Oooh there are so, so many pretty things in this shop!…read more Some of it is just very expensive...and not that necessary...but there are also some really lovely items that are *possibly* worth paying a few extra pounds for. My husband and I popped in here to look at their "string" shelves. There aren't many places in London that stock them, so it was good to see it all set up. The staff were really sweet and helpful, and even gave us a string catalogue while we work out what colours will suit our flat... I really like mid-century and Scandinavian-esque designs...and while I'd prefer to get hold of vintage pieces...shops like twentytwentyone at least give me the option of ordering exactly what we'd like. Now we just have to save up enough cash to actually buy it all. Eep.

A lot of the stuff in Twenty Twenty One would look out of place in the average home. Although there…read moreare a lot of pretty and unique designs, I've never once felt my life lacking because I didn't have a neon orange vase shaped like one of the falling bricks in Tetris. Twenty Twenty One takes no prisoners in its drive to promote contemporary design. Nonetheless there are a few items in Twenty Twenty One which the more average soul might be interested in. I bought a small purse from here which was purple with red dots and very sweet. A few lamps and ornaments also caught my eye. Anything much larger than this however, was completely out of budget. Even the wooden duck in the window was £120. I would say that Twenty Twenty One is the perfect shop if you are a young, rich couple looking to deck out your first home in all the best designs. While there are a few items for the rest of us, this shop is likely to leave you feeling poor and uncool.

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)

To say I am a fan is actually a wild understatement…read more I couldn't be MORE of a fan of this place if I tried. The entire experience has been nothing short of absolutely incredible, professional, cool and collected. This is as indie as it gets folks. A beautiful shop in Shoreditch run by two artists (Richard & Robin) with a real passion for not only reclaimed vintage pieces and sustainable function, but in welding these elements together to create beauty. They do custom work as well, are extremely skilled with iron (check out the fixtures in the store -- and they can customise anything), and a keen eye for eccentric pieces. Now, I know what you are thinking: "must cost a fortune." AND, you'd be wrong. I was shocked too at how reasonably priced their pieces are. We purchased a coffee table (an old kindergarten school table) for 45, a storage trug for 45 and the crown jewel: a salvaged steel table (HEAVY) with custom built wood slat top for 475. Compare that to the junk you can get on Tottenham Court Road, no contest. Better looking, cooler, independent business and...cheaper. What's the risk!? None! Richard and Robin delivered it to my home today (obviously this costs a bit extra) and managed to get this very heavy and slightly awkward shaped table into my kitchen. I don't even really know how they did it...but they did so and with grace. Barely a nick on a wall...if it had been me, the whole building would've been banged up after that job. They were polite, professional, and genuinely so cool to work with. We'll be coming back, signing up for the mailing list and shouting it from the rooftops...I also love their typewriter keychains and they have 2 old Stik (graffiti artist) doors that are on sale (a bit worn), that I so wish I could buy. My roommate is not in agreement, but please...go own an original! (orange background). Their website is also a good resource -- they have almost everything listed on there. *accepts credit cards. *open Sundays. Super fan girl, right here.

This place is a real hidden gem... tucked away in Shoreditch. They make their own furniture out of…read morereclaimed items and seem to stay as true to their typewrite theme as possible... key chains, etc. I found this place while I was wondering around my neighborhood and soon came back to look at furniture. Many of their pieces are made of steel & old growth wood and they have a gritty industrial feel to them. Richard, the co-owner was gracious on each of my visits and explained enough about the pieces to give me a quick anecdote if i needed to boast to my friends (this one was in vogue uk, this one is made from floorboards, etc). What is great though, is how well these pieces are priced. I love looking for furniture like this and tables like these can go for thousands, instead you get them for hundreds. Very good deal at the price point. They also offer delivery and can build custom pieces. The typewriter may be obsolete, but if Richard & co can keep finding, making and selling furniture at such realistic price points, I think Type will be around for a while... ...maybe long enough to be in business when we all are using typewriters again... trust me.. I watch enough scifi to know that big changes are coming

I absolutely love 'In...'. If you're not careful you may miss it but if you work your way through…read moreall the stalls in Spitalfields you'll fihnd this gorgeous home furnishings shop. They have beautiful furniture (dinning room tabels, chairs, cabinets and shelving) all of which have great individual style. My favourite items in here are the trinkets and decor. They have beautiful bird cages for decor that you can put candles in as well as beautiful lighting and ornaments. It's a brilliant place if you're looking for gifts as they have stuff for men, women and children. The prices are reasonable and the staff are great.

I love this unique shop. They sell mainly quirky home decor items, as well as a small selection of…read morebooks (pop culture, fashion etc), jewellery, cards and gifts. It's a great place to head for an unusual gift or for someone hard to buy for. A lot of the stuff is a bit pricey but you can tell it's good quality. I'll definitely be popping in here when I move house to get some of the kitsch lighting and kitchenware they stock.

