Example implementation of a Eloquent-based repository that provides a fluent interface for sorting and pagination without exposing the underlying model API.

EloquentFooRepository.php

<?php

class EloquenFooRepository
{
    
    /**
     * The base eloquent model
     * @var Eloquent
     */
    protected $model;
    
    /**
     * The current sort field and direction
     * @var array
     */
    protected $currentSort = array('created_at', 'desc');
    
    /**
     * The current number of results to return per page
     * @var integer
     */
    protected $perPage = 25;
    
    public function __construct(Foo $model)
    {
        $this->model = $model;
    }
    
    /**
     * Sets the number of items displayed per page of results
     * @param integer $perPage The number of items to display per page
     * @return EloquenFooRepository The current instance
     */
    public function paginate($perPage)
    {
        $this->perPage = (int) $perPage;
        
        return $this;
    }
    
    /**
     * Sets how the results are sorted
     * @param string $field The field being sorted
     * @param string $direction The direction to sort (ASC or DESC)
     * @return EloquenFooRepository The current instance
     */
    public function sortBy($field, $direction = 'DESC')
    {
        $direction = (strtoupper($direction) == 'ASC') ? 'ASC' : 'DESC';
        $this->currentSort = array($field, $direction);
        
        return $this;
    }
    
    /**
     * Creates a new QueryBuilder instance and applies the current sorting
     * @return \Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder
     */
    protected function query()
    {
        list($sortField, $sortDir) = $this->currentSort;
        return $this->model->newQuery()->orderBy($sortField, $sortDir);
    }
    
    /**
     * Retrieves a set of items based on a single value
     * @param string $fieldName  The name of the field to match
     * @param string $fieldValue The value of the field to match
     * @return Illuminate\Pagination\Paginator|Illuminate\Support\Collection
     */
    public function getByField($fieldName, $fieldValue)
    {
        $query = $this->query()->where($fieldName, $fieldValue);
        
        return ($this->perPage > 0) ? $query->paginate($this->perPage) : $query->get();
    }

}

SomeService.php

<?php

class FooService
{

    protected $repo;

    public function __construct(EloquentFooRepository $repo)
    {
        $this->repo = $repo;
    }

    /**
     * Retrieves all Foos by Bar, optionally sort and paginate results
     * @param string $barValue The value of bar to match
     * @param string $sortBy The field by which to sort results
     * @param string $sortDir The direction to sort results
     * @param string $perPage If specified, paginates results by the given number of items per page
     */
    public function getFoosByBar($barValue, $sortBy = 'bar', $sortDir = 'desc', $perPage = 0)
    {
        if($perPage > 0) {
            $this->repo->paginate($perPage);
        }
        return $this->repo->sortBy($sortBy, $sortDir)->getByField('bar', $barValue);
    }
}