Store de force: Bowerbird Home

The 10,000 sq ft Bowerbird Home, in Ap Lei Chau, feels less like a furniture store than a warehouse-cum-flea market. Every corner of the space is filled with treasures handpicked by Philippa Haydon, an Australian with a knack for choosing mismatched items that work beautifully together. Hers is one of the few shops in Hong Kong that stocks blue-and-white ceramics, Chesterfield sofas and ornamental birdcages.

"I wanted to offer something different. There are so many things I imagined being able to buy in Hong Kong for my home that I couldn't. I set about creating a space filled with those things and was able to source and offer them at prices that meant they would also appeal to the international design market."

"My father was a furniture designer and manufacturer so I grew up in the business. My own career took a diversion to banking, but I've been drawn back."

"After months of uninspired ideas, I saw the name on the spine of a book. I was standing in a bookstore in a small Australian country town and it was suddenly surprisingly obvious. I've often referred to myself as a Bowerbird [the males are known to build ornate nests and for their love of blue], because I'm also a collector of blue and white."

"I try to choose furniture and accessories that are classic and elegant but not available elsewhere in Hong Kong. It's an eclectic gathering, but all the pieces work in forming particular stories, whether you're looking for classic sophistication for a Mid-Levels apartment, a Hamptons feel on the Southside or French provincial on The Peak."

"Customers love our solid oak furniture. It's a fraction of the price they will pay for the same product in the United States, Europe or Australia. They particularly like the extendable dining tables that cater to their ever-changing apartment sizes. [And for] all things blue and white, we have a stunning and extensive range from ceramic jars to painted consoles."