I love Max and Melia! It always feels like I'm stepping into a magical world. Full of one off…read morevintage pieces, quirky homewares and new fun items for men and women. I always find the best and unique gifts for my family and friends here! It's worth popping into the shop just near Oval Station.

From the owner: Max and Melia is a Home Accessories and Gift store based in Oval on Clapham Road…read more It is a family affair, started by mother Jeanne and her daughter Maxine in November 2012. Our shop sells an interesting mix of vintage and new items for the home and as gifts for friends and family. We source our new items from a variety of suppliers; Ethical, UK based manufactures, as well as supporting emerging new talents as much as possible. Alongside these new items, we have sourced a unique range of vintage pieces from the UK and Europe, which we have restored ourselves enabling these "pre-loved" pieces to find new homes.

A great place to buy your pots and pans, also has a good selection of kitchen knives amongst many…read moreother items

This place reminds me of a place in Boston called Bed and Bowl. It also reminds me of chicken…read morenuggets served on a golden tray owned by Jeff Koons. Why? I don't know. So, back to the store. This place is full of home and kitchen decoration things. Picture frames, pots and pans, kitchen towels, clocks, monocles, velocipedes. It's decent stuff. No Octopus, but alright just the same. I'd definitely go here for some good kitchen basics if my apartment was feeling a bit bare. Fortunately my apartment likes to wear its clothing - wool sweaters and long johns and jeans to be exact. There's also some things here which would work well as gifts. Anyone seen those chicken nuggets? Anyone? I've got to go find them.

I love Northcote Road Market for it's diversity, it's food and it's casual atmosphere. I was a…read morelocal to SW11 a few years back and my boyfriend and I used to visit the market for fresh bread or homemade taramasalata, whatever was on offer on any given weekend. There are a number of different stalls from antiques and and odds n ends to all sorts freshly baked and prepared food. There is a huge selection of Italian bread, dips, cakes and biscuits. The market is not that big but it's the perfect size in my opinion. I hate markets that are too huge, you can never decide what to buy but Northcote Road Market is small but perfectly formed offering you everything you need for your Sunday lunch to something nice to put on the mantelpiece at home.

I think there is a real diversity to Northcote Road! Some cute novelty shops, and high street…read morenames, mixed with the weekend Market Traders that offer special baked goods, clothing products, handmade goods, household antiques and even a vintage bicycle stall that fixes your bike if you roll up! It is neatly laid out, and a good people watching area while you sip a cuppa' or if you venture back to the common to walk your dog, or catch some sun. Situated 'between the commons' so you get the best of both worlds with Clapham and Wandsworth Common lifestyle(s) and the closest station is Clapham Junction. The only down side is not all the traders are there from week to week so best to check out this market on a sunny day, or Saturdays when its more active. I did stumble across a Facebook page recently, which showcased the market traders and their current products/services. This should help those who are thinking about visiting. http://www.facebook.com/NorthcoteRoadMarket

So many things in my home have come from this fantastic little gem of a store! They import…read morewell-made, unique, and beautiful home décor accents sourced directly from their makers in both Cambodia and Viet Nam... I'm not sure if it exactly qualifies for "fair trade" but I like to think it does when I'm making purchases... Fine woven floor mats in a multitude of colours, lacquered cups and bowls, and some unique sculptural pieces are just a few of the things that you can find (and that I've purchased) here. Everything has a very Asian-minimalist clean-line feel to it - which I find extremely appealing. Beyond the distinctive aesthetic of the pieces, everything is also extremely well-priced. I guarantee sticker-shock... of the pleasantly low variety. Also, the people who run this shop are total sweethearts... I don't think there's a smite of greed in their souls... this shop really seems to be more their labour of love... which, if you ask me, is just one more reason to spend your money here!

I really lIke this store, which like many of the shops on Columbia Road probably has limited…read morestrange hours, so make sure to check before you head out this way. Basically, this is an upscale Vietnamese housewares shop. So, sure, that coconut laquered bowl, bamboo spoon, or soy sauce pourer that would cost 50p in Vietnam might set you back ten quid here, but at least you don't have to buy the plane ticket? Trying to think positively here. Anyhow, this is a fantastic shop for small gifts, pretty little things of a practical nature (artistic cookware, serving trays, condiment bowls... hand-crafted items of all sorts). If you like beautiful Asian handmade items, this is a place for you. Plus, even with the import upscale markup, this place is still quite affordable. Make sure to sniff the cinnamon boxes. So neat!

