Shop Talk is written by OM senior editor Dayanti Karunaratne and Sarah Fischer, OM account executive and fashion maven.

When Mika Lemm pulled up stakes and moved her boutique up the street, she doubled its square footage. But she also did something else, something that is becoming a trend in clothing stores of all sizes: she branched out to include furniture and decor.

Lemm always wanted to expand the store to include furniture — indeed, she paints or refurnishes much of it herself. Properly showing off these finds required more room, so she patiently waited for the right space to open up.

Photo by Marc Fowler/Metropolis Studio

“This was always a space I was dying for,” wrote Emma Paling in Ottawa Magazine’s 2012-13 Shopping annual.

With Lemm’s tasteful touch, the furniture fits the character so well customers sometimes don’t realize it’s part of the merchandise.

The larger store also allows Lemm to bring in more sizes, and more clothing in general. And clothing is still the mainstay — she hand picks pieces in Britain, where she owned her first store, Chloe’s Closet.

That’s what Young Janes has always felt like: a closet full of fun and funky, chic and ironic pieces. Now, it’s just easier to see the vintage goodliness that abounds.

The Look: Unique. From polished prints to ironic sweaters to elegant evening wear, there is something to pique the interest of every discerning shopper.

Perfect for: Vintage-ifying your wardrobe — and your house.

USP: A blog with photos (and sizes!) of new pieces as they come in. Brilliant!

Young Janes Vintage Boutique, 223 Dalhousie St., 613-794-6452 

Get the full story — complete with more photos and quotes — in the 2012/2013 edition of Shopping, available at Chapters locations, Brittons magazine stores, and other newsstands around town. Or order your copy online by clicking here.