By Catherine Harvey Lily and the Weasel owner, Sue Bailey, clearly has an eye for design. Located on Swan Street in Richmond, her store is filled with beautifully crafted pieces from Australian and International designers. For 10 years, Sue worked as a theatre producer for the Arts Centre - a job she loved but still always dreamt of opening her own store. In September 2010, this is exactly what she did and Lily and the Weasel became a reality.

Taking some inspiration from Holland (Sue’s mother is from here), there is a clear appreciation for talented, passionate and enthusiastic designers at Lily and the Weasel. Sue is amazed by the people who can do this and admits, “I wouldn’t have a clue about how to design but I am good at pulling things together.”

The dedication, time and effort that Sue puts into this store is clearly evident. The store is immaculately presented and every item seems to be deliberately chosen and positioned to create a unique, homely and inviting experience. Filled with an eclectic range of homewares, children’s products and accessories, including Angus & Celeste, Nancybird and Emily Green to name only a few, this store really is the place to find the perfect (and affordable!) gift.

Through her own admission, Sue is not technologically savvy. So, if you’re looking for an online store, a blog that is frequently updated or a Facebook page, you won’t find that here. Lily and the Weasel relies on old-fashioned word of mouth to advertise and perhaps this is a fundamental distinction between Sue's store and others. With the help of her husband Andrew, an experienced commercial photographer, they create their own window displays and it is this rawness and care that makes the store unique.

Oh, and if you are wondering where the name came from, you’ll have to drop in and ask Sue yourself!

Lily and the Weasel, 173 Swan Street Richmond 3121. P 9421 1008. lilyandtheweasel.com.au

Catherine Harvey lives and breathes design. Working at one of Melbourne's top studio's, she is rarely ever away from her computer. She loves to keep up to date with the design industry in a global and local context and follows too many blogs to count! You can follow her findings here.