HomeSense is a chain of discount home furnishing stores, it is owned by TK Maxx, who also has a…read morestore next to this one in the Manchester Arndale. like TK Maxx the branding/styling of the name is different on this side of the Atlantic. The store is large and has a good selection of bits and bobs, from pillows to appliances, from ice cube trays and cheese-graters. Considering, they're supposed to be a "discount" chain, I did find some prices to be a little high, if you're lucky you'll find a high-quality item with a good discount/offer though, so it's kind of like a TKMaxx jumble sale but replacing the clothes with home items. The staff seemed friendly and happy to help me find what I was looking for, and the experience at the checkout was smooth. This is a fairly good store, obviously, some deals are better than others, but probably the best selection of home furnishing in the Manchester Arndale, with a fairly presentable store and helpful staff. 4*

I'm kind of in love with this shop. It's dreamy! The window displays are whimsical and they're sure…read moreto draw you in every time. The seasonal produce is brilliant, both food items and general home ware. They've got the Christmas stock in at the moment and it's absolutely gorgeous, snow globes and crockery, bath products and food. You name it :) I had to drag myself out of the shop before I spent my entire pay check. I love that you can get top quality, one off items here are a very decent price. The staff are always helpful and the store is clean and well presented. They also have a pretty good reduced to clear range. If you're in to DIY like me you can pick up something that's a little damaged for a ridiculous price and fix it up at home. I've saved so much doing this. I also find this shop to be ideal for gift shopping as they stock such a wide range of products, the packaging tends to be beautiful and I can pick up items here that I wouldn't normally see in other shops.

Much less incognito now it has a cafe set up out front…read more Coffee strong and nice, served with ice water and a slice of lemon, nice twist, if you will. I'm loving the new trend of serving coffee with water in hot weather. Nice atmosphere and probably more for groups than a solo act tbh, can't moan though, lovely blend, will try a crepe or a quesadilla when I have not been filled by a home sweet home breakfast another day. The outdoor seating, although on Stevensons square is absolutely fine as it feels set back Enough from the street as to not feel congested... Also, the little vanilla biscuit spoon is a lovely touch. Will be back!

Incognito is exactly that; the number of times I have walked past and totally forgotten about its…read moreexistence is to be frank quite ridiculous. Once you step inside, you're a treasure trove the likes of Fred Aldous but with more focus on the gadgets and home decor than arts and crafts. Goodies here range from the practical - cards, retro rotary phones, beautifully decorated jewellery boxes - to the slightly silly - otter patterned tin, briefcase shaped cheese grater, skull light. (Who am I kidding, the cheese grater is amazing.) If you're struggling to find something for the person who has everything, this is a great place to start.

So there I was, wandering round the Northern Quarter looking for something new, and POOF it…read moreappeared! In a shadowy doorway near Leo's gross Fish Bar, is a little staircase, lined with cool music posters and a couple of outfits on hangers. To be honest, I didn't hold out much hope as I descended the stairs. The sign above the door isn't the best (though it gets kudos for being simple) and, let's face it, vintage shops are ten-a-penny nowadays, and Manchester's NQ selection is already so good, it'd be hard to live up to that. But, I am glad to report, Bratt's does it admirably. Located in a cellar, basically, Bratt's takes advantage of the exposed brick work and low ceilings, and the arched alcoves in the wall are used as features; one of them houses much of the homewares selection (more on that later) and the other has been curtained off as a fitting room, which is almost too cool for words. It's the best fitting room I've seen since Rags to Bitches' silky tent. In terms of stock, Bratt's has really got it. Endless racks of good quality, well-cared-for vintage merchandise line the tardis-like cellar, organised, by style and material. So you'll find all the cricket jumpers together, offset by a great collection of retro trackie-tops and a bunch of good-looking furs (faux, or no? I dunno.) There's a multitude of jolly good womenswear, from all eras and epochs, and a seriously decent selection of knitwear. There's also a fantastic array of upcycled dresses and skirts by Love Me Again. I love upcycling, and you should too! The homewares, though mainly concentrated in one area, are scattered round the shelves. The awesomeness is too much to list, and I'm sure it's changed since last week, but expect to see vintage telephones, Atari consoles, the odd coffee table and some very nice mirrors. The perfect addition to any bijous dwelling, and the sort of thing I yearn for, but cannot have, in my modernist gaff. Sigh. Anyway, if you've got a kitsch aesthetic going on, you could do a lot worse than to pop to Bratt's for a vintage milk jug. (£3!) Not only is the stock great, the people here are fab too. The manager was more than happy to have a wee chat about the place, and told me that originally he'd planned to open a bar there. Thank God he didn't; this vintage shop is far too good to miss out on. As well as Mr Bratt (j'assume) there's a lovely female shop assistant who wafted around being the epitome of vintaahhhge styyyyle, dahhhhling, making it look totally effortless. She's hard to hate, though, because she's so damn lovely. Considering the instant awesomeness of Bratt's, only two weeks after opening, I think this place is one that will go quickly from hidden gem to firm fave, and rightly so.