Artemidorus sells unique and handmade jewellery, artwork and gifts…read more Quirkily set apart from the other shops on Half Moon Lane, this feels like a shop that you should find in a little arty village in Cornwall or hidden in the depths of Barcelona. They have some really unusual pieces and beautiful jewellery here, not over priced. For something intimate and a bit different to the usual gift shops that you will find in Dulwich, have a look in Artemidorus.

Sass & Bell is the most amazingly magical place to spend an hour browsing, yes a full hour. This…read morelittle shop use to be on Neal street but has now moved to this bigger location opposite Scott's on New Row. Basically it is full of a huge selection of RJB Stone goodies. For those of you who don't know this is a company that makes adorable tat that appeals to teenage girls and ridiculous women like me who insist of super cute nonsense in their homes. These guys only sell wholesale and I have never seen a collection like this in a shop. We are talking appliqued pirate bunting and hand painted Russian Doll photo pegs, white bird cages with stuck on flowers and butterflies. If you are looking for a new baby gift they have brilliant kiddies room decoration stuff, and as for stocking fillers, well this place is ideal. Nothing is more than £20 and some start from as little as £2.95 so you can really go nuts if you wanted to. As I have mentioned before I have happy places in London, this is one of them. I hate to Yelp this but I will and I am sharing this happiness with you.

After hours of looking round London for presents for my Mum and a wedding gift for my friend. I…read morefound them all under one roof! The store has loads of great things to hang up in your home. Not being that descriptive i know but if you go in there you will be amazed at what they have. I'm definitely heading back here to shop again as not only did they have so much choice for a small shop. It was reasonably priced!

Zero communication, Zero for customer service - AVOID…read more Purchased a table from this company on their eBay shop. I sent an offer which the seller accepted, took payment then decided to cancel my purchase at 11.00pm that evening. No communication, no courtesy of an explanation, nothing. This wouldn't have been such an issue if I hadn't purchased a matching credenda unit. I'm honest in my dealings and honour my obligations, shame this seller doesn't share the same level of integrity.

After regularly visiting the shop replacing the florist in Herne Hill I am still not quite sure…read morewhat it is all about. It is filled with rather battered and individual pieces of furniture, art books and the odd broken object. Nothing is priced or has any indication of being for sale, instead the drawers and cupboards have more of these antiquities housed inside them, a few months ago even a collection of modern plastic sunglasses appear in the shop. The shop reminds me of the strange things you might find in a house left behind by an old rather senile person, but I love it. I love furniture and I love when you can see history and personality in it. Everything in here is unique and honest. Expect to find a deteriorating leather chaise, a large industrial tin locker unit, a 60's lampshade and an encyclopedia of African Art hidden behind a 1950's school photograph in a smashed frame. Everyone deserves to visit Bleu Furniture.

It's always a delight to come into this shop. There's such a grandness to it... and all the home…read morefurnishings and decorative merchandise feels really solid - like there's a traditional English sturdiness to everything; nothing too fragile to withstand a lifetime of use. I consider GTO a sure bet for gifts - or when I'm just in the mood to purchase something lovely for my own sheer enjoyment. It seems as if the buyers here really scour...the product assortment is classic, but usually with a interesting twist... almost everything they have on offer is something distinctive and really worth having. The products run the gamut of home furnishings... vases, dishes, accent pillows, hard bound books... even bath and body products. I'm especially a fan of their glassware... it's all very sturdy and uniquely decorated - I once found some very elegant, very masculine, tan-coloured tumblers that looked like they'd be at home in the hand of James Bond - the guy who got them thought they were marvelous. They also have a charming card and stationary section... really different and lovely.

This place is an old Chelsea institution, although the atmophere is less unique since they moved…read moreinto a modern new space from their old rabbit-warren around the corner. Basically, they sell three things: - expensive vintage European (not really antique) Asian and European furniture and accessories (leather armchairs, side-tables, elephants carved from driftwood, pond yachts, stone Buddhas) -Serious home things - porcelain, lamps, framed prints, soaps and fine linens, all with a fairly traditional style - All manner of gifty things, especially at Christmas - joke books, small toys, decorations, silver picture frames, scented candles... A good place to come and look for presents, or a nineteenth century brass telescope on a tripod at a 300% markup. (Update - the cafe has gone)