Objects of Use

Objects of Use is a modern-day hardware store. It sources its products from around the globe, seeking out everyday archetypes in countries including Japan, Korea, and Finland. Some items are crafted within a few miles of its Oxford store.

The company collaborates with independent designers and craftspeople, both established and emerging. It has an Oxford store. It offers Click & Collect. It has teamed up with Oxford's zero emissions and zero carbon delivery service, Velocity, and Oxford City Council to offer free shipping within the Oxford Ring Road.

Oxford shoppers treat the shop as a carefully curated space where practical household tools and everyday objects are arranged with evident care. An observation shared by more than one reviewer is the calibre of the range, which brings together ethically made goods from around the globe alongside well-chosen local pieces such as cast iron tools. The breadth of stock draws consistent praise, spanning kitchen supplies, garden implements, crockery, soaps, toys and stationery, with Japanese-made goods attracting particular notice.

Presentation and atmosphere form part of what people value, the orderly layout and quiet music inside being mentioned as reasons a visit feels unhurried. Staff come across as friendly, kind and prompt, including one instance where a delivery problem was sorted out quickly after an order had been placed. Reviewers remark that the balance of everyday essentials and more unusual finds repays a browse, and that the setting suits its Oxford location. A recurring theme is the pleasure of discovery, with visitors saying they call in on trips to the city and frequently leave with something in hand, whether garden tools or a small gift, which makes the place one they come back to.