This lovely series of boutiques are built into a house in a quiet part of Karen. Each room has a different brand in it, selling everything from handmade Kenyan candles to jewellery, trinkets and colourful cushions made from Kenyan kanga material. They’ve also just put in a café in the courtyard – perfect if you shop till you drop.

Nairobi’s best shopping mall, Village Market has a large open-air courtyard with cafés and comfy seating, as well as a great range of shops from the Kikoi store, selling towels made from kikoi material, to a high-end grocery store called Zucchini. Try Palacina for original (albeit expensive) home décor like brass candles, funky plates and throws.

If you’re ready to barter, head to the Maasai Market to haggle for some African knick-knacks. The trick is to let the seller name the price, which you then halve – and take off a bit more as a starting point. The market moves around each day, but Thursday at Junction mall is the best one. This is the place for traditional Kenyan jewellery, fabric and soapstone-carved items.

Another hidden gem tucked away down a little dirt track, the House of Treasures Emporium is filled with interior decorations from fabrics and cushions to doorknobs, candles and everything else you can think of. It’s set in a big house with a couple of levels so give yourself time to have a decent explore.

This social enterprise shop employs marginalised Kenyan woman to make beautiful handmade items ranging from purses and bags to quilts and jewellery. It’s easy to miss – tucked behind a red gate just off the main road. There’s also a lovely garden café here serving salads and coffee.

This bead-making factory and shop in Karen sells jewellery and is another social enterprise which provides work for disadvantaged Kenyan women. Tours of the bead-making factory are also available.

What do you do when thousands of flip-flops wash up on the Kenyan coast each year? Turn them into colourful Kenyan animal figures, of course. Ocean Sole is a contemporary-cool answer to this waste issue – and the animal figurines they create are adorable. Depending on your budget, you can buy anything from a turtle fridge magnet to a medium sized warthog to a life-sized flip-flop zebra. You may need to check in some oversized baggage on the way home…