The Red Gecko

Love the stores!
We first visited a Red Gecko store in The Lake District while on our honeymoon and loved the store. There were so many items that we liked and at some point on our visit to the area we were hoping to buy something memorable if possible. The Red Gecko certainly ticked the box.
There were some amazing lamps unlike anything we’ve seen anywhere before. Unfortunately they wouldn’t fit in my little car so we didn’t get them at the time. However, we did decide to take a trip to Brighton to see if they still took our fancy. The customer service in the store was absolutely exceptional. When we got home there was a small defect in the lamp — and the store went considerably out of their way to help us out. My wife and I agree that this is the best customer service we’ve experienced for a long, long time.
The Brighton store had even more quirky items for the home than the other store had, and all reasonably priced.
A great family-​run business and we look forward to visiting again. Don’t be put off by any poor reviews, get along and take a look. There are far more things in the stores than online.
The lamps look amazing in our barn conversion — Huge thanks to all the team at The Red Gecko!

Here you’ll find funky ornaments, wall decorations, models, jewellery, wooden doorstops, canvas artwork, extravagant carved silver painted mirrors and of course, lots of geckos made from wire, metal and mosaic.
White walls and tables are brought to life, covered in masses of home decorations, mosaic letters spelling LOVE and NEW YORK, elegant, tall candle holders and textured paintings of brightly coloured flowers.
They also sell furniture, from stylish dressing tables and stools to recycled fisherman’s chairs.
Some of the stuff is quite tacky; I can’t really see much use for a framed photo of a stiletto in my home, neither can I for a group of sheet metal-​made fish wall decorations.
But on the whole, The Red Gecko is a brilliant place to brighten up your home.

In an area full of art shops, galleries and gift shops need to do something special to break the mold: take Florestine’s beach-​themed merchandise, or Alexander Gallery’s traditional, classic artwork. Unfortunately, what the other shops in the area make up for in individuality, The Red Gecko loses by selling uninspiring tat that could be found anywhere. A really poor addition to the Brighton gallery scene.
I wish I could say something more positive, as The Red Gecko’s heart is clearly in the right place. Items are sourced and made locally, which is a nice touch, but doesn’t make up for the poor quality and design. I would hope for something a little more vibrant and outstanding from Brighton’s buzzing cultural scene, but maybe The Red Gecko are sourcing for and from a different market. It is a saving grace that the price is so low, and that there are often sales on smaller pieces, such as jewelry.
It’s not that I find the style or design galling; this is not a show of personal distaste. It’s just surprisingly bad to see a Brighton gift-​shop full of such unoriginality, surrounded (as it is) by galleries all trying to showcase their unique style! The only thing unique about The Red Gecko is the name.
In short, if you’d like some artwork for your home, Brighton is full of nice galleries showcasing exciting, original artwork. Go to one of them instead, unless you want to decorate your house with something you could buy anywhere else up and down the coast. A real shame: there’s so much good spirit on display, if only the artwork matched up.

I picked a good time to check out The Red Gecko in the Lanes — they were having a store-​wide sale on jewellery. All items were on three for two, and there was a lovely and colourful selection of necklaces, bracelets (mostly cuff style) and rings. Prices ranged from around £10 — £15 per piece, so with the sale price, that’s quite a bargain.
Other stock items included wall art (including, of course — some metal geckos), statues, matted pictures and frames and several styles of Christmas ornaments and decorations.
The shop was a bit cramped to walk around in, but in a cozy way. Staff members — and other customers — were quite friendly.

The Red Gecko is exactly the kind of gift shop that tourists wander into looking for something original and unique to take home.
What they find once they step through the door is lots of unique but tasteless iron sculptures, wall hangings, vases, candlesticks and picture frames. We’re talking copper flying fish, iron glasses and bottles of wine, cartoon metal dogs, cats and kittens and prints of stilettos, flowers and saxophone players. Told you it was bad!
The fact everything is sourced by the owners themselves and lots of the items are made from recycled materials is admirable but my god, the things they sell are aesthetically horrible.

One of the best stores that Brighton city center has to offer! The Red Gecko hides in East Street opposite Toni&Guy and is stocked with some of the most wonderful arts&design pieces you can find. The store is stocked with a range of wall sculptures, prints, frames, unique tableware, jewelry and other accessories all at a very affordable price! Most items are in the 5 – 25 pound price range. What is more, the staff is friendly and always willing to help!