In recent years Belfast has undergone an exciting renaissance and it now boasts some wonderful interiors shops, adding style to this proudly traditional city.
Visitors to the city will find plenty you won't see in the Republic, but you need to know where to look.
The best place to start is the Lisburn Road. Beaufort Interiors (048-90664655) has a large showroom featuring furniture that is shiny and bright - sumptuous, but, apart from some logo-emblazoned Fendi pieces, not in a flashy way. One chair picturedcosts £1,515, plus four and a half metres of fabric. It's also a place to pick up a special lamp or mirror.
Nearby is Be-deck (048-90665479), a large but easy-to-navigate shop selling things for bed and bath at ground level, and china and furniture downstairs. It has the complete Missoni range and, at the moment, beautiful wood-framed cream suede sofas, selling for about £2,000, that look as if they come from a traditional Parisian apartment.
Also on the Lisburn Road, visit Angel At My Table for traditional painted furniture and some mirrored Art Deco-style pieces.
Dekko (048-90508600) is located in a retail park and deals in inexpensive furniture that's a little similar to that found at Habitat, but at lower prices. Some things, such as beds and wardrobes, can look very obviously flat-pack, but you can re-create the American diner look in your kitchen with 1950s-style handles and hardware, and cute kitchen tables and chairs sell from about £30.
Other shops to visit in Belfast include Gosh Design (good for garden furniture); Equinox (designer corkscrews and the like); The Yard (bathroom fittings); and for something very special, the chic Garuda Designs, which has unusual lighting in stock.