What a really cool vintage addition. Downstairs you go and explore and be fascinated and prepared…read moreto shell out on some very amazing pieces. Fancy a batman mobile telephone? A very old sewing machine? Listening to Rock FM and admiring the brickwork, the poster work and breathing in that vintage smell? Get yourself down to Bratts. Brilliance.

Great spot for shopping. Lots of treasures. We loved all of the different businesses in building…read moreacross 4 floors.

Back in the days of Madchester, Afflecks Palace was the place to go to get cool flares, psychadelic…read moreshirts, sunhats and all the right threads. Rumour has it Urban Splash founder Tom Bloxham even had a stall here selling bootleg Inspiral Carpets and Happy Mondays tees. These days, Afflecks is a bit of a ghost town. There are still dozens of stalls selling everything from vintage and secondhand clothes to military wear, drugs paraphanelia, henna tattoos, wind-chimes and furniture. Sadly, there aren't as many old goths, rockers, emo teens and ageing punks as there used to be and you can sometimes walk round the whole building without seeing anyone other than the staff!

One of my favourite furniture shops! Filled with beautiful unique furniture and home accessories…read morethat you won't find anywhere else in Manchester. My recent purchases include a Mid-Century Modern velvet upholstered rocking chair, a faux Monstera plant, a couple of PF Candles and a collection of beautiful Scandi-inspired tableware.

From the owner: Rose and Grey offer an electric mix of furniture and home accessories - everything you need to…read more'make your home happy'.

This is a lovely new furniture and home decor store, set between two nondescript hair and beauty…read moreplaces. This setting makes it all the more lovely, with ladders covered by plants to decorate the outside and the lovingly dressed window displays. Inside are all kinds of treasures from the days gone by which you can colour your home with - from sets of cutlery to upcycled barstools, dressers, mirrors and such! What a pretty way to sell old furniture! What's cute is that from talking to the owner I found out that when finding a name for the place, the couple were stuck for ideas, so asked their daughter, 'In the middle!' she said, 'because that's where it is! '.

Ever wanted a frying pan that makes heart-shaped eggs? How…read moreabout a grill that makes toast with religious figures engraved on? Or a polka dot suitcase with a smaller polka dot case inside? In short, Oklahoma's Gift shop is a living and breathing homage to the art of Kitsch ahd Colourful accessories. There's big items like lampshades and clocks hanging from the walls and ceiling, wallpapers and posters behind the main counter and dozens of shelves and tables stacked high with all kinds of weird and wonderful nonsense. One of my favourite items is the old American Popcorn Machine filled with jewellery and the desk overflowing with stationary, plastic moustaches and candy cigarettes.

I have wanted to go to Oklahoma for at least a year now and just never got around to it! Eventually…read moretoday was the day...and I was not disappointed at all! This quirky and cutesy store was everything I dreamed of! I couldn't wait to let my purse loose and I was didn't leave empty handed! This place is great for knick knacks, xmas presents and homely decor for those (like me) that are obsessed with kitchenware, signs and much much more! I was careful and only bought a little Christmas tree decoration (part of a family tradition) I buy my Mum one each year and this winter it will be an addition of a cute glass bottle with a wish and fairy (glitter) floating around inside! Picture to follow...

