartan pieces are the perfect addition to any minimal space, and they feel great to use.

It’s hard to categorise Cibi, mainly because of how many things it does well. As a cafe, it’s one of the few places in Melbourne where you can find a traditional Japanese breakfast (the coffee’s pretty great too). As a homewares shop, you’ll find everything from functional made-in-Japan chef’s knives to quaint ceramic ornaments. There’s also handful of clothes from hard-to-find Japanese labels such as Nanamica.

This shop is like an incubator: for well over 50 years, Craft Victoria has provided a platform for Melbourne’s emerging makers, allowing them to sell their wares in this sleek, minimal space in the CBD. The focus here is on smaller items, usually made as one-offs or in small batches. Head here if you want to purchase a really unique gift.

The combined store and workshop is full of lovingly restored rare and collectible vintage pieces from Scandinavia and other European countries.

Here you’ll find European antiques, handcrafted Australian furniture and plenty of miscellaneous homewares. There are porcelain animals, vintage posters, cushions, old tins and other knick-knacks.

The focus at this small shop, hidden above a Sydney Road fabric shop, is on fine detail. The carefully selected range takes in products from around the world, with a particular focus on Japan-made wares. Despite this broad remit, there’s a real unified vision here. If you gel with owner Bree Claffey’s tastes, then you’ll be sure to become one of her many repeat customers.

This shop’s nondescript location, in a garage just off Gertrude Street, belies its heavyweight status in the homewares world. Since opening at this location in 2003, Third Drawer Down has offered a great range featuring everything from illustrations, to tea towels to jewellery and other bric-a-brac. It also has a canny ability for stocking up-and-coming designers, right before they blow up.

Don’t let the twee name and chintzy textiles and fabrics fool you, Cottage Industry is no shop for nannas. All of the handmade items here are decidedly vintage-inspired, but have a clear modern sensibility, making the pieces more retro than revival.

A few years ago, you couldn’t swing a cat without hitting a Scandinavian-inspired furniture and homewares shop. These days, the style isn’t as ubiquitous, but the best are still going strong. And this Johnston Street shop is the place to go if you’re looking for the clean, mid-century-inspired lines of Danish furniture.

This iconic Finnish homewares and fashion label is renowned for its bright, colourful patterns and hard-wearing materials. There’s a huge range of products available at the Melbourne shop, but the best place to start is with a few of the brand’s signature floral mugs.

Shelley Panton’s pottery is used in some of Melbourne’s best restaurants. The potter makes simple, practical plates, bowls and other tableware. And these days, her shop also features products from some of her favourite makers and artists.

There are bigger plant shops around, with a wider variety of plants on offer, but we like the concise offering at Plant Space, as well as the personable, knowledgeable staff. There’s also a great line of designer planters to choose from, to complement whatever plant you choose.

Although the regular range at this South Melbourne Market shop is great, it’s the kids’ range at here that really sets the Supercool apart. If you’re decking out your kid’s room or just need a good gift for the niece or nephew in your life, this is the one for you.

This family-owned shop imports homewares, bedding, clothing and more. Everything stocked is simple and functional, but with bold and interesting designs.

At this eclectic, sustainability-focused homewares shop there’s a wide array of homewares, accessories, kids toys, soft furnishings and quirky gifts (such as a Frida Kahlo egg cup). The range is comprised of co-owner Jos Van Hulsen’s creations, combined with partner and co-owner Mary Long’s selection from local makers and artists.

This kitchenware retailer opposite South Melbourne market is packed with hyper-functional gear. Alongside excellent industry-quality tableware, you’ll also find products from cult brands including Le Creuset and Kitchenaid.

This shop’s big strength is its versatility. Virtually anyone who walks into The Woodsfolk will find something that suits their tastes.

Real-deal European furniture, no replicas allowed.

Vintage furniture, imported directly from Europe.

Hommey’s products are designed to be felt as much as looked at. At its first retail space, peruse its lush collection of cushions, towels, robes, slides and pet beds – in dreamy hues and invitingly tactile fabrics.

Melbourne-born label Suku makes bold and dreamy loungewear, homewares, bedding and ready-to-wear clothing that’ll elevate any room or outfit. At its flagship store, find bold patterns that look like an acid trip and buttery-soft fabrics that make it hard to leave empty-handed.

Visit this light-filled homewares store for an Aladdin’s cave of textiles in a myriad of hues, textures and materials.