A real blast from the past this one, Located on Chiswick High Road near the High Road Brasserie,…read moreyou will find a small and unimpressive entrance to this weird and wonderful collection on nostalgia, antiques, American, art deco and retro furniture and other household items. It is a labyrinth of corridors, stairways, rooms and mini shops offering an amazing collection of everything old and antique that you may want to buy for your castle. Go there just for the spectacle, it is a truly amazing experience to walk among all of this clutter and stuff (I wanted to say junk) but I am sure they have some really expensive pieces. 1950's and 60's table lamps, fashion, table, chairs and chest of drawers are everywhere, as are the chandeliers - you don't go here to buy something, you go here to find something.

This has got to be one of the more interesting shops on Chiswick High Street. The Old Cinema is…read moreLondon's only department store selling antiques, vintage and retro furniture, décor, lights and gifts. It's a great place to come if you're looking for something to complement the IKEA or whatever brand forms the majority of your household furnishings. I didn't go with anything particular in mind but then I think that's probably the best frame of mind to be in when it comes to this sort of shopping. This way you allow yourself the true novelty of emotion when you realize you've found the stuffed owl you never knew you wanted. I quite liked the look of a few of 1950's American diner style kitchen stuff, cocktail shakers and drinks trolleys, that sort of thing but on this occasion I left as I came in. It's all about taste somewhere like this, it's eclectic and nothing will appeal to everyone but pop in, have a look around, something probably will.

Have you ever tried to mix paints in store? They generally try and find ways to save you some money…read moreby using the cheaper but not inferior bases for the more expensive colours. Recently helping my friend with a spot of flat refurbishment, this shop proved invaluable for selecting a whole range of tools and gave me a few extra pointers on colour co-ordination, advice which has spilled into my winter wardrobe collection! Particularly noteworthy are the friendly, local London staff who prompted my much needed education. They seem to have everything in-house and then some! Great DIY resource, comes very highly recommended!

The decorating shop on Bethnal Green Road is a good shop to know about if you are in the area and…read moredoing a bit of home DIY. This place has a huge selection of paints and can mix any colour you desire without having to go outside of London for a large retailer. But more surprisingly is the selection of wallpapers they have available. There are many rolls to pick from cash and carry with prices from £9.00 - £20.00 -(black and gold mix) But also available are books to choose and order from (normally a 1-2 day turnaround) - names like Sanderson - Morris and Co. - Opera - There are over 50 wallpaper books to browse which is quite impressive when you think how many design choices that is giving you!

I love looking at this shop, usually through the window because it is hardly ever open. The shop…read moremainly deals with antique furniture but has other bits and pieces as well. The best thing about the place is that everything is of a good quality, the worst thing is that it just isn't very cheap. I had my eye on a very simply designed old school chair, unfortunately it was about 70 pounds. I guess for people with a disposable income that wouldn't be a problem, at least your getting a quality product, albeit simply and small. The shop is located on Broadway Market and is well suited amongst all the other specialty shops on the strip. Even if you are just going to browse, you will have a nice time just being around all the lovely items in the shop. Stella herself is always around to give advice and point you in the right direction. It is nice to talk to her as she is obviously passionate about what she does. Opening hours are few and far between. Maybe if you head down for the Saturday market you can take the time to pop in to Stella Blunt.

This little shop is one of the many that have cropped up in the area in the last 4-5 years…read more Broadway market has changed and grown to such a size that almost everything can be bought here now. It has become so popular with its cafes , boutiques and amazing selection of foods available on Saturdays. This shop of vintage objects and furniture has a cute handpicked selection of different pieces from lots of eras from art deco mirrors to 50's tables -but at a price. It amazes me that just down the road close to the tube and with easy public transport service available in Bethnal Green a 50s coffee table can barely demand £30.00 yet this area now has such a"cool" factor that the same table could show up in a place like Stella Blunts and command £200.00 !! There were alot of special pieces which granted have value - but a 50s wood irregular wood table for £280.00 is high - but incredible too if it is selling - it just shows how much this area has changed and is now perceived .

What's up, Diamond Jubilee?!?!…read more I just bought a lovely mug commemorating the Queen's 60 year reign for 20 quid. It was terribly costly, but I don't care; I wanted it. There were St. George mugs, bird and flower mugs, starry mugs, and personalised mugs, jugs, and tea pots on display. 'Keep Calm and Fork Over the Cash' should be another motif Emma Bridgewater pottery could have emblazoned across it! Hee hee. Not just spotty tea mugs anymore, Emma Bridgewater has branched out to include textiles and melamine ware all bearing likenesses made well known by her ceramic ware. Suffice it to say, it's a lovely shop filled with products made up in the Potteries. I'm glad EB is there doing her thing.

Emma Bridgewater's is a beautiful shop which sells crockery and household goods with lovely…read morepatterns on them. Her spotty mugs and cute 'I dreamt of Daniel Craig last night' tea towels are very kitch without being tacky. However, if you want to buy something from this shop it won't come cheap. During my Christmas shopping I came across a sweet little milk jug in Emma Bridgewater's. It was in the shape of a cow and had the word 'Mooo' written across it. I thought about getting it for my parents as a funny little extra to their present until I turned it over to see that it was priced at £70. £70! For a milk jug. Who has that milk jug cash to spend? I would recommend Emma Bridgewater's to anyone looking for a wedding present or a house warming gift. Everything in here is beautifully made and I'm sure most people would really appreciate her designs. Maybe stick to the cups and saucers though, the milk jug might just blow your budget.