Incredible art store. I was blown away by how well stocked the store is. I loved the top floor with…read morecool crafts and unique art gifts to purchase. The second floor had every art supplies I could dream of, and the bottom floor was an amazing selection of paper and canvas. Truly a great art store for all

Incredible place, but dangerous at the same time as you could easily spend a lot of money in here!…read more The first time I popped in was when I needed a few items for an event and I thought I'd gamble on Fred Aldous having the stuff I needed - they did! Anything you need for arts & craft or decorations they have it and with some good choice! I've now been in a few times when I need to pick up bits and bobs or essentials for work i.e. scissors etc. Loads of interesting present and gift ideas in here as well so if you're out and about birthday shopping or it's coming up to christmas - I'd say Fred Aldous is a great option with some similar style stuff to Oklahoma! Most of the stuff here is well priced and I've always been fairly surprised that my total wasn't higher when purchasing as I think the interior and style gives off an expensive vibe but really it's good value for money! A short simple review for a top NQ shop!

One of things I love about living in Levenshulme is looking round the Antiques Village on a Sunday…read moreafternoon. There are three floors of pre-war furniture, household objects, chandeliers, toys, medals, vintage jewellery and other collectibles. Over the years I've noticed the prices going up a little but it's still great value for money. The last time I went I came away with a beautiful vintage sewing box that I found amongst various ornaments and bric-á-brac. In the basement you'll find a café which does a mean weekend breakfast and serves good food throughout the day. The building itself is also noteworthy. Built in 1898, it was originally the Town Hall. The original mouldings and green tiles are still existence. The Antiques Village is a five minute walk from Levenshulme Station and a ten minute drive from Manchester City Centre.

Hmm this is the third year i am giving the center a visit. For me it gets less and less…read moreinteresting. It is a mostly furniture place. Miss the little nicknacks. The old guy in the courtyard with his treasure cave is unfortunately gone .....

I walked into Cushion Couture with the brunette once, sniggering slightly at the name but also with…read morea sense of purpose, for I was doing my classic frequent routine of attempting to makeover my apartment with accessories. But I evidently had the wrong shop for my specific want. After circling a great many strange items for what felt like hours, cushions with character faces for the kids and duvets with Robert Pattinson's mug slapped across them as well as a great many damask and retro patterned softies, a sales assistant took pity on me and offered help. 'Ooh, could you tell me if you sell cushion covers, please?' I asked. 'Sorry, we don't,' she replied. I'm starting to get the feeling that this is a stupid question. Does anywhere sell cushion covers? Seriously, answers on a postcard please, because I'm awash with cushions, it's new covers I need (the damask and retro would be lovely) and although I've read a tutorial a thousand times all about how to make one I'm scared that it'd go horribly wrong. At Cushion Couture's cheap prices I could always just buy the whole thing and nick the cover, but then I end up with a surplus of uncovered cushions. This is a nightmare of epic proportions. Meanwhile, as I said, if you're in need of a few bright bits and bobs to smarten up your lounge or bed area, this is certainly an inexpensive option with a huge range to choose from, and there are many displays in the store to depict what a difference a few cushions can make. I'm just in a sour mood because it doesn't sell the covers separately, that's all.

It's definitely a sign of the times when you come across a store that is completely dedicated to…read morethe humble back-cradler and sofa-dweller known as the common cushion. TV design programs and coffee table books have turned us into a nation of amateur interior designers. Even my boyfriend shudders in horror after catching himself saying things like 'I think the table runner compliments the wall colour perfectly babe'. We may laugh, but stores like these thrive in hard financial times for the simple fact that soft furnishings like cushions and throws can change the feel of your room for little damage to your pocket. There's a great range of designers and cheaper brands on offer here in contemporary and traditional styles. Everything is discounted pretty heavily too. From Kylie to Jeff Banks and cheaper own-brand designs at just £8, cushion couture is accessible to every taste and pocket. I'm particularly keen on the crushed velvets and silks. To me, cushions should be made as luxurious as humanly possible.