I want an elephant lamp and a cat lamp, I don't know quite how to describe them specifically, but…read morethey are funky, cool, modern and stylish; so you will have to go to blueprint designs and see them for yourself. Blueprint is one of the most interesting shops in Potts Point, they have super cool array of home wares with a chic, funky, ultra modern sense of style. It would be difficult to find many of their products elsewhere. They have futuristic toasters, alienesque salt and pepper shakers, mind bending umbrellas (I particularly like the checked colour spectrum design). The shop is a good, large size space, it has kind of a jumbled feel, but I think that is more a result of the variance of style and level of stock, rather than actual jumble as it is well organised. Also if you call in at the moment they have some Andy Warhol books on sale! If you like me like unique stuff, this is a shop for you. Now if anyone wants to buy me that elephant lamp.....

The colours are a retail delight. The modern gift and homewares store on Macleay Street has a…read morewonderful variety of things to create and design your home. Modern drying racks, Umbra trash cans, and Reisenthel bags are some of the items that can be found and there are a couple of things that would be hard to find anywhere else in Sydney. The shop is well designed and I always like to peek in and see what new products they have to sell. I've found a couple of good gifts here (a travel wallet, jewelry holder and a photo album). They also have Jonathan Adler products, which I like (I try to see his shop in L.A. - Melrose and Crescent Heights - when I visit. If you're in need of some good and colourful modern interior design ideas and need a product to inspire you, Blueprint in Potts Point is a good place to start.

If you love quality crockery and home décor items, Royal Doulton at DFO Homebush is the answer to…read moreany home enthusiasts prayers. You'll find Vera Wang, Kate Spade and Royal Albert dishes, cutlery, glasses and vases at discounted prices. Even noticeable, 50% off Versace flower vases and other crockery. Love it, will return. In the meantime am going to enjoy a discounted Royal Albert candle - Lotus and Gardenia :)

For all your candle needs!!!…read more There are smelly ones, and non smelly ones. Ones to get rid of odours in rooms and other's are your basic white candle variety. There's something for everyone here. And the staff know their stuff. Plus you won't have to sell your first or second child to buy a decently sized candle like you do in most other stores.

Stacks of Wax sits quietly just off the bustling King St…read more Inside is a small factory style collection of all things candles, and they sell individuals as well as large orders. My favourite thing here are the Wax lanterns. I haven't found them anywhere else, and they come in a range of handcrafted designs and colours. The wax lanterns makes that "personalised and thoughtful" gift for a friend's housewarming, tea party, whatever really, as long as this friend likes candles. One or two of them makes a great table piece and creates a warm ambiance, or order heaps for an 'artsy' style event/function. Definitely worth checking out.

Looking for beautiful handmade candles. Then the perfect place to go to is shine candles on…read morePresident Avenue in Kogarah. The shop oozes personality and you have to go in and smell the different candles. They smell divine. All their candles are hand made to perfection and are made out of Soy instead of paraffin. So they are chemical free and environment friendly. Not only that they also last longer than paraffin candles. There are lots of different products like candle melts, mini jars, travel tins, votive and other accessories. They do custom made candles for special occasions like christenings and weddings. Shine candles also do candle parties which are really famous these days. The staff is friendly and are not pushy about what you should buy.

News just in- a vortex seems to have opened up from the ancient silk road and deposited one of its…read moretents in the middle of Newtown. Overblown introduction? Perhaps, but this place felt like the real deal to me. With a sloping ceiling covered with colourful linens in imitation of a traditional Afghan tent, a wooden floor peppered with exotic rugs and the entire shop lit by little coloured lamps I wasn't sure whether I'd walked into a shop or my imagination. Every inch of this shop offers a different and more beautiful item of decoration than the last. There are cushions, rugs, drapes, jewellery, trinkets, clothes and furniture, all uniquely characterised by traditional Afghan patterns. By far my favourite items were the lamps that were dotted around the place. Their coloured glass exteriors meant the light they shed was both romantic and atmospheric and they came in almost every colour. They turn Afghan Interiors into an Aladdins Cave of treasures! Being of import, all these items are quite pricey but the quality is comparatively good. I may not earn enough to fill my house with this magical stuff, but I will certainly do my best to imitate the shop! I pity my housemates who will constantly be having to take down drapes I've enthusiastically put up to make our house into a tent, and blow out candles I've left lit in tiny little lamps around the room...

Looking to splash your living room in color? Afghan Interiors houses dozens of amazing Middle…read moreEastern imports that will spice up your house in no time: woven throws; interesting lighting fixtures; blown glass salad bowls; Afghan coin purses; silver cast gemstone jewelry. The seemingly small store winds back through many different rooms and compartments with treasures abound. Among my favorite are the hand painted glass teacups, in sets of many different colors and starting at $7 each. Although the prices will remind you that you actually are in Australia, everything else about this enchanting shop will have you believing you've stepped into the magical Middle East.

There are several antique jewellery stores that can be found in Sydney but only one that has the…read morebest collection: Anne Schofield Antiques. Pieces from the 18th century up until the 1950s are sold here, from earrings to rings and even cufflinks. Each piece is individually chosen for its design, quality, and beauty. Their collections are sought after by many from international connoisseurs to celebrities and distinguished personality. Despite their high-end clients, they still offer the same personalised and friendly service to the average shopper. The cost of their products is, of course, pretty expensive but the exceptional beauty, design and quality of each piece makes it worth it. Highly recommended!

I thoroughly enjoyed perusing this funky gift shop, it made a nice break from all the generic…read moreWestfield shops one tends to find in Bondi Junction. There are some fun, quirky and kitsch products and it is a good store to browse if you are in need of gift ideas. I quite liked all the cutsey home wares like the skeleton gingerbread men cookie cutters and the old style princess telephones. However I have seen many of the products in other gift shops before so maybe in need of a few more unique items. The store was set out very neatly and all the stock was quite accessible to pick up and touch, nothing was hiding or obscured from view. Everything was quite reasonably priced too. The staff were friendly enough to exchange pleasantries but were more interested in talking to each other than paying attention to the person at the counter.

Hart and Heim is such a cool shop, these kinds of shops are so great as they exude imagination and…read moreinnovation. Set up the top Bondi Junction Westfield they are in amongst a few other shops selling unique home- ware. These shops are perfect for buying presents as not only will you be able to give gifts that the recipient does not have, but they will not have imagined such a thing has even been created. Believe it or not they have a Combie tent, yes a tent, which is formed to replicate a 1960's Combie van, how jealous would the other campers be of you. Also another super cool item is Pacman & Ghost Monsters (the ones who chase Pacman around) mint containers (although I am guessing they are not necessarily intended for mints). They have bird song alarm clocks and the cutest brightly coloured grenades you will ever see - they are chew toys for dogs. There is no limit to the imagination at Heart and Heim, go there, be inspired.

Found this antique home goods place in the Monocle travel guide for Sydney. I have high…read moreexpectations on furniture / decoration places and I didn't get disappointed here. Ici et la has beautiful old decoration objects from all over the world. From magical local shells to wooden and metal tables, chairs or lamp to handmade bags. Infact they have a seamstress in the store that creates blankets etc. with your initials. If I would live in Sydney, my interior design would be well influenced by this store.