Mart Design Store

(m)art design store has got to be one of my favourite shops in South Bank! This design space, come jewellar, come book store, come gift shop is a mixture of different artist’s work and boasts some gorgeous things.
The design of the store itself is fantastic, and is one of the first things to catch the eye of people passing by. All of the shelves and display tops are made with upturned takeaway coffee cups. It adds a completely new dimension to your average shopping experience and really gives it the feel of an art gallery. Sure, the prices in (m)art aren’t exactly cheap, but be careful to keep in mind that the work on display is primarily by local artists (and let’s face it, us creative types are hard-​pressed earning a crust). For this reason, I would say that the prices are fair.
Next time you’re in South Bank, make sure you head in to (m)art for a browse. It’s the perfect place to buy a gift for someone who has everything, or even for a wedding present. Plus, it’s always great to support local and emerging artists.

If you’re in South Bank and need to while away a space of time, then head toward (m)art Design Store, nestled along the bustling Grey Street. Though unwilling to part with large chunks of my bank account, I was more than happy to be awe-​struck, inspired and impressed by the small collection of ornaments, jewellery and art pieces adorning this shop.
It stocks handcrafted goods from emerging Brisbane designers, such as intricate earrings, dog-​shaped wooden brooches; cute ceramic tiles, bird-​stamped lamp shades and moustache print t-​shirts. Yes, they’re a little on the expensive side, but still wonderful to take a look at.

A tiny little nook of a shop but full of myriad surprises, (m)art is associated with the acclaimed Artisan Gallery in the Fortitude Valley. As you survey the intriguing range of jewellery, ceramics and other one-​off pieces, you get the feeling that you’ve walked into a modern art museum (though on a small scale), the difference being that you can buy the artworks and take them home with you.
The prices aren’t cheap, as you’d expect for works of such quality. I’ve noticed some lovely bespoke ceramic cups and bowls going for $ 66 each, which I would happily buy for a wedding present or for my home. However, a series of commonplace objects encased in rectangular prism made of resin (the only I can remember was a dead bee) going for $ 220 each seemed a bit rich to me. Perhaps there’s some special reason unbeknownst to a layperson such as myself for their seemingly exorbitant procetags.